People do a lot of things to raise and spread cancer awareness: They run for the cure. Paint for the cure. They sing, donate and climb for the cure. Friday night in Plano, 22 men gyrated their hips in tutus, wigs and festively decorated bras, for the fourth year in a row, to support breast cancer patients and survivors. The fourth annual Battle of the Bras, presented by the Collin County Women’s Council of Realtors, raised more than $15,000 during their annual fundraiser. All raised funds went to Women Rock, a local nonprofit that works to increase awareness and early detection of breast cancer with women in North Texas and southern Oklahoma. LuAnn Daniel, founder of Women Rock said the Battle of the Bras fundraiser continues to spread breast cancer awareness to men and women in North Texas, while also providing funds for Women Rock’s programs. “…We’ve been able to help people in their own industry that have fallen on hard times with the breast cancer diagnosis, so it’s very heartwarming to know that someone that’s supporting us, we’re able to support them back,” Daniel said. The funds raised Friday night will help women diagnosed with breast cancer with any accrued costs outside of their treatment. They help clients pay utility bills, insurance premiums, rent and other costs to “try to relieve the immediate stress the treatment can cause,” Daniel said, as well as provide mammograms, breast cancer screenings and consistent support throughout the cancer journey. “The money goes to the people who need it the most. We know research is important, but we don’t support research. The patients are in bigger need in this area,” Daniel. Beth Rogers, president of the Women’s Council of Realtors the Battle of the Bras was the Women’s Council of Realtors’ way of supporting survivors and those currently fighting their diagnosis. “We are supporting breast cancer survivors and those that fight to survive because that is part of our mission: that we support other people in time of need,” Rogers said. “We admire the folks at Women Rock for all they do and the support that they give the people that need assistance in fighting.” Tammy Kingman of the Collin County Women’s Council of Realtors said she has a grandmother, mother and mother-in-law who are all breast cancer survivors, so Battle of the Bras was a personally fulfilling event. “Many of us, unfortunately, have been around breast cancer, and we’ve had so many people that we know and love that have been afflicted with it,” Kingman said. “We’ve worked with [Women Rock] for four years, and they serve those underprivileged women, women without insurance, and they go throughout the whole process with them from screening to treatment. “They’re just very local. and that’s what we’re all about.” Original Article found here.