CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WVEC) -- The 2015 Bra-ha-ha awards show and auction took place Friday night.
Touted as a 'seriously uplifting experience,' the Bra-ha-ha celebrated eight years of raising awareness and funds to address the serious issue of breast cancer.
Each year, hundreds of creative designers from across the community draw upon personal experience with breast cancer — as survivors, family members, friends of survivors or simply as supporters of the cause — and use that inspiration to create a theme with which to decorate a basic 38C bra.
The designs were judged and eight winning bras selected, with one grand prize winner receiving $1,000.
This year's grand prize winner was designed by Sandy May and was entitled "Broken Parts Do Not Mean Broken Hearts."
Read about all the winners at the bottom of this story.
Since 2008, more than 1,500 bras have been submitted, more than 1,000 women have received free breast health screenings and 15 of those women have been diagnosed with breast cancer that may have otherwise gone undetected. They all came through the Breast Center at Chesapeake Regional Healthcare.
JoAnn Phillips is among the recipients of Bra-ha-ha proceeds. She had her first mammogram at age 52. Her screening was clear. She says she's grateful for her health and realizes how lucky she is, "I learned from realizing that I went so long without, that I was very, very lucky. Some women are not gonna be that lucky."
Breast Center Breast Navigator, Meg Shrader, herself a 10 year survivor, says the risk here in Virginia is great.
"The cancer society is estimating that about 6,090 women in the state of Virginia will be diagnosed in 2015 and that 1,090 women will die from the disease. So, you know we all hear about it, but we need to be vigilant about this," explained Shrader.
Mobile users, click here for the full list of winners.
