Guests were encouraged to "think pink" at alpha Kappa Delta Phi sorority's second annual breast cancer awareness charity ball Saturday.

The event, held at the Days Inn, 240 S. Pugh St., raised about $600 to donate to the sorority's philanthropy, Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

"We wanted to do something that would benefit the community as well as students on campus," said Yuqing Gao, the sorority's philanthropy chairwoman and Multicultural Greek Council (MGC) president.

Alpha Kappa Delta Phi, an Asian-American interest sorority and part of the MCG, played host to about 75 guests.

A slideshow with pictures and quotes from breast cancer survivors played in the background as two-time cancer survivor Samantha Grove, an adult learner majoring in human development and family studies, shared her story.

Grove, who ignored a lump on the side of her breast while she was pregnant with her second daughter, told the women in the audience to "never ignore it."

When she finally did go to the doctor, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. For her, that day was a blur. In the days after, Grove underwent surgery, gave birth to her second daughter and then began chemotherapy treatment.

During treatment, she lost her hair and got sick, but still, she said, "you have to be able to laugh when you have cancer ... you have to keep humor."

Her eldest daughter, now 10 years old, helped her do just that.

Grove reminisced about a time when she fell asleep on the couch and woke up to a new hair-do.

" 'Mommy, I drewed you hair!,' " her daughter told her.

Grove's new "hair" was lines drawn on her bald head with colored permanent markers.

After completing chemotherapy, Grove thought she had won her battle with cancer, though, she said, "any cancer survivor knows you never really relax."

In an effort to relax, the Grove family got a dog, and everyday that dog would hop onto Grove's lap and claw at her ribs.

Soon after, she noticed a lump on her side and was diagnosed with lung cancer. After fighting another disease, the dog sniffed at her ribs once and hasn't done it since. She said she feels like the dog sensed the sickness. Cancer-free for three years, she said she's "doing great."

"My goal someday is to be a social worker, and someday help people go through what I've gone through," she said.

Among the guests were members of Zeta Tau Alpha sorority, who share the same philanthropy.

"This event is great," said Stephanie Kender, Panhellenic Council president and Zeta Tau Alpha sorority member. "I liked the PowerPoint with all the survivor stories -- it made it more personal."