When working on litigation together in 2019, local lawyers Jayna Cacioppo and Neal Brackett discovered they had a mutual interest in promoting breast cancer awareness.
Cacioppo, an attorney at Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP, and Brackett, an attorney for Barnes & Thornburg LLP, forged a friendship after discussing their personal experiences with breast cancer in their families.
Cacioppo, who was the Indiana board president of Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation at the time, said that after the trial they continued talking, and Brackett showed interest in joining the cause. Months later, he joined the board alongside Cacioppo.
Now, the friends conduct an annual fundraiser for Susan G. Komen as part of its BigWigs campaign to raise money for breast cancer awareness. The goal is to raise $75,000, with many individuals raising money for the campaign alongside Cacioppo and Brackett.
“It’s a fun way to raise money for a great cause,” said Cacioppo, a Zionsville resident. “It’s kind of a competition, but a very friendly one. We’re all rooting for everyone to do well.”
For their event, Cacioppo and Brackett partnered with Hotel Tango in Zionsville on Feb. 17, when they served a signature cocktail, Strawberries for Melons, with proceeds supporting the lawyers’ efforts.
The event provided patrons with pink wigs to support Susan G. Komen, along with drinks, live music and various ways to donate to the BigWigs campaign.
“People can donate to each of our individual pages, and that’s what you can see,” said Brackett, an Indianapolis resident. “But we’ve also been given checks and secured sponsorships, so not all the donations are going to show up on the online tally. The campaign closes on March 25, and that’s when we’ll know the full amount raised by everyone.”
To date, Brackett has raised $3,789 on his personal page, and Cacioppo has raised $13,528 on hers.
To donate, visit secure.info-komen.org/site/TR?fr_id=8990&pg=entry.
