BARELY DRESSED FOR CANCER PREVENTION

Supporters packed Teak Restaurant for the second edition of Go Naked & Check Yourself on Sunday. (Photos by Rebecca Desfosse.)

By: REBECCA DESFOSSE

Sugarush cupcakes and Sweetest Sin have done it again. Teak Restaurant was nearly busting at the seams for the second sold-out Go Naked and Check Yourself cancer fundraiser and awareness raiser Sunday night.

Waitresses passed around food, cocktails, and minicupcakes. Lingerie and underwear models, in various states of undress, sold raffle tickets. But partiers weren’t there for the models, of course: they were there to learn how to check themselves for detectable cancers of the skin, testicles and breasts.

Cancer survivor DonnaLyn Giegerich kicked the night’s serious business off with palpable energy – urging those present to check themselves, never give up if diagnosed with cancer and be disciplined in self-care. Giegerich suffered from Leiomyosarcoma, but “ran, biked and swam through a year of rehab, chemotherapy and radiation,” she said.

Adding some star power was Elizabeth Vashisht from VH1’s Tough Love. “Cancer runs in my family, so anything I can do to help out, I’m there,” said Vashisht.

Red Bank resident Christina Sallemi was hoping to walk away with a family package from CLB Photography, but didn’t win. Other prizes included packages from Sweetest Sin, Fashion Forward and Emilia. Each guest received a gift bag chock full of goodies donated by local businesses.

One of the biggest hits of the night was a photo booth – which drew a steady stream of partiers all night. As one guest put it, “who doesn’t love a photo booth?”

Sugarush c0-owner Chris Paseka told redbankgreen that his goal for the evening was to raise $10,000, “every dime” of which was slated for donation to either cancer prevention or Hurricane Sandy relief efforts. With $5,000 from ticket sales alone and 250 people bidding on silent auctions and purchasing raffle tickets, he was hoping the event would surpass that target.