Maddie G. ’27 Wins Again at Annual Bra-ha-ha® Art Competition

Creativity, compassion and community impact came together once again for Maddie G. ’27, who earned first place for the second consecutive year at Chesapeake Regional Hospital’s Bra-ha-ha®, a fundraising event that celebrates breast cancer survivorship through art.

Last year, Maddie won top honors in the “Best School Entry (14 and Above)” category for her piece "Breast Cancer Succs." This year, she repeated the achievement with a striking new design titled "Blooming Shrooms and Healing Boobs"—an imaginative work inspired by her love of mushrooms.

“Mushrooms show up in a lot of my art,” Maddie shared. “So this year, I decided to incorporate them into my bra design.”

Her choice was more than aesthetic. Maddie explained that mushrooms symbolize strength and hope emerging from unexpected places—an idea that resonated deeply with the mission of Bra-ha-ha®.

“Mushrooms grow in decomposing places,” she said. “Even when something is rotted or breaking down, mushrooms flourish. They come in all kinds of colors and shapes, and they’re beautiful. For that reason, I think mushrooms are a great representation of finding hope in unexpected places.”

Maddie’s creative process evolved as she worked. While her initial idea was to turn the cups into mushroom tops, she realized she could push her creativity further. With encouragement and brainstorming support from her mom, she landed on a final design—much of it developed intuitively along the way.

Balancing the project with school, swim and other commitments proved challenging.

“The hardest part was finding time to work on it,” Maddie said. “Luckily, I had my mom to help with ideas and supplies, and I worked on it little by little.”

Maddie’s connection to Bra-ha-ha® began long before she entered the competition herself. Growing up, she watched her mom and aunt create pieces for the event—and even modeled their finished designs. When she was finally old enough to participate, she jumped at the opportunity.

“I signed up for the cause and because I love art,” she said. “I thought it would be a fun project.” Winning, especially for the second year in a row, came as a surprise. “It was honestly shocking,” Maddie shared. “I signed up for the same reasons as last year—for the cause and for fun.”

Through her work, Maddie hopes to inspire others to see community service in a new light.

“There are many opportunities out there to help,” she said. “This one was fun for me, and it helped others at the same time. I want people to see that there are more ways to help the community than they might think.”

Her advice to fellow students? “Go for it. Art is very expressive, and when it comes to making a difference, expression is a great way to help.”

The Bra-ha-ha® entries were unveiled at the annual Bra-ha-ha® Awards Show and Auction, which serves as a tribute to those affected by breast cancer. According to the Bra-ha-ha® website, proceeds from the campaign help provide free mammograms and related breast health services to eligible uninsured and underinsured community members, as well as support advanced technology at Chesapeake Regional Breast Care.

Congratulations to Maddie on another meaningful—and beautifully creative—achievement.