MASON - September is nationally recognized as Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. The 5th Annual Compete For a Cause match-up between Okemos and Mason boys varsity soccer kicked off on Saturday Sept. 17 at 7p.m. in Mason.

Attendees wore gold t-shirts to represent the gold ribbon, the international symbol for childhood caner.

Last year the event raised $27,000. Half of that was donated locally towards kids being treated at the MSU Pediatric Oncology Clinic and the other half will be donated to the St. Baldrick's Foundation.

The Chieftains won the match 3 to 1 over the Bulldogs, but the real champion on Saturday was 4-year-old Lila Tkaczyk. She is battling brain cancer, but her outlook is nothing shy of positive.