About Breast Cancer Awareness

Overview

Breast cancer awareness has exploded within recent years. There are two-day walks, three-day walks, numerous Race for the Cure events and National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Pink has become nearly synonymous with breast cancer awareness, and the pink ribbon is a ubiquitous sight.

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October 2009 marks the twenty-fifth anniversary of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It was originally founded by AstraZeneca, CancerCare, Inc. and the American Academy of Family Physicians, according to the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month website. During October, professional healthcare organizations, national public service organizations, sports associations and many more companies, join together and promote breast cancer awareness. This involves disseminating information about detection and prevention, more access to screening, and encouraging dialogue about the disease.

The Pink Ribbon

The pink ribbon has come to embody the breast cancer movement, and is immediately recognizable as symbolizing breast cancer awareness. Originally, however, it was a grassroots effort by a woman named Charlotte Haley, who had many women in her family affected by breast cancer. She made peach ribbons with a card that had statistics about the lack of funding for cancer prevention. She would hand the cards out in her community, and contacted public figures about wearing her peach ribbon. Eventually, "Self" magazine and Evelyn Lauder, then the vice-president of cosmetics company Estee Lauder, called Ms.Haley, wanting to partner with her. Haley declined, because she thought it was too commercial and wanted to remain grassroots. To avoid litigation, they chose a different color, and thus the pink ribbon was born.

Awareness Bracelets

After the success the Lance Armstrong Foundation had with their yellow wristband when it debuted in 2004, many other cancer organizations made rubber awareness bracelets of their own. There are many kinds of pink breast cancer rubber awareness bracelets; some have inspirational sayings on them, and others have the name of an organization on them. Some organizations pass bracelets out at events, or sell them to raise money for research.

Organizations

Some of the more visible and best known breast cancer organizations include the Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Living Beyond Breast Cancer and the Avon Foundation for Breast Cancer. Organizations that focus on younger women with breast cancer, such as the Young Survival Coalition, Bright Pink and Y-ME, which is now known as Breast Cancer Network of Strength. These organizations provide a multitude of services, including breast cancer education, connecting fellow cancer survivors, fundraising, and links to other organizations that may be helpful.

Celebrities and Breast Cancer Awareness

In addition to all the media attention for National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and numerous pink themed products, many celebrities now share their cancer journeys publicly, further raising awareness. When former First Lady Betty Ford had a radical mastectomy for breast cancer in 1974, she was one of the first women to openly discuss her experience. She wanted other women to know it was OK to talk about it. The following year, newscaster Betty Rollin published her memoir about her breast cancer diagnosis, "First, You Cry." More recent celebrities speaking out about their experiences with breast cancer include singers Melissa Etheridge and Sheryl Crow, and actress Christina Applegate. By bringing more attention to their experiences and promoting early detection and screening, they are helping to raise awareness about the disease.