In October, you might hear many people say “Wear Pink”, but do you know what it means? Over 4 million people are affected or have been affected by breast cancer. This month is meant to honor the fighting, the survivors, and the ones who have lost the battle.
40 years ago October was named the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a disease that affects 2.3 million women worldwide. In 1985, it started out as only a week-long event as an awareness campaign by the American Cancer Society and Imperial Chemical Industries to encourage women to get early detection screenings. Imperial Chemical Industries is a British company that makes tamoxifen, a drug used to treat breast cancer. In 1992, the pink ribbon was introduced. Alexandra Penney, the editor-in-chief of SELF magazine, and Evelyn Lauder, senior corporate vice president at Estée Lauder and a breast cancer survivor, gave out pink ribbons after the magazine’s second annual Breast Cancer Awareness Month issue.
Over 40,000 people die from breast cancer each year. Believe it or not- breast cancer death rates in the U.S. have dropped 44% since 1989. A big part of this decrease is directly related to Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Since the official labeling of this month, National Breast Cancer Awareness Month has raised enough awareness to save lives. There are many things that can be done to help. Fundraising or participating in walks or races dedicated to this cause, sharing personal stories to help fund research, or something as simple as wearing pink. Breast cancer not only weighs on the physical health of a person, but also the mental state of them and their family. When a family member has this disease it can disrupt daily life, forcing families to make adjustments. This can cause stress, anxiety, depression, and fear, within them and their family. Anyone can help to support the families of the fighting.
Sports teams across the country participate in wearing pink. Many teams of all levels, collegiate, professional, and even youth teams, incorporate pink into their uniforms and equipment. Some teams even hold “Pink Out” games where they encourage their audiences to wear pink. During these games, there are often ceremonies to honor loved ones of all players and attendees who are fighting, have lost the battle, or are survivors of breast cancer. These games are usually used as fundraisers for research and to support organizations of the sort. Many high schools, like Liberty High School hold “Pink Nights” for fall sports, such as football, volleyball, and field hockey.
Obviously, breast cancer is more common in women. 1 in 8 women are diagnosed. 1 person dies every 2 minutes from this fatal disease. But breast cancer doesn’t only affect women. 1 in 726 men are affected, although it doesn’t seem like many but men can still develop this disease. 2,800 men are diagnosed with breast cancer every year and 510 men die each year from it. Even though the majority of the disease exists in women, men are still affected by breast cancer.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month is a time to come together as a community to support those affected, educate others, and inspire hope for a cure. Whether it’s wearing pink, participating in fundraisers, or simply spreading awareness, every action, big or small, makes a difference. By standing together and showing compassion, students can help remind everyone that awareness leads to early detection, and early detection saves lives.
