Respecting Breast Cancer Research Month to Help Make a Difference


    By David Nalpak

    Breast cancer is a leading causes of cancer deaths for women in the US. You may not have known that:

    • Over $8 billion is spent in the US on treatment annually
    • There will be almost 50,000 deaths from breast cancer this year; about 400 of them will be men.
    • You are most at risk by being a woman and getting older
    • A new case is diagnosed every 2 minutes
    • As of 2008, there were over 2.5 million survivors in America
    • 85% of all diagnoses have no family history of the disease

    In America, cancer of the breast is the most 2nd most common cancer (after skin cancer) and also the second leading cause of cancer death in American women. Although the rate of diagnosis has increased, the good news is that there has been a drop in the overall mortality rate since the early 1990's. While fewer African Americans get the cancer compared to Caucasians, a higher percentage will die of the disease. There has been much progress made, but there is still a long way to go in pursuing further education, research, and finding the ultimate cure.

    Breast Cancer Awareness Month

    October 1985 was the first National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The observance started as a single week to raise awareness about research and treatment options. The national month to promote awareness of breast cancer research and treatment has evolved along with our national dialogue about the disease. Although the movement has made great strides in the awareness of breast cancer, there is still a long way to go before eradicating the disease. National breast cancer organizations are committed to educating women about taking ownership of their breast health through regular self-breast examinations regular physician visits and annual mammograms with their healthcare provider.

    There are several national public service organizations, government agencies, and professional medical associations that have joined forces to increase awareness, share information, and increase access to critical mammograms. October may be formally known as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but education is the year-round mission for many organizations and healthcare providers every day of the year.

    The Pink Ribbon Phenomenon

    The pink ribbon has grown to become the international symbol of breast cancer awareness. In 1991, the Susan G. Komen Foundation gave out ribbons at its race of cancer survivors. In 1992 Alexandra Penney, Self Magazine's editor, and Evelyn Lauder, from Estee Lauder, created a pink ribbon campaign and distributed them at New York City retail stores.

    Today, pink colored ribbons can be found everywhere. Some cancer-focused organizations, like Pink Ribbon International, adopted pink ribbons as their organizational symbols. You can't go a day in October without seeing pink ribbons everywhere. Every October many products feature pink ribbons, are dyed pink, or are otherwise sold with a portion of the profits donated to support cancer research.

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    By Demulen Saturday, November 27, 2010