Danielle Lyon ’26
EE Staff Writer
October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, a time for organizations to gather people together to celebrate survivors and inform people worldwide about the disease that very poorly affects millions every year.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month, held annually in October, aims to promote screening and prevention of the disease, which affects one in eight women in the United States and 2.3 million women worldwide every year. Best known for its pink theme, this month features a number of campaigns and programs run by groups ranging from breast cancer advocacy organizations to local community organizations to major retailers, all aimed at supporting those diagnosed with breast cancer.
The event began in 1985 as a week-long awareness campaign led by the American Cancer Society, in partnership with Imperial Chemical Industries. This eventually expanded to a month-long event.
In 1992, the pink ribbon appeared, inspired by the yellow ribbon displayed to spread hope for prisoners of war in 1979. Alexandra Penney, editor-in-chief of Self magazine, teamed up with Evelyn Lauder, senior vice president of Estée Lauder and a breast cancer survivor, to hand out pink ribbons after the magazine’s second annual Breast Cancer Awareness Month issue. Thanks to the magazine’s incredible reach and the Estée Lauder brand, the pink ribbon is now used by breast cancer organizations around the world.
Since 1985, associations such as the Susan G. Komen organizations have helped drive down mortality rates from breast cancer thanks to the focus on early detection and improvements in treatment. However, that progress may be in jeopardy. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many people delayed their regular breast cancer screening. The pandemic disrupted treatment and research progress.
And more progress is still needed. Through research, growing knowledge about breast cancer has led to new therapies and targeted treatments that improved outcomes for many people. It is research that brings hope to people facing this disease, especially those living with Metastatic Breast Cancer, the most difficult stage of the cancer to treat.
To show support for raising awareness to the disease, people often display the pink ribbon around their community, as well as wear pink to various sporting events during the month of October. In Connecticut, in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Connecticut Department of Transportation is displaying pink ribbons on the hoods and doors of four plow trucks and four support vehicles around the districts of Connecticut.
There are many other organizations around the state people can participate in to raise awareness of the disease. The Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition at the 26th Annual Lesbians & Friends LGBTQIA+ Dance in-person and virtually, the Paint the Pumpkin Pink event at Lyman Orchards, the Shelter Island Fall 5K Run and Walk, and the East End NRZ Breast Cancer Awareness Walk are all events around Connecticut people can get involved in to donate and highlight the importance of Breast Cancer Awareness during the month of October.