Breast Cancer Awareness: Facts and Symbolism

Thirty years ago, National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM) was founded in October of 1985. Since then, milestones have been reached, and those who are affected by this disease, are starting to realize that they are not alone, not by a long shot. The actual month of awareness was created in a partnership between the American Cancer Society and the pharmaceutical division of Imperial Chemical Industries, who are responsible for several anti-breast cancer drugs. The associated pink ribbon did not come along until the fall of 1991. Representatives of the Susan G. Komen Foundation handed out pink ribbons in its New York City walk for Breast Cancer. Two years later, Alexandra Penney, Editor-in-Chief of the Woman’s Health Magazine Self, and Evelyn Lauder, breast cancer survivor, and Senior Corporate Vice President of the Estée Lauder Companies, founded the Breast Cancer Research Foundation and established the pink ribbon as its main symbol. The goal of the month was to promote the action of going to the doctor to receive a mammogram, and ensure the lives of millions. Has it actually worked? According to a CBS news story it was reported that during a conducted research by the Norwegian Research Council, only 76 percent of women that were offered a mammogram actually had breast cancer. The study then goes went into further detail stating, “Approximately one breast cancer death could be prevented for every 368 women screened with mammography, and that the routine test could reduce breast cancer deaths by about 28 percent.” Was this any type of motivation? The study was done in June of 2014, currently in 2015 the American Cancer Society’s estimates about 231,840 new cases of invasive breast cancer that will be diagnosed in women, and about 40,290 women will die from breast cancer. It also states that about 60,290 new cases will be diagnosed in the earliest form of breast cancer. It has decreased over a three year period about 7 percent, but breast cancer still remains the second leading cause of cancer death in women, exceeded only by lung cancer. The chance that breast cancer will be responsible for a woman’s death is about 1 in 36. Since the start of the awareness month, the rates have decreased tremendously. Currently there is not a real cure for breast cancer, but the only way to be safe is to be sure. One of the simplest ways is to check your family’s history. If there is someone under five generations that has had the trait or has had the actual disease, you should set up an appointment with a doctor to receive a mammogram. If there is a payment issue, or you just simply don’t have a physician, there are numerous free health clinics, which will most likely be able to assist you. A word of advice to those who are or are associated with someone infected by the disease, you are not alone, you have every bit of strength to fight and overcome this! The next time someone hands you a pink ribbon, you see an athlete with pink attire on, or an individual that just finished a cancer walk, applaud and support them in any way you can. Contributions can be made to the National Breast Cancer Foundation at https://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/breast-cancer-donations.