Crea­ting breast can­cer awa­re­ness in society is the sin­gle most impor­tant course of action in our collec­tive fight against breast can­cer. This can go a long way in saving the lives of breast can­cer patients, as evi­den­ced by the more than 2 million breast can­cer sur­vi­vors in Ame­rica today. Remem­ber, we are in a race against time — because, as of today’s state of affairs, another 2 million women and some 1700 men might be diag­no­sed with breast can­cer every year.

Breast can­cer awa­re­ness inc­lu­des awa­re­ness about (i) the impor­tance of early detec­tion and (ii) the fact that, if detec­ted early, breast can­cer is very cura­ble — so, being diag­no­sed with breast can­cer does not spell the end of the world for you. Breast can­cer awa­re­ness cam­paigns edu­cate the public about the impor­tance of regu­lar breast self-​​examination, in addi­tion to having an annual mam­mo­gram and cli­ni­cal breast exa­mi­na­tion done after the age of 40 and once every 3 years bet­ween the ages 20 and 40 if you have a family his­tory of breast cancer.

Breast Can­cer Awa­re­ness Month

Though the month of Octo­ber has been offi­cially desig­na­ted as the inter­na­tio­nal Breast Can­cer Awa­re­ness Month, our motto should be: “Create breast can­cer awa­re­ness all year round — Don’t wait for Octo­ber to arrive”. For over two deca­des, a num­ber of non-​​profit orga­ni­za­tions such as the Susan G. Komen Breast Can­cer Foun­da­tion, the Natio­nal Breast Can­cer Foun­da­tion and the Ame­ri­can Can­cer Society have been devo­ted to sprea­ding breast can­cer awa­re­ness, edu­ca­ting women all over the world about early detec­tion, treat­ment and diag­no­sis of breast cancer.

During the breast can­cer awa­re­ness month, they orga­nize public events like “Making Stri­des Against Breast Can­cer Wal­kathon”, “Race for the Cure”, “Relay for Life” and “Avon 3 Day” in order to create breast can­cer awa­re­ness and raise funds for research into breast can­cer and to sup­port those who are figh­ting with breast cancer.

In addi­tion to breast can­cer sur­vi­vors and friends or rela­tions of peo­ple who lost their battle against breast can­cer, thou­sands of peo­ple in the gene­ral public are encou­ra­ged to par­ti­ci­pate in such breast can­cer awa­re­ness cam­paigns and con­tri­bute to this cause in wha­te­ver way they can.

The Pink Rib­bon: The Sym­bol Of Breast Can­cer Awareness

Of late, breast can­cer awa­re­ness pro­grams have gai­ned so much momen­tum that they attract not only gene­ral public and volun­teers, but also cele­bri­ties, poli­ti­cians and big com­pa­nies who are willing to be a part of them by spon­so­ring such events. This has resul­ted in inter­na­tio­nal breast can­cer awa­re­ness and fun­drai­sing move­ments like “In the Pink” and “Think Before You Pink”, sym­bo­li­zed by a pink ribbon.

Big com­pa­nies are invi­ting con­su­mers to join them in their fight against breast can­cer by orga­ni­zing pink theme par­ties or a pink day at work. Some are also into fund rai­sing by selling cor­po­rate gift items embe­llished with the Pink Rib­bon, a por­tion of the pro­ceeds of which are dona­ted to breast can­cer research orga­ni­za­tions. These days many sto­res are also selling a whole lot of Pink Rib­bon pro­ducts for the same purpose.

You can also con­tri­bute in your own little way, e.g., by wea­ring in public t-​​shirts with breast can­cer awa­re­ness mes­sa­ges prin­ted on them. A whole range of breast can­cer awa­re­ness gear is avai­la­ble online at http://​www​.cafe​press​.com/​b​r​e​a​s​t​v​i​c​t​ory. You will feel proud of having pla­yed a role, howe­ver small, in humanity’s collec­tive fight against breast cancer.