The REAL Meaning of PINK
Every October, thousands of products are emblazoned with pink ribbons, colored pink, or otherwise sold with a promise of a small portion of the total cost being donated to support breast cancer awareness or research. Almost everyone automatically knows what the pink ribbon stands for without having to ask, but does it sometimes feel like we got lost in the trend and forgot the real reason for the ribbon?
The first known use of a pink ribbon in connection with breast cancer awareness was in the fall of 1991, when the Susan G. Komen Foundation handed out pink ribbons to participants in its New York City race. It was adopted as the official symbol on National Breast Cancer Awareness Month the next year, in 1992. The ribbon became a symbol of hope. It created awareness for the horrible disease that claims the lives of over 40,000 women in the United States each year. It honors the survivors, reminds us of the lost, and shows our support for those currently fighting breast cancer.
It seems, though, that in the more recent years, the ribbon has become a cause-marketing tool rather than a beacon of hope. Don’t get me wrong; manufacturers are donating a portion of the sales to help breast cancer awareness and/or research, which is great. It just seems like some people have forgotten what the purpose of it all is: to save lives. The entire reason they handed those ribbons out in 1991 was to remind everyone of the dangerous disease that surrounds us and to get people to understand that no one is immune to it.
1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime. 220,000 women and an estimated 2,150 men, in the United States alone, will be diagnosed per year. There is not one single cause for breast cancer that you can avoid, there are many contributing factors. You can’t pretend that this disease won’t affect you or someone you know. But here is the good news - when breast cancer is detected early (at the localized stage), the 5-year survival rate is 98%.
Those are statistics that cannot be ignored. That means that you need to be aware of breast cancer and do everything you can to fight it. Don’t buy a few products with a pink ribbon on them every October and forget why the ribbon is there. Make sure to check yourself – REGULARLY. If you have trouble remembering, go to earlydetectionplan.org and create a customized Early Detection Plan based on your age and health history. You can even receive reminders on your phone to do breast self-exams, and schedule your clinical breast exams and mammograms.