Recently while you have been out and about, have you noticed all of the pink ribbons that have been added to many companies’ product packages? If you have, I’m sure you know what that means… it’s breast cancer awareness month! The month of October is dedicated to breast cancer awareness, and companies such as General Mills, Hanes, Estee Launder, and Avon are just a few of the many companies that have launched their own campaigns to help fight against breast cancer and raise awareness. If you have ever wondered about the history of the pink ribbon and how it came about, thinkbeforeyoupink.org informs readers of the beautiful story.
Some may wonder why breast cancer is on top of the radar when it comes to awareness. This is because breast cancer is not very selective in its victims. Without the constant reminder of preventive measures that individuals should practice, breast cancer may go undiagnosed longer than it should. In the year of 2010, more than 240,000 women and 1,000 men were diagnosed with breast cancer in the U.S. More than 40,000 women and 40 men die each year due to breast cancer. Currently there are more than 2 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S.; however one person is diagnosed with breast cancer approximately every 3 minutes and one person dies about every 14 minutes from this disease. If you have questions about breast cancer or would just like to obtain some general information, The National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc. site is a great place to start.
The statistics for breast cancer is rather scary to think about. Luckily, there are reducing risk habits that we can incorporate into our lives to help fight against this disease such as reducing alcohol use, exercise, not smoking, eating healthy, getting regular checkups, and knowing your family history. For more ways to prevent this disease from affecting you and the ones you care about there is more information available on websites such as Breastcancerfund.org or Bebrightpink.org.