The pink ribbon represents fear of breast cancer, hope for the future and the charitable goodness of people and businesses who publicly support the breast cancer movement. It is intended to evoke solidarity with women who currently have breast cancer.
The pink ribbon symbolizes breast cancer awareness. The merging of ribbon and symbolism in the United States came about in two huge leaps. The first occurred in 1979 when a wife of a hostage had been taken in Iran as inspired to tie yellow ribbons around the trees in her front yard, signaling her desire to see her husband again. Step two occurred 11 years later when AIDS activist looked at the yellow ribbons that had been resurrect for soldiers fighting the Gulf War and turned the ribbon bright red, looped it, spruced it up and sent it onto the national stage at the Toni awards to represent those affected by AIDS. This set the stage for the breast cancer awareness ribbon. Susan G. Komen for the Cure has used the color pink since its inception in 1982. In 1990, the first breast cancer survivor program was launched at the Komen National Race for the Cure in Washington DC. The survivors wore buttons that were printed in black and white. Later that year, the survivor program developed, and the pink was used as the designated color for Komen to promote awareness and its programs. In 1991, pink ribbons distributed to all breast cancer survivors and participants of the Komen New York City Race for the Cure. Then in 1992, Alexandra Penney, editor and chief of Self Magazine wanted to put the magazine's second annual Breast Cancer Awareness issue over the top. She did this by creating a ribbon and enlisting the cosmetics giants, like Estee Lauder, to distribute them in New York City stores. And thus, the birth of the pink ribbon.
In 2007, 25 years after its inception, the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation changed its name to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. The name change was accompanied by a new brand image. The new logo included a pink “running ribbon” designed specifically for Komen for the Cure. This ribbon signifies the promise Komen Founder Nancy G. Brinker made to her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, to do what she could to end breast cancer. Today, any generic pink ribbon ca be used to represent breast cancer awareness while the Komen “running ribbon” is reserved solely for use by Susan G. Kome for the Cure.
In 2020, an estimated 276,480 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women in the United States as well as 48,530 news cased of non-invasive (in situ) breast cancer. Studies show that one in every eight women will develop breast cancer. This is 12.4 percent of all women.
There are several types of breast cancer. They include ductal carcinoma in situ, invasive ductal carcinoma, inflammatory breast cancer and metastatic breast cancer.
Different people have different symptoms of breast cancer. Some people do not have any symptoms at all. Some warning signs of breast cancer are:
• New lump in the breast of underarm(armpit)
• Thickening or swelling of part of the breast
• Irritation or dimpling of breast skin.
• Redness or flaky skin in the nipple area or the breast.
• Pulling in of the nipple or pain in the nipple area.
• Nipple discharge other than breast milk, including blood.
• Any change in the size or the shape of the breast.
• Pain in any area of the breast.
Keep in mind that these symptoms can happen with other conditions that are not cancer. If you have any signs or symptoms that worry you, be sure to consult your doctor right away.
October has 31 days of Halloween, fall leaves, candy and breast cancer awareness. On this month we raise awareness by taking a stand against breast cancer by walking, donating, and simply wearing pink.