Breast Cancer is the leading cause of cancer death for women. Breast cancer has the highest DALY (Disability-adjusted life year) among other cancers — meaning that people diagnosed with it have fewer healthy life years when adjusted for mortality and disability.
Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer among women, and the incidence of breast cancer is constantly increasing, which is connected with the increase in life expectancy, and with the improvement in the quality of diagnosis.
Breast cancer also occurs in men. Many men do not even suspect that they may develop this disease. That is why they do not immediately turn to doctors, which leads to late diagnosis, untimely treatment, and poor therapeutic results.
The main aim of the Pink Ribbon Program is to inform women about breast cancer. Members of the program are dedicated to spreading the word about breast cancer itself and scientific research in this area (preventive measures), self-diagnostics aimed at detecting breast cancer at an early stage, different methods of treatment. The program also assists in recovery and rehabilitation, collects donations to assist those affected and fundraises for research.
In 1993, the World Health Organization established World Breast Cancer Day on 15 October.
What is the Pink Ribbon?
The Pink Ribbon is the international symbol of the organisations and individuals who support the Breast Cancer Campaign. It is supported by presidents of various countries at the state level, crowned heads, people from medical circles, celebrities, commercial and non-governmental social organizations.
In terms of visual identity, the Breast Cancer logo is instantly recognizable all over the globe, and it is the number one oncology issue, which has its logo becoming iconic, and its core problem being spoken.
The pink ribbon was first introduced by the Susan G. Komen Cancer Foundation. In 1990, during the Run for the Cure, members of the organization handed out pink sun visors to women who had been cured of breast cancer. A year later, every participant in the New York City Marathon received a pink ribbon.
Interestingly, back in 1985, without ribbons or symbols, the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca first held Breast Cancer Awareness Month. At that time, the goal of the event was to promote mammography as the most effective means of fighting cancer.
In 1992, Evelyn Lauder, then senior vice president of the Estée Lauder Corporation, became involved in the social movement. The world-famous company made the ribbon a symbol of the fight against breast cancer.
Today, the pink ribbon is being used worldwide in solidarity with breast cancer patients. In October, which is considered Breast Cancer Awareness Month, information and support is offered not only to those affected by the disease but, above all, to all women, promoting preventive screenings.
The first breast cancer awareness ribbon was not pink, but peach. And it was invented by 68-year-old activist Charlotte Haley, who won her war against breast cancer. Although the idea itself was not new: there was already a yellow ribbon in support of the military and a red one as a sign to fight AIDS.
But pink is known to be the most feminine color, a color of caress, love and tenderness. And as this type of cancer is still more of a female thing, the choice of the color was pretty obvious.