The event began in 1985 as a week-long awareness campaign by the American Cancer Society in partnership with Imperial Chemical Industries, a British company that made tamoxifen. The campaign eventually grew into a month-long event.  In 1992, the pink ribbon came into play after Alexandra Penney, SELF magazine’s Editor-in-Chief, partnered with Evelyn Lauder, Estée Lauder’s Senior Corporate Vice President and a breast cancer survivor, to distribute pink ribbons after the magazine’s second annual Breast Cancer Awareness Month issue. Other variations of the pink ribbon have emerged in recent years to raise awareness that all people with breast cancer are not the same. These include ribbons for raising awareness about metastatic breast cancer, men with breast cancer, inflammatory breast cancer, and more. This information is provided by Breastcancer.org.

ITS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME. ONE IN EIGHT WOMEN will be affected by Breast Cancer in their lifetime.

ON BREAST CANCER:

Someone you know may be touched by the disease.
• Breast cancer is a global burden; it is the most common cancer in the world among women.
• In the United States, breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death for all women.
• 1 in 8 women will be affected by breast cancer in their lifetime.
• Of those affected, 1 in 36 women will die from breast cancer.
• Low socioeconomic status is a risk factor for negative breast cancer outcomes.
• Women living in poverty are more likely to die of breast cancer than more affluent women.

ON MAMMOGRAPHY:

Early detection is critical to survival.
• Mammography is the gold standard in detecting breast cancer.
• Mammograms can detect breast cancer at its earliest stage, up to three years before a lump can be felt.
• Women should begin scheduling their annual mammograms at the age of 40 unless symptoms of breast cancer occur.
• The risk of harm from mammograms is very low, they are similar to x-rays; both utilize small doses of radiation.
• Breast cancer can happen at any age; it is important to be aware of your risk factors, including family history, and to
consult your doctor if you are showing any symptoms of the disease.
• Women may experience discomfort during the mammography procedure; however, the pressure is temporary,
lasting only a few moments, and the test can potentially save your life!