Get to Know your Boobs!
October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, an annual campaign that raises awareness about the impacts of breast cancer and promotion of self-examination as well as raising funds for cures and treatments.
A global effort that since the late 80’s has been educating people about the disease, how to identify early symptoms and has since then helped tripled the amount of women who go get medical examinations. All great, right? But how did this disease get its own month, personal campaigns and marketing profiting technique?
Courtesy of Teta y Teta
Breast Cancer, before being a Pink Ribbon, is a disease. A painful, dehumanizing disease that is definitely not all pink and pretty.
The result of uncontrolled growth of breast cells that develop into tumors, most likely inside the lobules. Women all over the world can get this type of cancer as it usually develops as the result of genetic abnormalities that happen naturally through the aging process.
Just two years ago 8 million women alive had been diagnosed with breast cancer in the past 5 years, making it the world’s most relevant cancer. That is why it is imperative for all of us who have breasts with lobes to get acquainted with them so that monthly self-examination tests can be done. It doesn’t matter your age, getting to know your boobs, self examining and visiting a trusted specialized doctor is the most important part of prevention and self care.
As leaves start to fall in October, pink ribbons seem to replace them as every company associates with the cause, helping brands be good, while doing good. A power held by ribbons that since 1979 have changed the way we look at diseases, hope and activism.
The pink ribbon we know today has a rocky history that at its core looks out for women and raises awareness. Health over profit where companies involved in pink marketing should work towards active solutions not appearances. Just as Charlotte Haley, the woman who dedicated part of her life to spreading awareness and demanding education on breast cancer prevention and inventor of the original peach ribbon, intended it to be.
So back in 1992 Self Magazine teamed up with Evelyn Lauder, breast cancer survivor and Vice President of Estée Lauder, for the magazine’s second October Breast Cancer awareness issue. Penney, the magazine's editor, came up with the idea to distribute the pink ribbons in Estée Lauder cosmetic booths in New York City and nationwide. At the same time Penney approached Haley to come together and go global with her peach ribbon which she declined. So Penney and Estée Lauder changed the color of the ribbon and so the pink ribbon for breast cancer was born.
Courtesy of Estée Lauder
Soon the pink hue was recognized everywhere and by 1992 Estée Lauder handed out over 1.5 million ribbons which came with a laminated card showing how one should conduct a self exam and collected more than 200,000 signatures for increased funding for research. So it was settled, breast cancer was a disease companies wanted to align with and help. Since then hundreds of companies have helped raise millions of dollars that go into foundations that research cures, promote prevention and care.
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Do your research so you can align yourself with brands that are part of a working solution. Also remember to get acquainted with your breasts! Cancer exists every month and self examination is key to prevention. So go stand in front of a mirror and look at your boobs and underarms, analyze their size, color, shapes and markings. That way you can notice when there is something different like a lump, dimple, redness, color change, blood, secretion, change in size or any irregularity. You have the power to help save yourself. Also by knowing this you can educate them and create a chain of change!