National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Breast Cancer Awareness Month is an annual international health campaign organized by major breast cancer charities every October to increase awareness of the disease and to raise funds for research into its cause, prevention and cure. The campaign also offers information and support to those affected by breast cancer.

As well as providing a platform for breast cancer charities to raise awareness of their work and of the disease, BCAM is also a prime opportunity to remind women to be breast aware for earlier detection

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History

In 1993 Evelyn Lauder, Senior Corporate Vice President of the Estée Lauder Companies founded Breast Cancer Awareness Month (BCAM) and established the Pink Ribbon as its symbol. It is safe to say BCAM is one of the most successful health awareness campaigns the UK, and other countries, have ever seen. The pink ribbon is easily recognized as the symbol for breast awareness and the colour pink has become well established with the cause.

AstraZeneca, which manufactures breast cancer drugs Arimidex and Tamoxifen, founded the Breast Cancer Awareness Month in the year 1985. The aim of the NBCAM from the start has been to promote mammography as the most effective weapon in the fight against breast cancer.

The number of companies that engaged to breast cancer awareness increased over the years, and as of 2007 includes Estee Lauder, Avon and Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Activities and events during the BCAM

The National Race for the Cure

In October 1983 the Race for the Cure was held for the first time in Dallas, Texas, where 800 people participated. According to the organizers, by 2002 the number of participants reached 1.3 million and the event was held in over 100 US cities. The event is also being organized in several other parts of the World.^[1]

Breast Cancer 2 Day

There are various two-day-long walks to raise money for breast cancer research institutes. Avon sponsors a 39 mile (60 km) walk.[1] A walk in Atlanta offers varying lengths of up to 30 miles.[2] Canada's large "Weekend to End Breast Cancer" features a 60 km walk.[3]

Breast Cancer 3 Day

This sixty mile fundraising walk, which is spread across 3 days, raises money for breast cancer research. This walk, which benefits Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the National Philanthropic Trust,^[2] occurs in several cities in the United States. The Breast Cancer 3-Day was previously sponsored and managed by Avon.

Global Illumination

Estee Lauder Companies has arranged to have more than a dozen world-famous landmarks illuminated in pink light to draw attention to the importance of mammography screening for early diagnosis of breast cancer as well as the research for finding ways to cure and prevent breast cancer. Some of these landmarks are:  

Pink days

During Breast Cancer Awareness Month each October, people raise money by organizing activities such as theme parties or a "pink day" (when employees wear pink clothing or accessories) at work. The money raised is donated to the organizers' choice of breast cancer care or research programs.

The original and most popular pink day is called wear it pink^{[citation needed]} and is organised by Breast Cancer Campaign. In 2006 this event raised £3.5m in a single day,^{[citation needed]} and 2007 marks its sixth anniversary. Also popular^{[citation needed]} is Breast Cancer Care's In The Pink which raised £800,000 in 2006.

Criticisms

Corporate Sponsorship

It has been alleged that "the BCAM idea 'was conceived and paid for by a British chemical company that both profits from this epidemic and may be contributing to its cause...'".^[3] The term Pinkwashing has been used by Breast Cancer Action to describe the actions of companies which manufacture and use chemicals which show a link with breast cancer and at the same time publicly support charities focused on curing the disease.^[4] Other criticisms center on the marketing of "pink products" and tie ins, citing that more money is spent marketing these campaigns than is donated to the cause.^[5]

Cure vs. Prevention

Criticism abounds about the basic premise of NBCAM events, specifically that the focus on breast cancer research should be on finding a cure, rather than searching for methods of prevention. The argument is made that the focus on "cure research" is motivated by profit seeking drug, chemical, and biotechnology companies which have a vested interest in treating the disease rather than finding ways to minimize its rate of incidence. Although the American Cancer Society says “…there are no practical ways to prevent breast cancer – only early detection.", recent studies show that breast cancer is linked to several environmental and genetic factors which can be controlled or mitigated.^[6]

See also

• Breast Cancer
• Pink for October
• Pink ribbon

References