By BOB KECSKEMETY
October is considered National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM) which is an annual 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. Through the last three decades, organizations have made millions of women aware of breast cancer, its early detection and available treatments and, as a result, have saved millions of lives. Though there are local organizations dedicated to breast cancer awareness, larger national and international organizations get most of the spotlight.
The most well-known international organization dedicated to breast cancer awareness is the Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Komen was 33 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer and died three years later. In 1980, her younger sister, Nancy Brinker, decided to act upon a promise she made to Suaan to find a way to speed-up breast cancer research. In 1982, Brinker founded the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation in her sister’s memory. In 2007, the organization changed its name to Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
The first Susan G. Komen “National Race for the Cure” was held in Dallas, Texas, in October 1983 with 800 participating. In 1991, the participants in the New York City race were handed a pink ribbon to wear—the intial appearance of what would become the international symbol for breast cancer awareness. Today, the “Race” is held in over 100 U.S. cities, attracting over 1.3 million participants. Races are also held in nine other countries: Australia, New Zealand, Germany, The Netherlands, Italy, United Kingdom, Canada, Hungary, and Bulgaria, plus the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
Lesser known are the Susan G. Komen 3-Day Walks for the Cure which are held in several U.S. cities and consist of a 60-mile trek which spans over three days. Other smaller Komen fundraisers are held throughout Europe.
Funds raised by the Races and Walks help support community outreach programs. The money also supports local community breast health education and breast cancer screening and treatment projects through the Komen Award and Research Grant Program.
In 1993, Evelyn Lauder, Senior Corporate Vice President of the Estée Lauder Inc. founded The Breast Cancer Research Foundation and used the pink ribbon as its official symbol. Estée Lauder has arranged to have 17 world-famous landmarks illuminated at night in pink light to draw attention to the importance of mammography screening for early diagnosis of breast cancer as well as research for finding ways to cure and prevent breast cancer.
Avon Cosmetics has formed the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer, the company’s largest annual fundraising event. There is a series of nine Avon 2-Day Walks for Breast Cancer held each year from April to October. From 2003 through 2008, the Avon Walks raised more than $265 million. The Avon Walk for Breast Cancer also raises awareness as participants spend an entire weekend walking 39 miles through cities and towns around the country.
Pharmaceutical company, Astra-Zeneca, which manufactures several breast cancer drugs, founded National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in 1995 with the aim to promote mammography as the most effective weapon in the fight against breast cancer. National Breast Cancer Awareness month has come under fire over last few years.
The Cancer Prevention Coalition has criticized the basic message of NBCAM as a form of victim blaming because it focuses on “early detection and treatment” while ignoring environmental factors. Their researchers contend that hormone use is one of the major factors raising the cancer risk and that drug and chemical companies have a vested interest in treating the disease rather than finding ways to minimize its rate of incidence. Recent studies show that breast cancer is linked to several environmental and genetic factors, which can be controlled or mitigated.
In October 2008, First Lady Laura Bush had the White House decorated in pink in honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.