It is about halfway through the month of October and everyone has come to the realization that the color pink is everywhere.
As most of America can conclude, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. With a whole month dedicated to this type of cancer, it seems that everyone from Dunkin’ Donuts to the NFL is in support of this cause.
Many believe that this month dedicated to awareness, has spiraled out of control and is a bit to the extreme. It seems that a month of trying to bring attention to this illness and raise money for the cause started off with good intentions but has been taken out of context and could sometimes be used as a business ploy.
The Outlook feels strongly about bringing awareness to the very serious issue of cancer. October is filled with breast cancer walks, fundraisers and wonderful events to try to find a cure for this horrific disease.
The Outlook recognizes how incredible it is that the public comes together for a month to support breast cancer; however, there are various other types of cancers that may not be as treatable as Breast Cancer and should be recognized and brought forward.
Collectively, The Outlook knows that people suffer from other cancers as well, but those forms of cancer do not receive the large amount of attention that Breast Cancer does. Another dangerous and most often terminal disease is heart disease, but it does not gain nearly the same coverage as breast cancer.
People are so involved and passionate about breast cancer; the same dedication should also go towards other types of cancer. One editor feels “Breast Cancer is given the most attention out of all the other causes in October.”
Another editor adds “Most of the public knows about Breast Cancer due [to] the amount of attention it gets in the media.” One editor’s suggestion would be to “have an entire cancer awareness month, because there are so many different forms nowadays that they think all should be recognized.”
The Outlook staff agrees that it is sad to believe that a dedication to a serious illness such as cancer may become a money maker and marketing scheme for businesses across the United States. One editor thinks “It is kind of weird that breast cancer receives so much attention in comparison to other cancers, in the sense that Dunkin’ Donuts has pink donuts for Breast Cancer and NFL players have pink cleats and gloves.”
Even online websites use Breast Cancer awareness to entice customers by claiming they will donate a small percentage of a purchase to Breast Cancer proceeds.
Legitimate organizations such as the Susan G. Komen Foundation and the American Cancer Society only associate themselves with trustworthy websites so people are not scammed into donating money towards fake organizations. It has gotten to the point where people are actually hesitant, questioning if their money is actually going towards raising money for Breast Cancer or if it is just a scheme.
National Breast Cancer Month (NBCM), an organization affiliated with the American Cancer Society, has assigned October to be the official awareness month because its first program in support of the cause took place in October 1985 when they held a weeklong event.
Events were created with the intentions of bringing awareness to this form of cancer while reminding women to annually receive mammograms.
The pink ribbon is now an international symbol of Breast Cancer awareness and is worn to show support for those whose lives have been touched by this disease.
