Yes, it's October again and aside from being the beginning of fall and the month when Starbucks finally starts serving pumpkin lattes again, it's breast cancer awareness month.
Now I'm not going to remind you to get your mammogram (though you should, you know). Today I want to talk about pink. And its power.
Pink has power? If you don't believe me, look around you. Pink batteries at the grocery store, pink cookie recipes on Pinterest, and pink shoes on the feet of the ginormous NFL players.
You say pink and we say breast cancer awareness. I find this amazing that a color can define a disease. *Everyone* knows what a pink ribbon stands for. I have a dark blue one that I pin on from time to time. Do you know what it's for? Most likely not.
So what gives pink this power? Is it because we as women like pink? Is it because 1 in 3 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer? Or is it that unforgettable line in
Steel Magnolias, "Pink is my signature color."?
Or could it be clever marketing mixed with all of the above?
Susan Goodman Komen was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1977. She was 33 years old. She died 3 years later in 1980. After making a promise to her sister to do everything she could,Nancy Goodman Brinker started the Komen Foundation in 1982.
Since the formation of Komen and other organizations like it, women who are diagnosed with breast cancer at any stage have a greater chance for survival.I wanted to impress you with statistics, but it takes a slide rule and an degree in engineering to fully understand all the ins and outs, but trust me, they are better than they were twenty years ago.
All of this and an entire month dedicated to remembering a color and what it stands for. That is the power of pink.
More about Susan G Komen and The Komen Foundation--Komen For The Cure
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Susan_G._Komen_for_the_Cure
More about Survival Rates concerning breast cancer
http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/BreastCancer/OverviewGuide/breast-cancer-overview-survival-rates
10 Things you should know about breast cancer
http://www.lifescript.com/health/centers/cancer/tips/10_life-saving_breast_cancer_facts.aspx?gclid=CIePp-Sb8LICFWGnPAod9w4Akg&ef_id=9WxPQR2UdxcAAE-x:20121008005942:s
Awesome post, Amie! I squeezed the girls in love two weeks ago. Isn't it cool NFL wears pink? I love that. Oddly- it's the only pink I like or tolerate usually.
ReplyDelete:) Thanks, Calisa! I think it's a crazy phenomenon. But wonderful.Talk about branding! :)
ReplyDeleteGreat post.
ReplyDeleteAmie,
ReplyDeleteFound this on the WRP Promo link. Great topic. Even greater cause.
Great topic. As a mammographer and breast cancer survivor, I've seen first hand proof that early diagnosis is the key to curing rather than treating the disease. Sadly, there's still one form of breast cancer with lousy survival odds: Inflammatory Breast carcinoma. It's rare, but it can strike women in their twenties and younger. So, I'm a big fan of Pink!
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