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

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.

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. In the year 1999 not only did the number of participants increase to 600,000, but the Race become the nation’s largest 5K series, as 99 cities in the United States organized the Race for the Cure. In the year 2005 the number of participants reached 1.4 million illustrating that the race is a big success. The National Race for the Cure Website states that the National Race for the Cure which is held annually in Washington D.C., is the world's largest 5K. However, this event does not only attract volunteers, but it also attracts companies that are willing to sponsor, celebrities, and politicians, which make the event bigger every year.

The Race for the Cure is also being organized in several other parts of the World.

Breast Cancer 2 Day
A 60 mile fundraising walk spread over two days to raise money for breast cancer research institutes.

Breast Cancer 3 Day
This sixty mile fundraising walk, which is spread across 3 days, raises money for breast cancer reasearch. This walk, which benefits Susan G. Komen for the Cure, 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:

In the Pink / wear it pink
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 and is organised by Breast Cancer Campaign. In 2006 this event raised £3.5m in a single day, and 2007 marks its sixth anniversary.

Also popular is Breast Cancer Care's In The Pink which raised £800,000 in 2006.

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...'". The term Pinkwashing has been coined to describe the actions of certain companies which manufacture and use chemicals which show a link with breast cancer and at the same time purport to be interested in stamping out the disease. 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.

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.