The CDC says, in the United States, one in eight women develop breast cancer in their lifetime, and it is the most common cancer seen in women. The color pink is commonly used to represent this disease.
According to American Cancer Society, people wear pink ribbons to honor survivors, those lost to the disease and support the advances in medicine to defeat breast cancer. October is the month that mainly promotes education surrounding breast health. Women are encouraged to go to their primary care doctors to receive mammograms yearly after the age of 40.
According to Brevard Health, one of the goals that they wanted to achieve was to promote mammograms as an important tool to be used in the fight against breast cancer. In 1985, ¾ of women had never been screened for breast cancer; in 2010, more than 70% of women of the same age had been recently screened.
Kathy Humann, has been through two surgeries over the course of two years, and is still battling breast cancer. Humann is getting used to the mental and physical challenges of this disease. Many people take part in annual breast cancer awareness activities, regardless if they have experienced cancer or not.
“[It] feels good that so many people take place in helping with awareness in fundraisers, 5k’s, walkathons and bikeathons,” Humann said.
Joyce Wagner battled breast cancer for about a year and a half and still attends follow up appointments. All survivors have their own challenges but Wagner’s biggest one was her mastectomy.
“The treatments didn’t bother me much but it was the surgery [that was difficult],” Wagner said.
Looking back on everything that has been done to spread awareness about the disease makes survivors extremely grateful.
“It makes me feel good that people are doing something to recognize breast cancer more,” Wagner said. “It’s emotional to think that I had something [breast cancer] and now there’s a month for it.”
Wearing pink and participating in marathons during the month of October is a great way to grab attention. Let’s raise awareness Sequoits!
