Pink Ribbon Support

When someone says October you may think of fall leaves bursting into color or the macabre of Halloween but have you remembered to think pink? October, as we all should know, is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Breast cancer is the second most common cancer among American women (the first is skin cancer). Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among women ages 35 to 54. Another breast cancer fact is that approximately one is almost every eight women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime. The American Cancer Society estimates that in 2009, approximately 192,370 women will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer and approximately 40,610 will die.

These breast cancer statistics may sound grim but there are things women can do and be encouraged to do. Research shows that the mortality rate could decrease by 30% if all women age 50 and older who need a mammogram had one.

Everyday people, companies, government, city employees, etc. are working hard to bring breast cancer awareness to the forefront. Breast cancer walks, breast cancer fundraisers, breast cancer PSAs and breast cancer merchandise (specifically that donates proceeds towards breast cancer research foundations) are all ways these groups are coming together to make a difference.

Here’s just a few of the people making a difference:

Milwaukee Firefighters, Shawnee Firefighters, Yuma-area Firefighters and Dave Graybill, a firefighter from Glendale, Arizona, who made the two pink fire trucks covered with ribbons and handwritten signatures and inspirational stories cruising around America possible.

You can make a difference. Get a mammogram. Donate your time. Help someone in need. Give your love.

Sources: JSOnline.com, SeacoastOnline.com, ShawneeDispatch.com, WAFF.com, WebMD.com, YumaSun.com