Breast Cancer Awareness Month

The month is about more than pink ribbons. While some feel inspired, many people living with breast cancer feel like the month overlooks their experience with the disease.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month can mean different things to different people. For some, it’s a trigger — 31 days in the fall of pink-ribbon reminders of a disease that forever changed them. For others, it’s a chance to show their support for the more than 2 million women around the world who are diagnosed with the disease each year.

Understanding the goals behind the global campaign and the emotions felt by the many different people living with the disease may help you decide if and how you want to commemorate the month.

What is Breast Cancer Awareness Month?

Breast Cancer Awareness Month is an international health campaign that’s held every October. The month aims to promote screening and prevention of the disease, which affects 2.3 million women worldwide. Known best for its pink theme color, the month features a number of campaigns and programs — conducted by groups ranging from breast cancer advocacy organizations to local community organizations to major retailers — aimed at:

• supporting people diagnosed with breast cancer, including those with metastatic breast cancer
• educating people about breast cancer risk factors
• encouraging women to go for regular breast cancer screening starting at age 40 or earlier, depending on personal breast cancer risk
• fundraising for breast cancer research

In the month of October, there are also specific dates designed to raise awareness of specific groups within the breast cancer community.

Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day (October 13)

October 13 is nationally recognized in the U.S. as Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day. About 168,000 women in the U.S. are estimated to have metastatic breast cancer (cancer that spreads beyond the breast to other parts of the body). Researchers estimate that about 30% of early-stage breast cancers eventually metastasize. The day, which began in 2009, is meant to educate the public about the need for more money to go to the study of metastatic breast cancer and the development of new metastatic cancer treatments.

Men’s Breast Cancer Awareness Week (October 17–23)

Although breast cancer is much more common in women, breast cancer affects men, too. In 2021, President Joe Biden designated October 17 to October 23 Men’s Breast Cancer Awareness Week. According to the American Cancer Society, 2,790 men in the U.S. will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2024, and about 530 are expected to die from the disease. But lack of awareness and stigma can be barriers to detection and care in men, trans men, and non-binary people.

The history of Breast Cancer Awareness Month

The event began in 1985 as a week-long awareness campaign by the American Cancer Society, in partnership with Imperial Chemical Industries, a British company that made tamoxifen. The campaign eventually grew into a month-long event.

In 1992, the pink ribbon came into play after Alexandra Penney, SELF magazine’s Editor-in-Chief, partnered with Evelyn Lauder, Estée Lauder’s Senior Corporate Vice President and a breast cancer survivor, to distribute pink ribbons after the magazine’s second annual Breast Cancer Awareness Month issue.

Other variations of the pink ribbon have emerged in recent years to raise awareness that all people with breast cancer are not the same. These include ribbons for raising awareness about metastatic breast cancer, men with breast cancer, inflammatory breast cancer, and more.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month controversy

Although many people feel supported by the month’s events, activities, and pink merchandise, others intensely dislike Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The ubiquitous pink ribbons and celebratory atmosphere can seem like a distraction from the very real need for a greater understanding of the disease and more research leading to better treatments.

Many in the Breastcancer.org Community have shared their feelings about Breast Cancer Awareness Month:

• “I already feel overwhelmed and triggered by [Breast Cancer Awareness Month] and it isn’t even here yet,” wrote Keris113. “I wish that there was more done by these organizations …  to promote funding for research and treatments that could help both [metastatic breast cancer] and potentially earlier stages as well.”
• “We all have a special ability to create breast cancer awareness year round,” wrote mountainmia. “We all have knowledge and stories we can share that are unique and powerful.”
• “I’m in favor of anything that brings attention to a worthy cause,” wrote Breastcancer.org Community member Brilee76. “It’s amazing how oblivious I was to breast cancer before my mom experienced it. … Education is key.”

Many people are also offended by what’s become known as “pinkwashing.” This is the term used to describe when companies use pink ribbons to sell their products — but those products may increase the risk of breast cancer.

“As October 1 Breast Cancer Awareness month approaches, I am starting to see posts of products being sold by private businesses that really don’t support breast cancer programs,” wrote brutersmom. “They call us survivors or warriors. Sadly I don’t feel like a warrior or a survivor.”

Think Before You Pink is a campaign launched by Breast Cancer Action to raise awareness of pinkwashing and to help people donate in the most effective way to the cause. In 2019, the Breastcancer.org Podcast spoke with Karuna Jaggar, who was then the executive director of Breast Cancer Action.

This information is provided by Breastcancer.org.
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