Every October, we wear the color pink in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. What began as a movement to promote early detection and treatment has evolved into a platform for education, advocacy, and equity in healthcare.

We have many advocates to thank for how they shaped this movement. In the 1950s, Breast Cancer was considered taboo, and emotional and physical support following medical procedures were lacking. Terese Lasser founded the Reach to Recovery program in 1954 to address issues medical professionals did not deem important such as stigma, physical rehabilitation, and access to prostheses. 

In the 1980s, many women began advocating for themselves, encouraging and supporting other women facing the disease. Audre Lorde was a poet diagnosed with breast cancer in 1980. She became the first woman to vocally oppose the societal standards that women with mastectomies should wear prostheses or undergo reconstructive surgery. Her writing brought together survivors and made the physical realities of the disease more visible to the public eye.

Despite these major advancements in breast cancer awareness, more needs to be done. Race and socioeconomic factors significantly influence breast cancer outcomes. According to the Breast Cancer Research Institute, black women in the U.S. are 40% more likely to die from breast cancer than white women, often due to disparities in access to care, delayed diagnoses, and financial barriers within healthcare.

Supporting the cause goes beyond wearing pink. You can support your cause by donating to research foundations such as the Breast Cancer Research Foundation or Susan G. Komen for the Cure, advocating for equitable healthcare policies, or volunteering with organizations in our community. Any effort, big or small, can help save a life.

Breast Cancer Awareness month reminds us that hope, science, and advocacy must go hand in hand. This movement encourages us to continue the work of the great advocates who have come before us and push for a future where every person can survive beyond breast cancer.