Seeing pink? It’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month. National Breast Cancer Awareness Month is an annual campaign to increase awareness of the disease. National Breast Cancer Awareness Month was founded in 1985 between a partnership of the American Cancer Society and the pharmaceutical division of Imperial Chemical Industries. In 1933, Evelyn Lauder, Senior Corporate Vice President of Estée Lauder, founded the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, the pink ribbon is the official symbol of breast cancer, the ribbon symbol was established by Evelyn Lauder.

In the fall of 1991, the Susan G. Komen Foundation handed out pink ribbons to participants in a New York City race for breast cancer survivors. The Susan G. Komen walk/run is just one of the fundraisers for breast cancer. In October of 1983, the Race for a Cure was held in Dallas, Texas. Eight hundred people participated in the first of many fundraisers.

The Susan G. Komen 3 Day ‘For the Cure’ is one of the most famous fundraisers for breast cancer. The 3-day fundraiser is a 60-mile walk that lasts 3 days with all of the proceeds going to breast cancer research. The walk occurs in several cities like Omaha, NE, or Richmond,VA. Sarah Gyolai has participated in the Susan G. Komen for 7 years. The main reason she participates is she doesn’t like to live in a world where cancer exists. She wants a cancer free world, for everybody. When Gyloai started these walks, she didn’t know anybody affected with breast cancer. After she started to participate, she met a ton of survivors and she wanted to help find a cure for all those other people still dealing with the disease. The cancer run/walks are very important because they raise money for research, help people raise awareness, and help pay for treatments for people who cannot afford them. Gyoai has raised between $12,000 and $15,000 for the cause. During the 60-mile run/walk, you run 20 miles each day over a 3-day period. When you walk, tons of people come and support. “There is this one lady from Ohio,” states Gyolai, “ she brings music and dances on the side of the route. Just those kind of people who would show their true colors are people who care a whole lot.” Each night every participant stays in a pink tent. They have fun stuff each night like dance parties, camp shows, or karaoke nights. Gyolai says her favorite part about the Susan G. Komen walk is that for 3 days out of the year, a huge group of people come together to support a good cause. “It seems like for 3 days there is nothing else going on but people doing something for a good cause.”

The NFL players, clubs, and the players association are proud to support the fight against breast cancer. Their campaign, “A Crucial Catch” is focused on the importance of annual screenings. The October NFL games will feature players, coaches and referees wearing pink and showing support. All will raise help raise awareness for their campaign. This year will mark the 15th anniversary of Zeta Tau Alpha’s Think Pink Ribbon Distribution Fan Outreach Program, which has donated over 5 million pink ribbons to NFL fans at games around the nation.

Many organizations are proud to participate to help raise awareness for breast cancer. Breast cancer may still be here but hopefully someday it won’t. Sarah Gyolai declares, “ You have aches and pains, but its nothing compared to what the cancer patients have to go through. Hopefully one day there is a cure.”