Real Talk

Why We Celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October

by Kevyn Gohu
October 2, 2023

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers in the Philippines, making October its awareness month.

Breast cancer perhaps is one of the most common cancers in the Philippines. Besides cancer of the colon, lung, and blood, breast cancer often goes undetected with most women living their lives until they discover too late. In a recent report last August from the WHO, the Philippines had “staggering” numbers wherein it ranked the no. 1 in Asia for having the highest number of breast cancer patients and no. 9 in the world. Unfortunately, the news gets worse as only 1% reported receiving treatment. Thus, to further improve the conditions, the Philippines also declares October as Breast Cancer Awareness month.

Why We Celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October

When did Breast Cancer Awareness Month start?

Back in 1985, there was a partnership between the American Cancer Society and a pharmaceutical company known as Imperial Chemical Industries (now a part of one of the pharmaceutical companies that created the COVID vaccine, AstraZeneca). The event started with former FLOTUS Betty Ford kicking it off since she was a breast cancer survivor herself.

The pink ribbon trend to show our support, however, only came in much later. Estée Lauder began handing out pink ribbons in 1992, totaling up to 1.5 million ribbons that month. Soon, the National Football League (NFL) also sported the pink ribbons during their tournaments to offer their support and pay tribute to the many women in their lives who were affected by breast cancer.

What’s the month all about?

In hopes of helping people be brave in finding out if they have it or not, women and men who all survived or are fighting against breast cancer share their stories this month to promote awareness. Companies also celebrate it as their way of further fueling the fight and research against the ravaging disease. Cancer is a harrowing fight with trips to the hospital, financial strain and drain, and also an emotional battle to coming to terms with life and death. But fighting a disease is not a battle fought alone; it’s one best survived together.

And for this Breast Cancer Awareness month, many companies from various industries hope to empower victims of breast cancer to help those who have it realize that they are not alone in this fight.

How the stress of breast cancer breaks families

Breast cancer, like any form of cancer, stresses out families as it makes them more aware of their own mortality. Cancer is not cured; it only goes into remission to provide that calm in our lives. Some of us may even have genetic markers that make us more prone to Breast Cancer. It can depress us, filling us with self-loath and apathy as we already know who our killers are. It’s a matter of knowing when it will.

But others have turned the tides, finding various forms of treatments elsewhere. New technologies are being introduced everyday to give families a less stressful and stronger fighting chance against the ravaging disease. As a hormonal-type of cancer, some cancer institutes have developed various therapies to control the disease.

In October, we wear pink

While early detection is truly the best way to fight, some of us are still scared to find out. We’re afraid to realize how finite our time on earth is. There’s so much to do only for Breast Cancer to throw an axe into our plans. But for this Breast Cancer Awareness Month, this isn’t just a fight for the survivors and the fighters of today. It’s also a battle for those who may carry the gene or who may pass it to the future generations so that technology will be ready to fight for them when they need it.