National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM), is an annual international health campaign organized by major breast cancer charities each October to increase awareness of the disease & to raise funds for research into its cause, prevention, diagnosis, treatment & cure. The campaign also offers information & support to those affected by breast cancer.
NBCAM was founded in 1985 as a partnership between the American Cancer Society & the pharmaceutical division of Imperial Chemical Industries (now part of AstraZeneca, producer of several anti-breast cancer drugs). The aim of the NBCAM from the start has been to promote mammography as the most effective weapon in the fight against breast cancer. In 1993 Evelyn Lauder, Senior VP of Estée Lauder founded The Breast Cancer Research Foundation & established the pink ribbon as its symbol. In the fall of 1991, the Susan G. Komen Foundation handed out pink ribbons to participants in its New York City race for breast cancer survivors.
A variety of events around the world are organized in October, including walks & runs, & the pink illumination of landmark buildings. In the United States, the National Football League promotes breast cancer awareness by incorporating pink on & off the field, & comic strip artists use pink on one day in October.
Male breast cancer, which is rare, is generally overlooked. In 2009 the male breast cancer advocacy groups "Out of the Shadow of Pink, A Man's Pink, and the Brandon Greening Foundation for Breast Cancer in Men" joined together to globally establish the third week of October as "Male Breast Cancer Awareness Week".
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