How to contribute to breast cancer research and awareness this month - Women's Agenda

How to contribute to breast cancer research and awareness this month

In 1998 I was invited to participate in a campaign to raise funds for breast cancer research. I was editor-in-chief of ELLE magazine and the Australian chapter of Fashion Targets Breast Cancer (FTBC) was ramping up and receiving serious industry support. The editors of fashion magazines had agreed to be photographed for the campaign and we appeared in targeted ads for the charity within the October editions of our own titles.

October is pink ribbon month as the focus on the single greatest threat to women’s health turns our goods and services pink. Every year 13,500 women are affected by breast cancer, according to the National Breast CancerFoundation. FTBC is just one of many industry-supported groups that gets into serious awareness and fundraising mode at this time.

As breast cancer impacts families, we were encouraged to get personal for our FTBC photoshoot. I posed with my two young sons wearing FTBC t-shirts that were the major part of the fundraising drive that year. Readers could head into their local Target store and buy a t-shirt similar to the ones we were wearing.

It was a wonderful opportunity to take professional photos with my boys but the reason I was sharing the scene with them wasn’t lost on me. Every year mothers die of breast cancer. Every day mothers fear they won’t be a part of their children’s future. I had to block that from my mind for the photo but it was all I thought about that evening.

My oldest son was four and the baby was around eight months old when the photo was taken. They laughed and played for the couple of hours that the photographer had us under his lights completely oblivious to the significance of the occasion, which is as it should have been at their age. If only all children could be so lucky. Any illness that can potentially separate mothers and their children, temporarily or permanently, requires our attention.

There are a number of ways that you can get involved, from running marathons to hosting breakfasts but one of the simplest is to donate via the purchase of products that display the signature pink ribbon, from select Estée Lauder products to Gray Nicholls sports equipment. Invest in a pink netball this month.

Are you involved in a pink ribbon activity this month? Share your story with us below.

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