By: Michelle Dong
Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the world, after heart disease. In the US, one in every two men and one in every three women will develop cancer at some point in their life. However, I believe that everyone, not only those who know of someone battling cancer, should support and be involved in cancer awareness events. Although there are months dedicated to raising awareness for a particular cancer, keep in mind that there are more than 100 types of cancer. Here’s the calendar for cancer awareness (including their ribbon colors) from May to August:
May
- Bladder Cancer Awareness Month (Marigold/Blue/Purple)
- Brain Tumor Awareness Month (Gray)
- Cancer Research Month
- Melanoma and Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month (Black)
June
- National Cancer Survivors Day (Lavender): June 4th
July
- Sarcoma (Yellow)
August
- World Lung Cancer Day: August 1st
If you want to get involved in helping fight against cancer, here’s some local events happening in the summer:
- June 10th: PurpleStride
- June 17th: Breathe Deep
- August 5th: Out Run Ovarian Cancer
- August 18th: Relay for Life
- August 26th: Cleveland Race for the Cure
A side note on cancer ribbons:
The idea for cancer ribbons started in 1980 when Susan G. Komen started her organization for raising awareness for breast cancer. National non-profit organizations assign ribbon colors, each with its own meaning.
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/leading-causes-of-death.htm
https://www.cancer.org/about-us/who-we-are/cancer-awareness-calendar.html
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cancer-basics/questions-people-ask-about-cancer.html
http://www.choosehope.com/blog/who-determines-cancer-ribbon-colors/
http://www.choosehope.com/calendar-of-cancer-awareness-months
HB IN RETROSPECT 