October is the time when we pay particular attention to breast cancer and the 1 in 8 women who will be diagnosed with the life-threatening disease sometime in their lifetime. Pink ribbons abound, and there are plenty of ways to do something more tangible.
Swipe through to learn how you can support breast cancer awareness and treatments.
Blanket your social media feeds in October with facts and figures about breast cancer. Every 2 minutes, a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer and every 13 minutes, one woman will die of breast cancer. In addition,1 in 1,000 men will receive a breast cancer diagnosis.
Consider making a donation to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, a top-rated charity where a significant portion of your donation goes directly to women in need. NBCF helps underserved women get life-saving mammograms and provides support to people undergoing treatment.
Donate nowPhotography: National Breast Cancer Foundation
It seems like everywhere you turn in October, retailers are hawking items that you can purchase to support breast cancer awareness. Be a smart consumer, however, and pay attention to how much of the purchase price actually goes to charity. Some of the donations are insultingly low.
Photography: Amazon
Participate in a run or walk. The Susan G. Komen for the Cure organization, for example, puts together the Komen Race for the Cure, a series of 5K runs and walks around the country. The group also coordinates the Susan G. Komen 3-Day for the Cure, which is a 60-mile, 3-day event. Proceeds from these events fund breast cancer research.
Volunteer to help patients going through breast cancer treatment. Some folks might need rides to appointments, while others might really appreciate a home-cooked meal delivered hot and ready to eat to their door. You can also sign up to help spread information about breast cancer awareness at specific events that occur during October.
Another organization to consider donating to is Breast Cancer Research Foundation, whose mission is to, “prevent and cure breast cancer by advancing the world’s most promising research.” The group makes carefully considered grants to scientists who are seeking cures for breast cancer.
Donate nowAt the very least, wear pink. Or attach a breast cancer awareness pin to your lapel. Maybe your pinkness will remind someone at the grocery store to log in when they get home and make a donation.