October is national breast cancer awareness month, having a month dedicated to this cause helps bring attention to the seriousness of this world-wide health issue.

According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, one out of every eight women are diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. If caught early, breast cancer can be relatively easy to get rid of, however, if found at a later stage, the disease can be fatal. At stage one, the survival rate is 100 percent, stage two is at 93 percent, stage three at 72 percent, and stage four has a 22 percent survival rate according to the American Cancer Society.  This is the reason awareness is so important. If women are aware of their health, the chances of living a healthy life is even better. Most people assume only women can get breast cancer, however, men can also be subjected to the disease though the chances are very low.

The National Breast Cancer Foundation has resources that can help raise awareness for breast cancer. People across the country are participating in breast cancer awareness month, helping spread awareness to people. Just at Tigard high, the school is flooded with pink. Tee shirts, stickers, and posters have been made for this cause. The football team has also received pink cleats along with a pink Power T on the side of their helmets for the month of October. This issue is something that is sometimes taken lightly, some people are aware of the issue, but are not realizing the significance, and talking action.

There are multiple major charities focused on breast cancer that recognizes cause, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and cure. Some of the largest charities for breast cancer are Susan G. Komen and national race for the cure. When people donate to these charities, part of the money goes toward research for breast cancer which helps understand and treat this disease. The Susan G. Komen foundation has raised over 800 million dollars worth of research which has gone toward 2500 researchers around the world. This research has played  major part in the treatment and cure for breast cancer and has changed millions of women’s lives.

Most people assume that one person can’t make that big of a difference, but you can. One person can make a huge impact by taking one single action. There are multiple things you can do to raise money such as donations, and fundraising. The people who run the program can only do so much. Volunteering and participating at events is a great ways to have a good time and make an impact. The money that is donated or earned for the charity goes toward research and it also helps women with breast cancer who can’t afford medical bills. This pays for mammograms and other components relating to the health of women in need.

By donating money or your time, you can make a huge impact on ones life. October is not a month of pink, it’s a month of bringing awareness to this issue and hopefully saving lives along the way. Breast cancer is one of the most common cancer types worldwide, this issue is not something that should be taken lightly. If nothing else, spread the word to keep women aware of their health and living a long, healthy, and happy life.