Every October, the world pauses to observe Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This global crusade aims to spread awareness about the importance of mammograms as an important key to early detection. What began in 1985 as a joint effort between the American Cancer Society and AstraZeneca, a pharmaceutical company that makes breast cancer treatment drugs, celebrates its 30^th anniversary this year.

Pastel pink is the color that is virtually synonymous with breast cancer support and awareness. The bright, perky, happy color represents the polar opposite of breast cancer.

The Susan G. Komen foundation passed out pink visors to breast cancer survivors during a Race for the Cure event that the organization sponsored in New York City during the early 1990s. The following year, the group gave ever participant in the race, a pink ribbon.

In 1993, Evelyn Lauder, the woman for whom the Estée Lauder Corporation is named, and a breast cancer survivor herself, co-founded the Breast Cancer Research Organization with Alexandra Perry, the Editor-in-Chief of Self Magazine.

The women chose the pink ribbon as the company’s symbol. They took advantage of Estée Lauder Company’s recognition as a brand and as an established cosmetic company to promote breast cancer awareness by placing pink ribbons on cosmetic department counters all over the country.

To understand the prevalence and importance of breast cancer awareness, we gathered some statistics from the National Breast Cancer Foundation and the National Cancer Institute.

Happy Days

• One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer at some time during her life.
• Breast cancer tops the list as the most common type of cancer that is diagnosed among women.
• Next to lung cancer which is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women, breast cancer ranks second.
• Every year, estimates suggest that over 220,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer. Compare that to the estimated mortality rate of over 40,000.

These statistics clearly indicate that we still need to spread awareness about the prevalence of breast cancer, and the importance of early detection. We feel pretty sure that all of our customers know someone who has survived breast cancer, or someone who is dealing with it today.

We want to help you show your solidarity and demonstrate your support with pink flowers. You can give them to someone who is undergoing treatment in the hospital, someone close to you, or by displaying pink flowers in your office or business.

Pink and Sweet

Our delightful Happy Days arrangement is sure to make people smile. This is a fun and flirty combination of pink lilies, roses, carnations, and wax flowers with cheerful white daisies, Hypericum berries, and other accents just ooze happiness. We dress it up with a big bright satin pink ribbon.

For a small space, our Pink and Sweet flower arrangement may be small in size, but it makes a huge statement. Pink roses and Gerbera daisies are the focal points of this bold display in a cube-shaped vase. We add green daisies for contrast, Statice for texture, and other greenery for a decorative touch. The final touch is the lovely satin pink bow that actually embraces the breast cancer awareness theme.

Let Schaaf Floral help you show your support for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.