Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and with it comes a whirlwind of events, fundraisers, and other campaigns to help raise funds for the ongoing fight against breast cancer.

A study done by the U.S. Cancer Statistics Working Group showed that over 211,000 women and 2,000 men were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009 alone. These alarming statistics demonstrate that cancer is still very much a serious issue and will continue to be until we find a cure. Awareness of the disease and methods to fight and detect it early are the best defenses we have right now.

Cancer research organizations work around the clock to find ways to treat, prevent, and eventually cure breast cancer, and these organizations often exist solely on charitable donations. Charities and other non-profit organizations devote their time and efforts to raising funds from the public to give to researchers.

While we're all familiar with large foundations such as the American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org) or Susan G. Komen for the Cure (www.komen.org), there are plenty of others who are joining the fight against breast cancer. Here are a few that stand out:

• National Breast Cancer Coalition (http://www.breastcancerdeadline2020.org/): The NBBC has set a goal of curing breast cancer by January 1, 2020. The countdown timer at the top of their website counts the time left until their deadline. They have a set of plans to achieve their goal, through better understanding the disease, what causes it, and what we can do to fight it.
• Sisters Network Inc. (http://www.sistersnetworkinc.org/): Their website describes the organization as "committed to increasing local and national attention to the devastating impact that breast cancer has in the African American Community."
• National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc. (http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/): NBCF recognizes the importance of early detection of breast cancer in women of all ages. The NBCF provides free mammograms to women in need in all 50 states through their own network of hospitals.

There are thousands more charities around the world on a national, state, and even city level that do whatever they can to contribute to cancer research.

Here in our hometown, the American Cancer Society is hosting an event called Making Strides of Ocala, FL on Saturday, October 19. The walk begins at 9 a.m. with registration opening at 7:30 a.m. at the College of Central Florida, and is sponsored by dozens of local businesses. Find out more at http://www.makingstrideswalk.org/ocala.

We also found this great story on the Ocala.com website about two local girls who are looking to raise money for breast cancer awareness by setting a world record for continuous wakesurfing. They will be making their record attempt at Lake Weir on either October 21 or 22, depending on the weather. Read more about their story here: http://www.ocala.com/article/20131013/ARTICLES/131019863/0/SEARCH

At TJM Promotions, October is always a busy month for us, with hundreds of charity organizations and event organizers contacting us for promotional items for their events. We're proud to participate in breast cancer awareness events however we can by providing pink wristbands, patches, lanyards, or any other type of promotional item. We're honored knowing our contribution, however large or small, goes to further the fight against breast cancer!

Ribbon photo courtesy of user “MesserWoland” on Wikipedia.com.
Event photo courtesy of Making Strides Walk website.