National Breast Cancer Awareness Report

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month began in 1985 as a movement for mammography being the most effective weapon against breast cancer. American Cancer Society and the pharmaceutical division of Imperial Chemical Industries, maker of several anti-breast cancer drugs teamed up in the first push against breast cancer. In 1993, the pink ribbon was named the international sign for breast cancer awareness by Evelyn Lauder, Senior Corporate Vice President of the Estee Lauder Companies, she got the icon from a past event for breast cancer. Additionally, the Susan G. Komen Foundation started the worldwide symbol for Breast Cancer Awareness in 1991. During that time AIDS awareness was on the increase, red ribbons were everywhere, and seeing how effective

Pink is not a color it is a culture to me" says Williams. A player who lost his mom last year to Breast cancer. After Sandra Hill, his mom who was diagnosed in 2004, encouraged DeAngelo to partner with the Susan G. Komen Foundation and being part of the decision in 2009 allowing teams of the NFL to wear pink during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Losing his mom May of 2014, he decided to go to the NFL asking if he could wear pink year around in honor of his mom. After being denied DeAngelo Williams died his hair pink. In 1999 Zeta Tau Alpha partnered with the Washington Redskins for the first ever Think Pink game, Tanya Snyder, husband who bought the Redskins in 1991, joined the girls at the game passing out pink ribbons. “One ribbon at a time and one fan at a time. It was a wonderful event.” Tanya Snyder told New York Post. The campaign continued to grow bigger and bigger from one team to four teams to eventually being completely adopted by the National Football League in 2009. The NFL holds their “A Crucial Catch” campaign every year during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in partnership with the American Cancer Society whose goal is to spread awareness of how important it is for annual screenings. At the end of the month an NFL Auction is held where they auction off all Pink appeal wore by all players and coaches and even special game balls and pink coins. All proceeds go to American Cancer Society’s Community Health Advocates National Grants for Empowerment program. This CHANGE program provides screenings to women in underserved communities. Zeta Tau Alpha donates a million breast cancer awareness ribbons each year and earned the title of official outreach partner of the NFL’s “A Crucial Catch”