The history of the pink ribbon

In 1992, Evelyn H. Lauder co-created the pink ribbon and launched The Estée Lauder Companies’ Breast Cancer Campaign (formerly The Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign), recognising an urgent need to bring breast cancer to the forefront and put a spotlight on this world health issue. Pioneering this movement, a year later she founded the Breast Cancer Research Foundation® (BCRF), a non-profit organisation, to generate funding solely dedicated to breast cancer research.

Tackling breast cancer taboos

At the time, breast cancer was still a taboo topic. For people experiencing the difficulties of a breast cancer diagnosis and undergoing treatment, this meant little discussion and understanding of what care may be needed.

That is why, in 1994, the Breast Care and Mastectomy Association was renamed Breast Cancer Care, and set up the first UK Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October with the pink ribbon at its heart.

SOURCE: https://breastcancernow.org/about-us/news-personal-stories/history-pink-ribbon