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Susan G. Komen for the Cure® Calls for Less Talk, More Action During 2011 Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Dépèche transmise le 29 septembre 2011 par Business Wire

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Susan G. Komen for the Cure®, the world’s largest breast cancer organization, is kicking off National Breast Cancer Awareness Month’s 27^th year with 31 days of activities aimed at motivating women to take action against their most common cancer threat – breast cancer.

“We know early detection and treatment saves lives and it’s alarming to see so many women with access to care not being screened”

At the heart of the campaign is a recent study of 1.5 million women with insurance that shows fewer than 50 percent received regular mammograms. After three decades of progress in gaining public awareness and support for the breast cancer movement, Komen officials say these advances could be at risk as people become confused or complacent about mammography, budget cuts put important programs at risk and women fail, for a wide variety of reasons, to get life-saving breast screenings or mammograms.

“We know early detection and treatment saves lives and it’s alarming to see so many women with access to care not being screened,” said Komen for the Cure founder and CEO Ambassador Nancy G. Brinker. “During Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2011, we’re calling on people all across America to join us in this effort to encourage the women they love to take action by getting screened.”

To build awareness about the need for women to put their own health first and to get screened for breast cancer, Komen is launching 31 Days of Pink Action—a schedule of meaningful and fun activities for each day of the month designed to inspire engagement and spur personal action.

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and leading cancer killer of women worldwide, with 1.6 million cases diagnosed globally in 2010, and more than 200,000 cases expected in the U.S. this year. About half a million women are expected to die of breast cancer globally; about 40,000 of them in the U.S.

“As much progress as we’ve made, a woman still dies of breast cancer every 74 seconds somewhere in the world. If every American did something—encouraged a loved one to get screened, donated or signed up as an advocate, made a screening appointment—during our 31 Days of Pink Action, the surge in support and involvement could help us change that awful statistic,” said Ambassador Brinker.

Highlights of the 31 Days of Pink Action campaign include:

• Less Talk, More Action—Here’s How – Visit www.komen.org/MoreAction during Breast Cancer Awareness Month and beyond to discover great tools like email reminders, screening and breast cancer awareness or risk information, and resources to help you advocate for access to care for all.
• What I Would Have Missed – Throughout October, Komen will be reaching out to breast cancer survivors and co-survivors to help spread the message about the importance of getting screened. Find out more about this unique social media experience that allows people to create and share videos about the positive, funny, touching moments in their lives that they might have missed had they not been screened for breast cancer and sought treatment.
• “Five” – On Oct. 10, the Lifetime network will debut this original movie that explores the impact of breast cancer on people’s lives. Directed by Jennifer Aniston, Alicia Keys, Demi Moore, Independent Spirit Award winner Patty Jenkins (“Monster”) and Penelope Spheeris (“Wayne’s World“). Aniston also designed the Reach for the Moon unisex T-shirt for Ford Warriors in Pink, with 100 percent of the net proceeds going to Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
• Promise Me Saturday on eBay with MissionFish – On Oct. 8, eBay sellers and buyers can donate $1 or more directly to Komen through the Donate Now feature—no purchase necessary. The initiative is a part of "Make It Pink," eBay Giving Works’ 8th annual fundraising campaign, which includes sales of special items and fantasy experiences to benefit breast cancer research and programs, plus basic eBay fee credits to sellers who wish to donate from 1 percent to 100 percent of an item's sale price to Komen.
• Lazos Que Perduran (“Ribbons that Bind”) – Komen’s exciting new national initiative provides Latinas with life-saving education about breast cancer, risk factors unique to Latinas, the critical importance of early detection and healthy lifestyle messages. Visit www.LazosQuePerduran.org to learn more.
• Fly for the Cure with American Airlines – During October, join the fight to end breast cancer and honor survivors and loved ones by “pinning” a virtual ribbon on the pinkboard found on American’s Facebook page (Facebook.com/AA). Donations of $25 or more will earn will earn 10 AAdvantage^® miles for every dollar contributed through American’s Miles for the Cure^® program.
• NASCAR Dollar General 300 Miles of Courage at Charlotte Motor Speedway – The Oct. 14 NASCAR Nationwide Series race has been renamed “Dollar General 300 Miles of Courage.” It will sport a pink theme and honor 300 breast cancer survivors in the “Ring of Courage.”
• Yoplait Save Lids to Save Lives® – Throughout October through Dec. 31, for every pink lid redeemed, Yoplait will donate 10 cents, with a total commitment of up to $2 million, to Komen to benefit breast cancer research and local community outreach programs.

For a complete list of Komen’s 31 Days of Pink Action visit: www.komen.org/MoreAction.

“Looking for breast cancer before a person has any symptoms is critical to catching this disease at an early stage, when it may be easier to treat,” said Susan G. Komen President Elizabeth Thompson. “If every woman would take action to be screened or make sure someone they love gets screened, it would go a long way toward saving lives.”

About Susan G. Komen for the Cure®

Nancy G. Brinker promised her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, that she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer. Today, Susan G. Komen for the Cure works to end breast cancer in the U.S. and throughout the world through ground-breaking research, community health outreach, advocacy and programs in more than 50 countries with a special focus on low-resource and developing nations. Visit komen.org. Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.