Never Forget to Check on the Girls Again with Bright Pink
October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, and we are all familiar with the pink ribbon and themed products that “raise awareness” for this prevalent type of cancer.
From athletes touting pink accessories during games to products with redesigned pink labels, the marketing surrounding the “think pink” movement is everywhere in the month of October. So infrequently though, do we discuss the legitimate statistics around breast cancer.
One group that is doing an incredible job with raising awareness about this disease is Bright Pink, an organization that is working to empower women to take control of their health and partake in preventative measures, as well as promoting education on risk factors both through programming and digital resources.
I first learned about Bright Pink through my sorority (who’s national philanthropy is Breast Cancer Education and Awareness) when we had a representative come to campus to give a presentation on breast and ovarian cancer, and to help us analyze our risk factors. Bright Pink was founded by Lindsay Avner, who was the youngest woman in the U.S. to undergo a double mastectomy as a preventative measure to reduce her risk of breast cancer.
Photo: Bright Pink
The company focuses on educating both individuals and healthcare professionals on risk factors, promoting an inclusive approach to healthcare, and providing tools to make assessing your risk factors easy. By making all of this information easily digestible and accessible, they are able to promote the importance of having conversations with your healthcare providers on your risks and preventative steps you can take.
My favorite tools that Bright Pink offers are their Assess Your Risk quiz, which takes about five minutes and helps you to determine the best preventative care plan based on your lifestyle and family history, and their monthly text reminders to do a self exam of your breasts. With fun little messages like “check on the girls,” you get a low stress reminder to do a self check and make note of any new changes or symptoms! Text HEALTH to 59227 to sign up for monthly reminders to practice breast and ovarian self-awareness!
Remember that it is never too early to take steps to reduce risk of breast cancer (or any disease for that matter) and that it doesn’t have to be scary to have these kinds of conversations with your doctors! Bright Pink empowers through education and awareness. I highly recommend looking into their website, and taking control of your health!
Learn more about Bright Pink on www.brightpink.org