Long Beach paints the Town Green pink

By superadmin | October 25, 2023 |

Orange pumpkin jack-o-lanterns and kids in costume are usually what comes to mind when it comes to the month of October; but, in recent years, pink has become the signature color for this fall month. With a pink ribbon being the international symbol for breast cancer awareness, many organizations and municipalities embrace Breast Cancer Awareness Month, October, with splashes of the color, to bring attention to the impact of the disease. The City of Long Beach is no exception, and the Friendly City is doing its part, as evidenced by all the pink decorations and personalized banners hanging downtown that honor local breast cancer survivors and the memories of loved ones who have since passed due to breast cancer.

While the banners and pink décor are eye-catching, there is a serious message that applies to both men and women when it comes to breast cancer – early detection can be life-saving.

The American Cancer Society’s estimates for breast cancer in the United States for 2023 anticipate that about 297,790 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women. About 55,720 new cases of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) will be diagnosed, and, sadly, about 43,700 women will die from breast cancer.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer worldwide, surpassing lung cancer for the first time in 2020, and it is the most common cancer diagnosed in American women.

Early detection is a key to increased survival rate. Regular screening with a mammogram can catch cancer early, so that it can be treated. At age forty, women are strongly encouraged to get a mammogram each year. Women in their twenties and thirties should have a clinical breast exam as part of their periodic health exam by a health professional at least every three years.

Additionally, those have family members – especially a mother or a sister – who have had breast cancer, and, if they had breast cancer before reaching menopause, are urged to tell their doctor, as their own risk of cancer may be higher than average.