It’s almost the start of the Pink October campaign. The opportunity to wear the famous pink ribbon, raise awareness of breast cancer screening and raise funds to support research. Origin, logo, actions, associations, Odysséa race, in Paris, elsewhere, poster, donate… All about the 2022 edition.
[Mis à jour le 8 septembre 2022 à 14h48] In France, one in eight women is at risk of developing breast cancer in her lifetime. Since 1994 in France, Pink October is an annual campaign led by the association Pink Ribbon which raises public awareness screening for breast cancer, the leading cause of cancer death in women, and raise funds for medical and scientific research. Since 2004, the Ruban Rose association has presented its Pink Ribbon Award to support research to researchers and caregivers. Where does this solidarity initiative come from? What are the dates of the next edition of Pink October? How make a donation or support research? All about Pink October 2022.
What is Pink October?
Every year for 28 years in France, Pink October is the month dedicated to the fight against breast cancer. From October 1 to 31, health professionals, NGOs and associations are gathered around the world around information on breast cancer screening. It is estimated that 1 in 8 women will be affected by breast cancer during her lifetime. With 60,000 new cases per year in France, breast cancer remains first cancer in women and the deadliest. Detected at a stage early, 9 out of 10 women recover from it within 5 years, hence the importance of prevention. Initiatives such as races, auctions, bra drives and other events are organized to raise funds for medical and scientific research. Free or reduced-price screening campaigns are also offered across France. All of the funds raised during this period are entirely donated to associations that help and support people with cancer as well as to research. Pink October is also an international campaign. Its Anglo-Saxon equivalent is the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Many historical monuments around the world are adorned with pink to show their support and their commitment against breast cancer: Presidential Palace of Argentina, Water Cube in China, Cathedral of San Miniato in Florence in Italy, Cathedral of Basilia in Brazil, Pink Tokyo Tower in Japan, JF Kennedy Airport in New York in the United States…
What are the dates for Pink October 2022?
In 2022, the 29th edition of Pink October will take place from Saturday October 1 until Monday October 31. For a month, many demonstrations and events will be organized for the benefit of medical and scientific research and to raise awareness of early detection.
What are the actions for Pink October 2022?
► Bookmarks for Curie. The Institut Curie is launching its new creative and solidarity challenge “20,000 bookmarks for Curie” in tribute to the 20,000 women who relapse each year in France from breast cancer after a period of remission. The objective: to collect and distribute 20,000 bookmarks for Institut Curie patients in the fight against cancer. Let your creativity express itself now, regardless of its shape, color or material, and send your creations by post to the Institut Curie, Direction de la Communication, 70 rue Mouffetard – 75005 PARIS.
► Pizza Cozy’s pink pizza. Pizza Cozy is committed to Pink October by creating a pink pizza, both gourmet and based on beetroot cream, presented in packaging that enhances all breast shapes. It will be offered exclusively in October, in all of the network’s 56 pizzerias. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to
the French association Ruban Rose, to support the fight against breast cancer.
► Rosegold hand lotion. From October 1st, from 50€ of purchase on the official website of the brand (www.rosegoldparis.com), each woman will be offered to add to her basket a hand lotion at the exclusive price of 1€ ( instead of €9.90) donated to the Ruban Rose association. There will also be the possibility for all its customers to make an additional donation at the time of payment (1€, 2€, 5€ or 10€).
When does the great Odysséa race take place for Pink October?
Come and support the cause by participating in Odysséa, alone or with others, with family, friends or with your company. October 1 and 2, 2022 at the Château de Vincennes. You can register for several courses to choose from:
Saturday October 1, 2022
- Solidarity Zumba
- 1 km children’s “I run for Mom” - from 5 to 12 years old included (departure 2 p.m.)
- 5 km non-timed solidarity walk – from 5 years old (departure 3:00 p.m.)
Sunday, October 2, 2022
- 10km timed – from 16 years old (departure 9:00 am)
- 5 km non-timed race – from 8 years old (departure 11:00 a.m.)
- 5 km untimed walk – from 5 years old (departure 11:00 a.m.)
Odysséa Paris, connected distance running
- from September 26 to October 9, 2022
- 5 km connected – from 14 years old
- 10 km connected – from 16 years old
For underage runners/walkers, parental authorization is necessary. It will be completed during registration.
Solidarity participation
I don’t run, I don’t walk, but I support the cause by buying my pink Odysséa t-shirt.
Online registration ends September 25 at 8 p.m.
- In 1985a partnership between the American Cancer Society and Imperial Chemical Industries throw a campaign to raise awareness of breast cancer screening and promote mammography.
- In 1992, Alexandra Penney, editor-in-chief of the journal Self, dedicated to women’s health, offers a special issue “Breast Cancer”. Evelyn Lauder, vice-president of cosmetics company Estée Lauder and breast cancer survivor, is invited to be editor of this special issue.
- In 1993, Evelyn Lauder creates in the USA the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (Breast Cancer Research Foundation) to support innovation in clinical and genetic research.
- In 1994, Estée Lauder France and the magazine Marie-Claire decided to commit together in the fight against breast cancer by creating the association “Le Cancer du Sein, Parlons-en!” (become Pink Ribbon since 2020). Each year, many initiatives are set up, throughout the month of October (Pink October), to inform and raise women’s awareness of the importance of early screening.
- Since 2004the Pink Ribbon Prizes set up by the association provide financial support for breast cancer research.
- November 12, 2011, Evelyn Lauder passes away. The association “Breast Cancer, let’s talk about it!” continues its fight against breast cancer and the importance of early detection.
- Since 2014every first of October, the Eiffel Tower is adorned with the association’s color and lights up in pink.
- 2021: the campaign was titled “The March of the Boobs”. The association Ruban Rose has innovated by showing the breasts of women of all ages with a new slogan “Make an appointment with your breasts! Every year, go to a doctor.” The Odysséa race, organized as part of Pink October, took place on the weekend of October 2/3 in Paris and raised funds for support research on triple negative breast cancer. In 2021, the Pink Ribbon Grand Prize for Research was awarded to Carmen Garrido, an exceptional class research director at INSERM and who has worked on breast cancer screening based on a blood test. The doctor Carmen Garrido was given a endowment of 200,000 euros from the hands of the president of the association Pink Ribbon Tuesday, October 5. For the first time this year, the winners are 100% female and 850,000 euros are donated to teams of researchers and caregivers, i.e. 280,000 euros more than the previous year, a record since the creation of the event.
What is the story of the pink ribbon?
the american Penney Laingen was the first woman to use the ribbon as a symbol in 1979 : she hung yellow ribbons on trees to demand the release of her husband, held hostage in Iran. In the early 90s, the Red ribbon, the color of passion and blood, symbolizes the fight against the AIDS virus. In 1992, Alexandra Penney, editor-in-chief of Self magazine, imagined a pink ribbon to designate the fight against breast cancer and asks the Estée Lauder company to distribute it in its New York stores. Evelyn Lauder, vice president of the cosmetics company, goes one better by promising to put ribbons on all Estée Lauder counters, as well as cosmetics stores nationwide.
→ Why the color pink? The pink of the ribbon chosen by the Estée Lauder Company is the pink 150“one of the best-selling colors” from Offray, the world’s largest ribbon company. “A feminine, soft, joyful color that evokes good health, everything that this cancer is not”, notes the Breast Cancer Action association who fights against breast cancer. Today the pink ribbon is the international symbol of the fight against breast cancer. Wearing a pink ribbon makes it possible to mark one’s commitment to the fight against breast cancer and one’s solidarity with patients.
The reduction in the breast cancer mortality rate may be reduced thanks to advances in research. To support research, you can simply make a donation online at the official donation platform of the association Pink Ribbon. In 2019, the Association awarded 550,000 euros through its Pink Ribbon Awards, as well as 180,000 euros (spread over three years) for a new Research Grant. Thanks to Pink Ribbon Award: more than three million euros have thus been donated to more than 60 teams of researchers since the creation of these Prizes.