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Pink October: Get To Know The Brazilian Campaign Against Breast Cancer

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Casper Libero chapter.

Until 1990, a lot of women suffered from a disease that they barely realized was with them: breast cancer. As it is a quiet illness, when you start to realize the signs, it’s already too late. But differently from most types of cancer, the possibility of this one being detected by a simple examination is high. The problem, at that time, was that just a few people were aware of this, so it always got back to the situation of being unable to save a life in time. 

Seeing this scenario, a Foundation called Susan G. Komen, in the USA, decided to promote a campaign to share the little they knew about the problem with as many women as they could.

NAME AND SYMBOL

The first event related to the campaign occasionally gave a name and a symbol to it. The Foundation, mentioned, did a “Run for the cure” in New York in October month and gave the participants a pink ribbon, known worldwide to this day. 

THE BRAZILIAN PINK OCTOBER

12 years later, the Brazilians started to be informed about the pink October. The first support demonstration was when a monument from Ibirapuera Park, in São Paulo, got lightened pink.

However, it just started to unite more strengths in 2008, when a significant amount of events happened in different cities, not just in the big capitals. 

Art made in support of the campaign; characters lines: “take care of yourself, love yourself, touch yourself, get informed” (Instagram/@imagineedesenhe)

Pink October has been a huge success in the country. Everybody talks about it every time the month comes. Ads on opened-air television, digital influencers’ content, flyers given on the street, soccer players wearing jerseys specially developed for the campaign, companies wearing T-shirts or pins with the pink ribbon and a lot of other awareness actions are part of the annual Brazilian life. 

The commotion is such that in 2018, Pink October was promoted as a national law (nº 13.733), and it established some mandatory actions for the month of October, including lectures and lighting of public buildings, monuments and buildings with the color pink.

This year, the main action is the mammogram points around some cities, like in São Paulo. There, they offer appointments with specialized professionals who do the examination for free. It helps to guarantee the protection of at least part of the less fortunate population too.

FREE MAMMOGRAM POINTS

Now, as the month is ending, there are just a few points from the program “Mulheres de Peito” left. They are:

  • Caraguatatuba: until October 26th. Address: José Geraldo Fernandes da Silva Filho Street, 297.
  • Ilha Comprida: until October 26th. Address: São Paulo Avenue, 1000.
  • Itaquaquecetuba: until November 1st. Address: Largo da Vila São Carlos

To schedule a mammogram, simply call 0800 779 0000, Monday to Friday from 8am to 5pm, except holidays. The appointment is scheduled via the Computerized Regulation System of the State of São Paulo (Cross). 

Always remember: this is a touch of care!

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The article above was edited by Manuela Miniguini.

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Julia Paixão

Casper Libero '27

Estudante de jornalismo na Faculdade Cásper Líbero. Pendente para cultura, entretenimento e política. Student of journalism at Cásper Líbero. Likes culture, entertainment and politics.