"Its all about self respect"

 A few days ago on the 12th of November, news broke that a beauty legend had passed. Evelyn Lauder, daughter-in-law of the formidable Estee Lauder, had sadly lost her four year battle with ovarian cancer at the age of 75. Having been previously diagnosed some years before with breast cancer she had beaten the disease once in the past and Evelyn was not one to let her illness slow her down. Despite being diagnosed again in 2007, she still in the month of  October every year afterwards attended several cancer awareness events across the globe to promote the cause and her belief in "fighting the good fight".

 Every October sees a new breed of Breast Cancer awareness campaign products gracing the shelves of various retailers. From cosmetics to cakes, the pink ribbon is ubiquitous in the fight against breast cancer not just in the month of October, but every month of the year and has been since it was founded by Evelyn in 1992.

 Each year more than 44,300 women and around 300 men are diagnosed with breast cancer and it is the second most common cause of cancer related deaths for women in the UK and worldwide, second only to that of lung cancer. Evelyn was a firm believer that early detection and treatment was a key factor in saving lives and increasing the chances of survival, and so what started out as small pink ribbons handed out on beauty counters to remind customers of the benefits of regular mammograms and self-checks had soon manifested itself into something much, much more significant.

The facts and figures surrounding these small pink ribbons soon puts the significance of Evelyns crusade against cancer into perspective. At the end of 2009 over 85 million pink ribbons were distributed - incase you were wondering thats enough material to stretch all the way from the empire state building, NY to Beijing’s Legation Quarter in China - and $50 million from Estee Lauder and its various partners has been donated to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, taking up a healthy proportion of the $330 million raised since its launch. 

Without the support of the Estee Lauder companies and its ambassadors such as Evelyn and Liz Hurley, a long time friend and supporter of the campaign, the progression and future of the Breast Cancer Research Foundation would have certainly been a lot more difficult. Its impossible for the likes of you and I to donate a cool $50 million to the cause but we can all take a leaf out of the late Mrs Lauders perfectly made up book...

  "Don't be afraid of Breast Cancer. Don't be afraid to do breast self-examination or to have a clinical breast   exam as part of a regular doctors visit. Don't be afraid - or wait - to go to your doctor if you find a lump or suspect something. And please keep spreading the message that early detection and treatment saves lives."

 So, have a little self respect and you could maybe, one day, be thanking your lucky pink ribbons.