Every year, approximately 281,550 women are diagnosed with an invasive form of breast cancer, and 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed in their lifetimes. 

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which was launched in 1985 by the American Cancer Society. The month stresses the importance of early detection and annual mammograms for women. 

During October, many people wear pink in solidarity with affected women, and pink products purchased by customers donate a percentage of their proceeds to research foundations. However, some organizations claiming to accept donations for breast cancer research fail to mention they hold most of the proceeds for themselves. So, finding reliable and reputable foundations and organizations can be difficult when trying to help.

Monetary donations are the most direct way to donate to breast cancer research. One highly reputable organization is the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, which donates 90% of its proceeds to cancer research, according to an article by abc10.com. Another reliable organization is the National Breast Cancer Coalition Fund, which donates 83% of their proceeds to breast cancer research.

Monetary donations aren’t the only way to help out, though. If money is difficult to donate, physical items can help, too. For example, organizations such as Hair We Share use donated hair to create wigs for children and adults who have gone through chemotherapy for all types of cancer. Other popular organizations such as Chai Lifeline and Locks of Love are great options for hair donation, although the wigs are given to pediatric cancer patients instead of those suffering with breast cancer. 

Hand crafted items also make great donations! A non-profit called Knitted Knockers accepts knitted or crocheted prosthetics for women’s bras. Knocker patterns can be found on their website, along with directions on how to send them into the organization for distribution. Crochet for Cancer and Knots of Love also accept handmade beanies for chemo patients!

Finally, you can donate used items to the Los Angeles Discovery Shop, run by the American Cancer Society. There are many shops in the greater Los Angeles area, and the stores take used goods such as clothing, accessories, jewelry, and furniture.

Whether you’re able to donate or not, it is important to acknowledge the importance of early detection. Women above the age of 40 should begin receiving an annual mammogram as a precautionary measure. Even though October is almost over, donations can be made year-round!

High school traditions, such as the pink-out, are great for raising awareness among young populations. However, donations to research foundations and organizations are more likely to impact cancer patients directly and aid in the elimination of cancer altogether.

Photo from flickr.com