Breast cancer is one of the most common kinds of cancer in the U.S. It’s an illness that’s mostly associated with women, but men can develop breast cancer as well. Breast cancer can affect all of us, whether it affects ourselves or people that we know, so it’s an important issue that should be addressed. Fortunately, the prevalence of breast cancer has decreased in recent times and it’s relatively treatable.
One way to spread awareness of breast cancer is the distribution of breast cancer bracelets. Available for purchase at the Pink Ribbon Shop, these pretty-in-pink accessories are an easy way to show your support for the fight against breast cancer and encourage others to join in as well. The most common and well-known bracelets are the breast cancer bracelets that resemble Lance Armstrong’s LiveStrong band. Engraved with a small ribbon and words like “Share the Care” or “Survivor,” they’re made to be versatile so that you can wear them wherever you go. With these bracelets you can compliment your outfit and casually inform people about the breast cancer cause while contributing to breast cancer funds with the money you paid for them. In addition to the simple breast cancer band, there are several other breast cancer bracelets available with different patterns and made of different materials.
While it’s neat that you can be fashionable and charitable in one fell swoop, there’s a possibility that wearing breast cancer bracelets runs the risk of being more the former than the latter. For example, LiveStrong bands were made to spread awareness of cancer but at one point they became a fashion fad that was more about having the accessory everyone else had rather than supporting a cause. “Hip” ways of promoting a cause are easily accessible to the public, but they also easily lose focus of their original purpose.
This isn’t to say that breast cancer bracelets are superficial or pointless. Undoubtedly there are many breast cancer bracelet-wearing people who earnestly want to support a cause and encourage others to do the same. And even if only a few other people are inspired by them, it still makes a difference. In addition, even if some people are buying bracelets as jewelry, this doesn’t change the fact that their money helps fight against breast cancer. Whether the intent of these “supporters” is genuine or not, they contribute to the cause and every little bit counts.