October 1 marks the start of Pink Octoberthe month dedicated to the fight against breast cancer. A struggle symbolized by the wearing of a pink ribbon.
It all started in 1992. Alexandra Penney is editor-in-chief of the women’s health magazine “Self”. She is working on her special issue dedicated to breast cancer. That of the previous year was a great success, thanks to the woman who had been its special editor-in-chief, Evelyn Lauder, vice-president of the large cosmetics group Estée Lauder and above all a survivor of breast cancer. To support the release of the 2nd issue, Alexandra Penney has the idea of a ribbonwhich would be distributed in Estée Lauder points of sale in New York. Enthusiastic, Evelyn Lauder suggests doing it throughout the USA. It remains to find a color for it. The first idea is peach color.
A week later, a journalist from the magazine presented Alexandra Penney with an article about Charlotte Hayley, whose sister, daughter and granddaughters had breast cancer. To raise awareness, this 68-year-old Californian grandmother makes peach-colored ribbons at home. She has already distributed thousands accompanied by a card calling for people to mobilize in a country where only 5% of the annual budget devoted to cancer goes to prevention. Alexandra Penney contacted Charlotte Hayley and asked her to partner with her peach ribbons by giving them a national impact. But she refuses.
The grandmother considers the approach of the magazine backed by the Estée Lauder group too commercial. She is afraid that her idea will just be used to make a profit. Alexandra Penney’s lawyers then advised her to change her color. She chooses pink.
It was the largest ribbon manufacturer in the world, Offray, – which makes the ribbons for the Olympic medals – which recommended pink 150. A pastel roseone of the colors they sell the most. Go for this color. After all, it’s the ultimate feminine color, right Barbie? And studies have proven that pink has calming and anti-stress effects, it is invigorating. In short, it is good for your health. The complete opposite of cancer.
This is how this ribbon was born, the effects of which were immediate: the four years following its launch, American funding for breast cancer research has increased almost fourfold. With the aim that women who are victims of this cancer can hope, despite everything, to continue to see life in rosy terms.
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