It is that time of year again… it’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month! October is more than just fall, it is about coming together within the community. This month, we want to celebrate many causes, like Alzheimer’s with the annual Walk + Run. But we would also like to raise awareness for women, and men, who are suffering, or have suffered from breast cancer. It is our goal to help support the Canadian Breast Cancer foundation to continue with on-going research, prevention technology, treatment and care. For more information on Canada’s leading cancer organization, please visit their website.

Ways you can raise awareness in Calgary:

1. You can Run for the Cure:

CIBC Run for the Cure happens every October. If you missed it this year, sign up again next year!  Every year, thousands of Calgarians come together to run or walk 5 km or 1 km. All you have to do is sign up, or a sign up a team of people and raise funds for the cause. Even if you don’t raise funds, you can still participate and raise awareness with more than 82,000 Canadians in the largest, single-day, volunteer-led event dedicated to changing the future of breast cancer! 

2. Wear Pink

See all of those pink ribbons around? Yes, those... why don’t you wear one! Wearing a ribbon can spark a conversation, or remind others to raise awareness. If you can’t find or make a ribbon pin, you can create your digital ribbon at https://myccspinkribbon.ca . Your digital ribbon is indexed on the Canadian Cancer Society website, and you can dedicate your ribbon to a loved one. If you decide to opt out of the ribbon, just wear pink! Amazon and Sports Chek and plenty of other stores are selling plenty of Breast Cancer Swag this month. So help raise awareness by wearing pink and spread the word! 

3. Donate

You can donate to various organizations across Canada. We recommend donating to the Canadian Cancer Society. For more information, please visit their website.  

4. Host a Fundraiser! 

This is a great way to get involved in your community, visit with friends and come together for such an incredible cause. Hosting a fundraiser is simple with the help of many organizations. Here are some fundraising ideas:

1. Host a Hockey, Golf, Softball Tournament

2. Cut Your Hair

3. Host a Garage Sale

4. Host a Bake Sale at Your Community Centre / School

5. Host a Theatre Production

There are many ways you can create your own fundraiser. Be creative, and make an impact! For more info on hosting a fundraiser, visit the Cancer Fundraising Website.

5. Attend an Event

There are plenty of Breast Cancer Awareness Events happening this month around the city. One event that looks swimmingly fun is Boobyball, organized by Rethink Breast Cancer . Boobyball was started by a group of young dedicated women in support their young friend who suffered from aggressive breast cancer. Over the past 17 years, Boobyball has raised over 5.2 million dollars in support of Rethink Breast Cancer organization. This event has now become one of the most high-profile philanthropic events around the country. For more information, please visit Boobyball.

6. Drink Coffee at Co-op 

For every cup of coffee purchased at Co-op gas bars, Coop will donate 5 cents to the Canadian Cancer Society in support of breast cancer research. 

Whether it is a family member, friend, or neighbour, women are affected by breast cancer in some capacity across Canada. We encourage you to go out and raise awareness this month!