Entrepreneur and philanthropist Rahim Hassanally looks toward this year’s upcoming National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Promoted each October, National Breast Cancer Awareness Month is held annually across the United States to raise both awareness and funds for vital research into breast cancer causes, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and a cure for the disease. Also observed internationally as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, businessman, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and breast cancer awareness advocate Rahim Hassanally provides insight into the global public health initiative.
“With only around eight weeks to go, it’s important that we continue to raise awareness about National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in the United States,” says Hassanally, “as well as corresponding overseas initiatives held elsewhere around the world.”
These include the Canadian Cancer Society’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Breast Cancer Society of Canada’s Dress for the Cause, Breast Cancer Network Australia and Cancer Australia’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and, in the United Kingdom, Wear it Pink, the flagship fundraising event of Breast Cancer Now.
In the United States, National Breast Cancer Awareness Month is an annual health campaign organized by major breast cancer charities, originally established in 1985 by the American Cancer Society. “National Breast Cancer Awareness Month represents an annual campaign intended to educate the public, particularly surrounding the importance of breast cancer screening and early detection,” Hassanally explains.
“Since its inception,” he continues, “among the main goals of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month has been to promote the importance of mammography.”
Even today, almost 35 years on, mammography remains the single most effective tool in the fight against breast cancer according to Rahim Hassanally, both in the United States and internationally.
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month is marked largely by various one, two, and three-day-long sponsored walks across North America, both in the U.S. and Canada. “There’s also the National Race for the Cure,” adds Hassanally, “first held in Dallas, Texas, more than three decades ago.”
While the first National Race for the Cure event attracted around 800 participants, millions now take part each year in more than 100 U.S. cities nationwide, all dedicated to promoting awareness and raising funds to help fight breast cancer.
“Elsewhere, thousands of further, independent fundraising events and awareness initiatives are held and hosted by the medical professional, breast cancer awareness advocates, and more, both here in the U.S. and around the world,” reveals Hassanally.
“Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2019 begins,” he adds, wrapping up, “on October 1st, and concludes at the end of the month.”
For more information about National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, visit the National Breast Cancer Foundation website at https://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/breast-cancer-awareness-month/.