October is the month in the calendar designated to raise the awareness of breast cancer. And the pink ribbons have been everywhere these past few weeks as charities and celebrities added their weight to what has become a forceful annual publicity campaign.
Yet just as we bid farewell to Breast Cancer Awareness month, so Movember begins. The ubiquitous pink is about to be replaced by the equally widespread 'sponsored moustache'. Breast cancer makes way for prostate and testicular and the media bandwagon rolls on. There are days and months set aside for the promotion of most types of cancer, not to mention AIDS, poverty and a whole host of other deserving causes. These days and weeks are so frequent that you would be forgiven for not knowing when one ends and another begins.
As the Chief Executive of the Jewish community's leading cancer support organisation it is interesting to see the impact these awareness months have on cancer patients and supporters alike.
At Chai Cancer Care we have, on average, twice as many Breast Cancer patients making contact with the organisation in the month of October than in any other month of the year. This is no coincidence and possibly what you might expect. The added profile given to the illness by media campaigns and celebrity PR has a huge impact on the general public. Many women take a more active interest in their health when prompted by the likes of Denise van Outen or Liz Hurley. This is no bad thing. But what happens when the ribbons are taken down and the pink-tinted optimism subsides?
Breast Cancer does not just last a month. Not for those with the illness, nor their families or for organisations like Chai. Long after the awareness campaigns have faded, cancer support organisations are depended on, more than ever before. Where are these women the rest of the year? It is good that so many more are in touch every October, but why do so many try and cope alone for the other eleven months in the calendar? It is therefore our responsibility to keep awareness levels high over and above the period set aside for active promotion. We must strike the balance between responding to those in need, and, at the same time, ensuring that all those who should know about our services, do so.
Remember, breast cancer doesn't just last a month
With no statutory funding, the pressures for Chai created by the increased prevalence of cancer are significant. On the one hand, more enquiries lead to the increased cost of our specialised care. With the combination of earlier diagnoses and improved treatment, thankfully more people are living longer with cancer, so their relationship with Chai can often last for many years. On the other hand, the need to promote our services is essential. Our job is not done until the entire community, across the UK, is aware of the many ways in which Chai can support cancer patients and their loved ones.
The publicity created elsewhere has a huge knock on effect. It is the large, national and international organisations that are best placed to run the pink ribbon campaigns. It is the big organisations that are best placed to fundraise off the back of the publicity moustache growing brings. But in many cases it is the small organisations, charities like Chai, that have to pick up the pieces. Not just for a given 'day' or 'month' but all day, every day and for as long as there is the need.