‘Paint Your Page Pink’ pushed by The City Wire

by The City Wire staff ([email protected]) 152 views 

In support of October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, The City Wire is encouraging individuals, businesses and organizations in the Fort Smith region and Northwest Arkansas to place a pink logo and/or a pink color on their website.

The Paint Your Page Pink effort has the potential to send a clear message to the world of support for breast cancer awareness.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM)) is an annual international health campaign organized by major breast cancer charities during October to increase awareness of the disease and to raise funds for research into its cause, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure.

“NBCAM recognizes that, although many great strides have been made in breast cancer awareness and treatment, there remains much to be accomplished,” the organization notes on its website. “Today, we remain dedicated to educating and empowering women to take charge of their own breast health.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control, 40,589 women in the U.S. died in 2008 — the most recent year numbers are available — from breast cancer. The CDC report noted that 210,203 women in the U.S. were diagnosed with breast cancer.

The American Cancer Society reports an estimated 230,480 new cases of invasive breast cancer were diagnosed in 2011, with about 2,140 of those expected to be among men.

The NBCAM campaign offers information and support to those affected by breast cancer. The campaign also provides a platform for breast cancer charities to raise awareness of their work and of the disease.

Dealing directly with the issue is Patricia Brown, chief operations officer for The City Wire. A survivor for seven years of one round with breast cancer, Brown is now facing a second battle. (Link here for Brown’s commentary on this new battle.)

“Think how powerful it would be if the businesses of Northwest Arkansas and the Fort Smith region united by showing their support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month,” Brown said.

The ultimate goal, Brown added, is to encourage people to consider their health.

“You just never know when the smallest gesture will cause someone to think about getting a test, or getting a mammogram. It just might save a life,” Brown said.

In addition to The City Wire, businesses or individuals who have placed a pink logo on their website or have agreed to do so include Arkansas Valley Electric Corp., Van Buren attorney Cheryl Anderson, Bentonville-Bella Vista Chamber of Commerce, the Fort Smith Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Ozark affiliate of Susan G. Komen and Westark Plumbing.

Brown said individuals are also encouraged to paint pink their Facebook page.

The City Wire has made it easy to place a pink item on a website by providing logos to use. The logos are on this page, and the page also includes a form that is easy to complete. The form is not required, but will allow The City Wire to document the number of participants.