September is Blood Cancer Awareness Month, when supporters and advocates of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) focus on raising awareness about our efforts to combat blood cancers like leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, and Hodgkin’s disease both locally and nationally.
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What hue represents blood cancer on a ribbon?
Do you know which cancer is represented by which ribbon? The most well-known malignancies, the colors associated with them, and some information about their awareness campaigns are included below:
There is “Game Pink,” a program to raise money and awareness through playing video games, in addition to the marathons and walks that are most commonly connected with breast cancer fundraising.
Over $1 billion has been raised by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society since 1949 to support the quest for treatments for leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease, and myeloma. September is designated as awareness month for the larger umbrella of blood cancer, which also employs a red ribbon.
Since 1996, Major League Baseball and the Prostate Cancer Foundation have sponsored the Home Run Challenge, which collects donations for each home run hit during MLB games from June 1 through Father’s Day. Over $1.4 million was raised throughout the challenge in 2019.
The No. 1 cancer killer of American women, lung cancer, is the focus of the American Lung Association’s “Lung Force,” which calls on women to unite in the fight. They accomplish this by holding activities like bike competitions, stair climbing competitions, expos, and clinics.
Every year, the National Kidney Foundation organizes walks to raise money. A group called KidneyCAN also organizes golf outings and concerts across the nation to raise money for kidney cancer research.
The Seattle Brain Cancer Walk, a 1-mile walk and festival, has been held in the city of Seattle every May since 2008. Supporters of brain cancer awareness and research are urged to don gray all month long.
World Pancreatic Cancer Day is observed annually on November 19 by the Hirshberg Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research. In order to spread awareness, supporters are urged to wear purple and post pictures on social media.
The Colorectal Cancer Alliance encourages individuals to wear blue throughout March to raise awareness of the condition. The alliance holds its “Walk to End Colorectal Cancer” at various sites across America throughout the year.
What does the leukemia ribbon mean?
According to the International Myeloma Foundation, multiple myeloma is the second most prevalent kind of blood cancer. Each year, 30,280 new cases are reported. Many individuals are unaware of it because it is uncommon than some other types of cancer. March is recognized as Myeloma Awareness Month as a result. The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, the International Myeloma Foundation, and Myeloma Crowd all support and fundraise for this illness.
The most prevalent cancers are represented by the following colors:
- White Lung Cancer
- gray brain tumor
- Pink breast cancer
- Emerald-green liver cancer
- Lime green: lymphoma
- Light blue: prostate cancer
- Periwinkle blue: stomach cancer
- Yellow: bone cancer
- Dark blue: colon cancer
However, there are still more on the list, and some tumors even have a common color. The color orange stands for leukemia and kidney cancer. Green denotes cancers of the liver, lymphoma, and gallbladder. Purple hues stand for esophageal, stomach, testicular, leiomyosarcoma, pancreatic, and Hodgkin lymphoma cancers.
Some advocates believe that this tsunami of wristbands, keychains, and coffee cups that resembles tie-dye may further muddle the focus on certain illnesses.
Think about prostate and colorectal cancer. Before switching to dark blue ribbons, supporters of colorectal cancer wore brown ribbons. While doing so, those promoting awareness of prostate cancer employ light blue The Prostate Cancer Foundation publishes the precise mathematical formula for a shade that is so accurate.
Thomas N. Kirk, president and CEO of Us TOO, which offers educational materials, services, and 300 volunteer-led support groups for persons with prostate cancer, said throughout the years that marketing experts have told him that the blue is confusing to people because they don’t know what it represents.
According to Kirk, the light blue hue associated with prostate cancer and the teal color of ovarian cancer are quite similar. Prostate cancer and ovarian cancer share the same (awareness) month when buildings are lit up in September. Many times, when individuals notice a blue color, they assume it is either prostate cancer or ovarian cancer.
Green, purple, or red?
There are also certain types of blood malignancies. According to a group called the Lymphoma Club, lime green was adopted as the official color to support all lymphoma causes in 1999, and in 2001, Hodgkin lymphoma patient Matt Terry chose violet to symbolize his particular disease. In order to recognize all types of lymphoma, survivors of those illnesses combined the two hues in a heart-shaped awareness ribbon in 2007. However, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society started using red to symbolize all blood malignancies in 2009.
According to Andrea Greif, senior director of communications for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, there has never really been unanimity about which hue should symbolize which disease across the board and across many organizations.
… You’ll likely discover that several organizations use different colors to represent the same diseases; some could use green for lymphoma and gold for leukemia. In an email, Greif added. We decided to stick with red for all types of blood cancer.
Gold, too? According to the American Childhood Cancer Organization, gold is a priceless medal and is thus the ideal hue to depict the most precious thing in our livesour children. It has also been used as a symbol for all childhood malignancies since 1997.
According to a USPTO representative, cancer advocacy organizations are not required to register their colors with the agency.
Some of these additional hues came from where and how? The techniques range from the warmth of a dining room to the formality of a boardroom.
Color theory
The Kidney Cancer Association changed from Kelly green, which at the time signified illnesses of the internal organs, as a result of color theory study done in 2005. According to the data, orange was a superior hue, and consumer testing confirmed this, according to Bill Bro, the association’s CEO and a cancer survivor. It aids in setting us apart from other, smaller charities that also have a similar purpose. They frequently stick to the color green.
What shade represents lymphoma and leukemia?
A type of blood cancer called leukemia typically develops in the bone marrow. The 5-year survival rate for leukemia has more than doubled since 1960, according to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. The more people who are aware of the condition and the advancements in medicine may be to blame for the better prognosis.
Leukemia Awareness Month is in September. The orange ribbon is also worn by kidney cancer and leukemia.
What does May Awareness Month entail?
May is a month to help eliminate the stigma that so many people with mental or behavioral health difficulties face and to increase awareness of those who live with such issues.
The provision of behavioral health treatment and assisting patients in locating resources in their local community are key roles played by hospitals and health systems. To address behavioral health concerns in unconventional ways, hospitals form special partnerships. Through the merging of physical and behavioral health services, modifications to their emergency departments, inpatient and outpatient settings, and community partnerships, many of our members are at the forefront of advancements in the identification and treatment of behavioral health issues. By enhancing patient outcomes, quality of care, and overall costs, these techniques raise the overall value of healthcare.
The AHA has a long history of supporting these initiatives and speaking out on behavioral health-related issues. In order to provide access to a comprehensive continuum of behavioral health treatment, AHA fosters the convergence of behavioral and physical health and assists hospitals in forging important relationships.
Red light occurs when?
Wear red to show support for World Lymphoma Awareness Day and Blood Cancer Awareness Month, stop by one of our many Lighting Partners during September, and post pictures on social media with the hashtag #LightItRed!
Don’t forget to look at the merchandise available for purchase in the LRF Swag shop to help LRF and spread awareness in September!
A GREY ribbon, what does that mean?
In addition to being utilized as a substitute for yellow to raise awareness for POW/MIA, black ribbons are also used as general symbols of sadness.
In addition to representing melanoma awareness, sleep disorders, and gang prevention, this color is used as a sign of grief. The following list of neutral hues is provided:
- Black: Students for Gun Control, Melanoma, Primary Biliary Cirrhosis, Amish Support, Gang Prevention, Accidents, Gun Control, Anti-Terrorism, Narcolepsy, Mourning, POW/MIA, Sleep Apnea, Sleep Disorders
- Colorectal cancer, familial polyposis, colon cancer, anti-tobacco, and tobacco awareness
- Herpes Simplex Virus: Copper
- Cream: Spinal muscular atrophy, degenerative disc disease (DDD), paralysis, and spinal disorders
- Gold: Childhood cancer, osteosarcoma, alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, COPD, embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma, and neuroblastoma
- Grey: Aphasia, Brain Tumors, Allergies, Brain Cancer, Asthma, Diabetes, and Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency (Borderline Personality Disorder)
- Pearl: Multiple sclerosis, Waldenstrom’s macroglobulinemia, emphysema, mesothelioma, and lung disease
- Parkinson’s disease, encephalitis, schizophrenia, dyslexia, elder abuse, Campaign for the Brain, disabled children, brain disabilities, Young Onset Parkinsons Association, Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT), Sciatic Pain, and VACTERL (YOPA)
- White: Adoption, Congenital Cataracts, Adoptee, Bone Cancer, Anti-Child Porn, Blindness, Bone Disease, Child Exploitation, Anti-Child Porn, Child Sexual Abuse/Assault, Anti-War, Teen Pregnancy Prevention, Community Support, Hernia, Hope and Support, Innocence, Online Sexual Predator Awareness and Internet Safety, Multiple Hereditary Exostoses, Elderly Affairs, Salvation Army