| By now you should be familiar with the yellow | | | | that more than 211,000 women will be diagnosed |
| 'LiveStrong' rubber cancer awareness bracelets. | | | | with breast cancer in America in 2005. Of these |
| They were popularized by seven-time Tour de | | | | 43,300 will die. One woman in eight either has or |
| France cycling champion and cancer survivor | | | | will develop breast cancer in her lifetime. In |
| Lance Armstrong. The money from their | | | | addition, 1,600 men will be diagnosed with breast |
| proceeds goes for cancer research. | | | | cancer and 400 will die this year. |
| If he has planning to pitchfork cancer awareness | | | | However, the breast cancer awareness bracelets |
| into society's consciousness, Lance Armstrong has | | | | can come in all colors, a rainbow of them, |
| done a really good job. His rubber bracelets are | | | | depending on the organization or charity selling |
| ubiquitous today, an ever present awareness tool | | | | them. These bracelets usually have some |
| for cancer, and a fund-raising tool for cancer | | | | message, such as 'Support Breast Cancer |
| research. | | | | Research And Education' stamped on them. |
| Among cancer awareness bracelets, next to | | | | Well, the breast cancer awareness bracelets |
| Armstrong's rubber wristbands come the breast | | | | needn't be made of rubber or silicone either. The |
| cancer awareness bracelets. However, unlike the | | | | bracelets can be made of pearl, or cats eye, or |
| 'LiveStrong' rubber band bracelets, these breast | | | | metal, or any other suitable material. There are |
| cancer awareness bracelets come in different | | | | even stainless steel breast cancer awareness |
| colors. The most popular color for breast cancer | | | | bracelets! The difference between them is, of |
| awareness bracelets is pink. | | | | course, the price. The rubber ones would sell for |
| But why pink? There is a story behind it: Charlotte | | | | around $1 a piece. The metal ones would sell |
| Haley, a 68-year-old woman, began making and | | | | higher. Some pearl breast cancer awareness |
| distributing peach ribbons in the 1990s with cards | | | | bracelets sell for around $30 a piece. Such |
| that read: "The National Cancer Institute annual | | | | bracelets serve two purposes -- they are jewelry |
| budget is $1.8 billion, only 5 percent goes for | | | | and also spread the message of charity and |
| cancer prevention. Help us wake up our legislators | | | | breast cancer research. |
| and America by wearing this ribbon." Haley's | | | | The advantage with rubber breast cancer |
| daughter, sister and grandmother had breast | | | | awareness bracelets, apart from the price, is that |
| cancer. Self magazine wanted to use Haley's | | | | they are infinitely customizable. Yes, you can |
| ribbon but she refused saying they were too | | | | order them in any color and with any message |
| commercial. The magazine came up with another | | | | stamped on them. You needn't take them off |
| color then -- pink. Focus groups say pink is | | | | while washing or playing -- they are all-weather |
| 'soothing, comforting and healing.' Soon the pink | | | | bracelets. And you don't have to worry about |
| ribbon became the worldwide symbol for breast | | | | losing them, unlike the pearl or cats eye ones. |
| cancer, and Charlotte Haley's peach ribbon was | | | | The rubber breast cancer awareness bracelets |
| history. | | | | can be ordered in bulk or bought in packets of a |
| The National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc. says | | | | dozen or so from many Web sites. |