Wear it Pink 2020: How you can change lives by wearing pink this October

On October 23rd, we're wearing pink – here’s everything you need to know about it and how to get involved

Pink Ribbon Day

On October 23rd, we're wearing pink – here’s everything you need to know about it and how to get involved

All of our lives are on hold right now. For those of us lucky enough, this means little more than battling cabin fever and arguing with airlines over cancelled flights. But for the thousands of women and families across the UK effected by breast cancer, the impact is heartbreaking.

New figures from Breast Cancer Now suggest that as many as 9,000 cases of the disease have been missed this year, after screening services were halted over lockdown. The charity also estimates that almost one million women have missed their mammograms since March - with devastating consequences for many.

The aim of suspending routine screening was, of course, a well-intentioned attempt to reduce the spread of Covid-19. But breast cancer hasn’t gone away - and research by Breast Cancer Now has found that women with incurable cancer face having their lives shortened as a result of not being able to undergo treatment in the midst of the pandemic.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, where people all over the world show their support for those impacted by breast cancer. Right now, we don’t know what the next few weeks will look like – what we’ll be able to do or who we’ll be able to see. But we know that breast cancer doesn’t stop for anything.

So join us by showing your support and wearing pink on Friday 23rd October.

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What is Wear it Pink Day?

Breast Cancer Now’s Wear it Pink Day is one of the biggest fundraising events in the UK, where thousands of people don pink within their communities, schools or workplaces to raise awareness of breast cancer.

Since it’s inception in 2002, over £31.5 million has been raised for life-changing research. This research is not only working to discover how to prevent breast cancer, but also how to detect it earlier and how to treat it effectively at every stage to stop the disease from taking lives.

How can I get involved?

Simply register online today, wear something pink on 23rd October and raise money.

If you’re at work, you could get your colleagues involved by wearing pink and join in on the fun by putting together a raffle or a cake sale.

If you’re (more likely) at home, then post a picture of yourself in your pink attire and include a fundraising link to encourage your family and friends to help you raise vital funds for Breast Cancer Now.

Whatever way you choose to wear it pink, please do remember to follow the government guidelines to keep yourself and other safe.

To find out more about Breast CancerNow’s Wear it Pink event and donate, visit www.wearitpink.org

Niamh McCollum

Niamh McCollum is Features Assistant at Marie Claire UK, and specialises in entertainment, female empowerment, mental health, social development and careers. Tackling both news and features, she's covered everything from the rise of feminist audio porn platforms to the latest campaigns protecting human rights.

Niamh has also contributed to our Women Who Win series by interviewing ridiculously inspiring females, including forensic scientist Ruth Morgan, Labour MP Stella Creasy and ITV’s former Home Affairs Editor Jennifer Nadel.

Niamh studied Law in Trinity College Dublin. It was after enrolling in a Law & Literature class on her year abroad in Toronto that her love of writing was reignited. In no particular order, her big likes are Caleb Followill, hoops, red wine, sea swimming, shakshuka and long train journeys.