Updates follow the initial story

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Shoppers are being encouraged to buy-pink! Pink is its official color. Think PINK in October by making a donation, buying products from companies who give part or all of the sale items as donations to continue the fight, or becoming a sponsor of or participant in one of many events to occur this year.

As, example, the Campbell Soup Company has for many past years (and continuing) sold cans of soup printed with pink-labels to raise money for this cause, and by printing-in-pink brings the awareness into public view.

Multitudes of other companies use the color pink on products and services to let the public know of the fund raising efforts underway.

If you are an Ebay seller you can designate a percentage of the sale of any item through the Mission Fish organization. It's very simple on Ebay. You select the percentage you wish to donate from an item's captured-price-at-auction, or from the purchase of a product and Mission Fish does the collection of funds for Ebay.

Susan G. Komen was just 33 years old when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1977. Her sister, Nancy Brinker, promised her sister before she died to fight for a cure to end this terrible disease. She established the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

Since its beginning the foundation has raised $1.2 billion to find the cure. After twenty-five years Ms. Brinker has said that monies in the form of grants given by the foundation, in the early days, are beginning to bear fruit in the area of treatments, medicines, and continued research.

The foundation sponsors the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure® runs and walks nationwide to gather funds to continue research and develope treatments to aid a patient's fight, as, well, as find-the-cure. Other sponsored activities can be found at the website of:

"Pink For The Cure," http://www.info-komen.org/

UPDATE: 10/4/2009

Pink October activities begin

"The 12th annual Race for Awareness and the sixth annual Harley Ride are the official start for the local celebration of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Satuday's kick-off raised $20,000." The money stays locally and, so, far, has helped 173 women.

http://www.appeal-democrat.com/news/breast-87278-cancer-pink.html

Warning: Think before you pink!

"As tens of thousands of marchers take to Hub streets today to raise money for breast cancer research, advocates are warning big-hearted consumers that popular pink-ribbon purchases may contribute more to corporate marketing than to the fight against the disease...:" http://news.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view/20091004warning_think_before_you_pink/srvc=home&position=also

Products, such as women and family apparel, New Balance, accessories - water bottles, race day novelties, jewelry, headware, socks, etc., - things for your office and home, and much more is available through the Shop Komen website.

This is also the website for obtaining educational materials.

Nancy Brinker was just awarded the Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama for her relentless work on behalf of her sister.  The Medal of Freedom is our nation's highest honor to be given to a civilian.

This three-minute video by Nancy Brinker explains what the Susan G. Komen Foundation has accomplished in 25 years:

Just a few of the major organizations that will benefit from breast cancer awareness products this month:

BCRF

The Breast Cancer Research Foundation provides funding for innovative research at leading medical centers around the world aimed at preventing and curing the disease;

bcrfcure.org.

CANCER AND CAREERS

Cosmetic Executive Women Inc. runs this program through its foundation to provide information and support for working women living with cancer; cancerandcareers.org.

SUSAN KOMEN

Founded by Nancy G. Brinker after breast cancer claimed her sister, Susan G. Komen, this huge grassroots organization works to fund research and provide quality care; komen.org.

WAR

Women at Risk is a program run by New York Presbyterian Hospital/

Columbia University Medical Center that tries to enhance the lives of women living with and at high risk for developing breast cancer;

womenatrisknyc.org.

YSC

Young Survival Coalition works to improve the quality of life for women 40 and younger who are diagnosed with breast cancer; youngsurvival.org.

Information on charities provided by: Newsday.com

http://www.newsday.com/lifestyle/fashion-and-shopping/pink-products-to-2009-campaign-to-combat-breast-cancer-1.1501760