August 26, 2019
Chances are, every single one of your employees has been impacted by breast cancer.
According to BreastCancer.org, 1 in 8 U.S. women (about 12%) will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime. So, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who hasn’t been impacted directly by the disease or had a close friend or family member diagnosed.
Given the prevalence of this devastating cancer, it’s important for all types of businesses, government institutions and non-profit organizations to be loud and proud about their support for breast cancer awareness during October and all year round. There are lots of effective ways to do that, but here are a few smart ideas you can implement right away.
One of the most meaningful ways to show your organization’s support for breast cancer awareness is to help educate people on disease and how to detect it:
Round up employees to participate in local charity events like the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. Not only does this help raise much-needed funds for breast cancer research, but rallying around a shared cause can help in your team-building efforts as well. Up the ante and tap into people’s competitive nature by introducing competition between departments. Whoever raises the most funds for the event can win a catered lunch or a half day off.
Even if you’re not able to organize participation in an official charity event, you can encourage your team to donate by having the company match donations that are made at work. It could also be fun to encourage employees to donate their hair to organizations like Pink Hearts Fund or Hair We Share. These groups use donated hair to create free wigs for people who have lost their hair as a result of cancer treatments. This is unique in that it provides a deeply personal way for people to give to those who have been impacted by cancer.
One of the simplest and most effective ways to help your whole team show their support for the cause is to provide custom breast cancer t-shirts and other items they can use and wear. Create a design that incorporates the classic pink ribbon, inspiring messages and your organization’s logo. They can be worn throughout the month of October and to any special events you host or attend around breast cancer awareness to highlight team unity.
Here at Same Day Tees, we can produce custom breast cancer merchandise and shirts for small businesses and organizations that have hundreds or even thousands of employees. You’re free to create your own design from scratch in our online design studio or get in touch if you’d like help from our custom garment experts.
A no-brainer approach to supporting breast cancer awareness is to simply support other businesses who donate to the cause. Catering breakfast for your team? Opt for Pink Ribbon Bagels from Panera. Need new office supplies? Buy from Bic, who is famous for making huge donations to breast cancer research. There are plenty of other companies, large and small, who put their money where their values are. Check out the Susan G. Komen official partners to find more businesses that give back.
Although we pay special attention to breast cancer awareness in October, you can go the extra mile by creating a work environment that encourages healthy behaviors throughout the year. Since obesity is a risk factor for breast cancer, commit to offering healthy food and opportunities for exercise at work. And since breast feeding can decrease a woman’s risk for breast cancer, develop policies and spaces that support breastfeeding mothers who return to work.
This is just the start. There are a great many more ways you can support breast cancer awareness during October, so choose the one or ones that make sense for your organization. When in doubt, start with beautiful pink shirts that demonstrate your company’s values.
