If you’ve noticed lots of folks wearing pink ribbons in recent days, that’s because October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

The focus is on promoting awareness of the disease, along with the stories of survivors and those who lost their lives. Numerous breast cancer organizations also hold fundraisers to help generate money for research on treatments to help patients.

According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, 1 in 8 women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. An estimated 43,700 American women will die in 2023 from the disease. When caught early however, the 5-year survival rate is 99%. There are currently 3.8 million breast cancer survivors in the country.

For more information on breast cancer, visit Breast Cancer (illinois.gov)