October is traditionally Breast Cancer Awareness Month, when the major charities organize fundraisers and awareness-spreading campaigns. Those diagnosed with breast cancer, an ailment which affects one in eight women, benefit from support from the campaign. Making more and more women aware of the danger of breast cancer means making more women have mammograms and detect the cancer in its earliest stages.

The National Breast Cancer Awareness Month was founded in 1985, by breast cancer drug manufacturer AstraZeneca, provider of Arimidex and Tamoxifen. The famous Pink Ribbon was established as the symbol of fighting against breast cancer by Evelyn Lauder, Senior Corporate Vice President of Estée Lauder Companies. The cosmetics company also founded the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.

However, the month of October is also shared by the Advocates to End Domestic Violence, with official color – purple, thus also making October Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Interesting fact: while breast cancer affects one in eight women, as previously mentioned, domestic violence affects one in three. In the whole of the U.S., the state of Nevada has the highest number of women killed by men. Thus, Carson Street will be adorned with purple decorations as well as pink. Advocates to End Domestic Violence offer, among other services, a 24-hour crisis hotline. According to their official website, www.aedv.org, Advocates to End Domestic Violence was founded in 1979 by two battered women as they saw that a need for such an organization was desperate in Carson City.

The campaigns will include the traditional pink and purple ribbons, teddy bears and other promotional materials, but also the fundraising walks which usually are 39 miles long. AEDV also features a “Paper the Town” campaign, where people can help adorn the town with informational materials and a local fundraising campaign, “Fill a Can, Feed a Family.”