Every 14 seconds, somewhere in the world, a women is diagnosed with breast cancer. Now the most common cancer globally, breast cancer diagnoses have been on a steady incline since the mid-2000s. This makes campaigns like National Breast Cancer Awareness Month all the more important. The international campaign to raise funds for breast cancer research, first begun in 1985, is responsible for raising awareness, increasing early detection and promoting regular breast screenings. While many brands have donned pink for breast cancer awareness in the past, few have done it as many times as Estée Lauder.
Estée Lauder has been showing up annually for more than 30 years to provide critical support for life-saving research through their charitable foundation and The Estée Lauder Companies’ Breast Cancer Campaign. Having raised more than $118 million globally for research, education and medical services, the campaign is as much a brand-wide commitment as it is a battle to bring the public’s attention to the issue.
Breast Cancer Awareness in 2023
Kicking off this year’s campaign with a candid discussion on the state of breast cancer in America, global ambassador for Estée Lauder Companies’ Breast Cancer Campaign, Elizabeth Hurley explains that while early detection means a high chance of survival, the work is far from over. “Remember that if breast cancer is found early and it’s localized, there is more than a 90% chance of survival,” Hurley says. “So, things still need a huge amount of work and a huge amount of research. There have been improvements and there will continue to be improvements.”
And the only way we’ll continue to move the needle in breast cancer deaths is through research.
“We always know that the difference between today, when women still die of breast cancer, and the future, when they won’t die, is research,” Hurley explains. “And for research we need funding. So, that’s why there’s still such a drive to raise money for research as well as money for educational services, medical services. All those studies are so incredibly important but we still need to raise the money.”
Additionally, making an impact in breast cancer death rates can only be achieved if all factors are considered, including income, race and background. Senior vice president of equity and engagement at The Estée Lauder Companies Nicole Monson explains that black women have particularly poor outcomes when it comes to breast cancer. “Black women are more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer at younger ages, and these diagnoses come at later stages of the disease,” Monson says. “Black breast cancer patients have fewer opportunities to participate in clinical trials and often face more limited access to quality healthcare and early screening.”
Several of the Estée Lauder Brands are participating in this year’s campaign by donating, while others are donating a portion or the entirety of the profits of certain products.
