• Question: What does the ribbon associated with cancer symbolise Thanks love Joanna xxx

    Asked by alicejoanna97 to Gioia, Iain, Jo, Leo, Mariam on 19 Jun 2010 in Categories: .
    • Photo: Iain Moal

      Iain Moal answered on 19 Jun 2010:

      I’m not really sure. The breast-cancer awareness ribbon was created to show support for breast cancer research. It might seem strange now, but there was a time when cancer was seen as a dirty word, somthing to be shunned and shoved under the carpet. I think by bringing awareness to the public, people can become aware of the problem Only then can the problem be accepted and dealt with. You come from a generation which accepts cancer as something that should be dealt with, so I think cancer awareness has been a success.

    • Photo: Mariam Orme

      Mariam Orme answered on 19 Jun 2010:

      Hi Joanna,

      That’s actually something I’ve wondered in the past; I had to look it up to answer your question. The use of the ribbon isn’t just for cancer – many charities and causes use “awareness ribbons”, each using a different colours and patterns to distinguish themselves. Apparently this all started in the 1970s, when a woman in the USA started tying yellow ribbons around trees to raise awareness about her husband being held hostage in Iran. The ribbon thing really took off in the 1990s though, when AIDS charities started using a red ribbon.

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