It’s October! The tenth month of the year not only brings with it colder weather, darker evenings, Halloween parties and the start of firework season, these days October means a focus on health and wellbeing across the nation.
October is now firmly established as breast cancer awareness month, with 23rd October now known as ‘Wear It Pink’ day when people across the country unite together at school, work and home by wearing pink to stand together against breast cancer. Each person donates some money for the privilege and together, by contributing to cutting-edge research funding, the aim is to make sure no one dies from breast cancer by 2050. A pretty good excuse to wear pink whilst raising money for a fantastic cause.
As the nights draw in, October used to signify a time of excess for many. These days, it’s the month when people who are looking to stop smoking join together to support each other in Stoptober. With the likes of Facebook and Twitter, it’s no longer necessary to worry about conjuring up enough support to get you through – there’s a whole community out there going through the same thing. By following #Stoptober on Twitter, you can join over 25,000 people in their quest for a healthier lifestyle.
Similarly, for those who wish to cut down on their alcohol consumption, there’s Go Sober for October which is also a Macmillan Cancer Support initiative. According to the website, over 57,000 people are staying sober for October, and their donations have so far raised over £1.1 million. So, why not put that money you could be spending on a bottle of wine, into a charity pot instead? Not only will you feel better the next morning, you’ll also be significantly contributing to the battle against cancer.
Cancer Research held their first ever women’s only marathon on 4th October in order to raise awareness, and money, for breast cancer. There was a ‘stand up to cancer’ evening on Channel 4 on 9th October, and the 16th October is The Big Pink Day for Breast Cancer Care in support of people suffering with the disease. With all these campaigns taking place across the UK, there’s plenty of opportunity for us all do our bit in support of cancer research and awareness this month.