You see them on lapels and printed on T-shirts and stickers. Wearing a ribbon is a simple way of showing your support for people who have cancer. It’s a way to spread awareness and send a message of solidarity without having to say a word.
Different ribbons represent every form of cancer. We’ve compiled a list of the 28 most common ribbons. Read on to learn what type of cancer they represent and what else you can do to spread awareness.
Color: Amber
Appendix cancer is considered extremely rare, with one diagnosis per
Colors: Blue, marigold, and purple
Awareness month: May
Bladder cancer is the fourth most common cancer in men. It accounts for about
Color: Grey
Awareness month: May
May is Brain Tumor Awareness month, and you’ll find walks and fundraisers across the country. According to the National Brain Tumor Society, more than 688,000 people in the United States have a brain tumor. Some tumors are cancerous and some are not, but all can negatively impact the lives of the people who have them. You can learn more through the American Brain Tumor Association.
Color: Pink
Awareness month: October
Pink ribbons are synonymous with breast cancer awareness, particularly in October. The National Breast Cancer Society, Susan G. Komen, National Breast Cancer Foundation, and other advocacy organizations hold walks, fundraisers, and events in October and throughout the year.
About 12 percent of women in the United States will develop breast cancer in their lifetime. The rate of breast cancer has been declining, and survival rates continue to improve. Still, the disease remains the deadliest and most-diagnosed form of cancer among women.
Color: Zebra print
Awareness month: November
Carcinoid cancer is one of the lesser-known cancer types. It affects more than 12,000 people each year in the United States, according to the American Association for Cancer Research. Carcinoid tumors are slow-growing. They generally start in the endocrine system, but they can appear throughout the body. These tumors can ultimately be fatal, but their slow-growing nature means people typically live for many years.
Colors: Teal and white
Awareness month: January
Nearly 13,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year, according to the National Cervical Cancer Coalition (NCCC). Most women are regularly screened for this disease at their check-ups. Women are at risk due to the sexually transmitted virus called human papillomavirus (HPV).
Each year in January, the NCCC, Foundation for Women’s Cancer, Cervical Cancer Action, and other organizations push to raise awareness about cervical cancer, early detection, and HPV prevention.
Color: Gold
Awareness month: September
According to the American Childhood Cancer Organization, nearly 16,000 people younger than 21 years are diagnosed with cancer every year in the United States. About one in four of them will not survive. According to the
Color: Blue
Awareness month: March
According to the Colon Cancer Alliance, the risk of developing colon cancer is one in 20. Doctors screen for this type of cancer by looking for polyps in the colon and rectum. Like most forms of cancer, early detection can make a big difference in survival rates. If identified at the local stage, the five-year survival rate is 90 percent. However, if identified at a later stage when the cancer has spread, the five-year survival rate is 12 percent.
March is Colon Cancer Awareness month. You can show your support by wearing blue on March 3, National Dress in Blue Day.
Color: Peach
Awareness month: September
Endometrial cancer is just one type of cancer that’s marked in the month of September as part of Gynecologic Cancer Awareness Month. This type of cancer is newly diagnosed in about
Organizations such as the Mary Kay Foundation and the Nancy Yeary Women’s Cancer Research Foundation raise money and awareness to fight endometrial cancer. They also help women get the treatment and support they need after a diagnosis.
Color: Periwinkle
Awareness month: April
Esophageal cancer is more common in men than in women, with
Color: Green
Awareness month: February
According to the
Colors: Burgundy and ivory
Awareness week: April 2–9, 2017
The Head and Neck Cancer Alliance hosts a head and neck cancer awareness week each year. It promotes awareness through free screenings and education. Head and neck cancers include cancers that affect the:
- mouth
- throat
- voice box
- sinuses and nose
- salivary glands
They account for approximately
Color: Violet
Awareness month: September
Hodgkin’s lymphoma is a type of cancer that affects the lymphatic system, which is part of your immune system. It is less common than non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, though it affects about
Color: Orange
Awareness month: March
According to the Kidney Cancer Association, about 50,000 people in the United States are diagnosed with kidney cancer each year. At least one genetic disorder, called von Hippel-Lindau disease, is associated with a high risk of kidney cancer. However, most risk factors are similar to other cancer types. These factors include smoking and obesity.
Early detection can improve prognosis. Symptoms of kidney cancer may include blood in the urine, an abdominal mass, and back or flank pain.
Color: Purple
Awareness day: July 15
Leiomyosarcoma is a rare cancer of the soft tissues of smooth muscle cells. This type of cancer is most common in the:
- uterus
- small intestine
- stomach
- abdomen
Treatment for this type of cancer is difficult. The tumors can be aggressive and irregular. Organizations like the Leiomyosarcoma Direct Research Foundation and the National Leiomyosarcoma Foundation raise money and awareness to support a cure for leiomyosarcoma. These efforts include Leiomyosarcoma Awareness Day on July 15.
Color: Orange
Awareness month: September
Leukemia is also represented by the color orange. It accounts for 35 percent of all blood cancer diagnoses in the United States. Leukemia awareness and campaigns are organized by the The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
Color: Emerald
Awareness month: October
Liver cancer is an aggressive form of cancer. According to the American Association for Cancer Research, it affects some 39,000 new people each year in the United States. The five-year survival rate for liver cancer is 17.5 percent, so early detection is important. Organizations such as the American Liver Foundation and Blue Faery: The Adrienne Wilson Liver Cancer Association raise money and awareness to fight liver cancer.
Color: White
Awareness month: November
Though we commonly think of lung cancer as a disease that affects tobacco smokers, it can affect anyone. Lung cancer is the deadliest form of cancer among both men and women. It is responsible for more deaths than breast, colon, and prostate cancers combined, according to the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer. Though smoking is certainly a risk factor, it’s not the only one.
In November and throughout the year, organizations like the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer, the Lungevity Foundation, and the Lung Cancer Alliance support patients, survivors, loved ones, caregivers, and other supporters of a cure for this disease.
Color: Black
Awareness month: May
Skin cancer is the most common cancer type in the United States, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Melanoma is the deadliest form, killing one person in the United States every hour.
May is recognized as Skin Cancer Awareness Month, and the first Monday of that month is reserved for Melanoma Monday. Organizations like American Academy of Dermatology, the Skin Cancer Foundation, and the Melanoma Research Foundation hold fundraisers and offer free screenings. They hope to raise awareness about the signs and symptoms of skin cancer.
Color: Burgundy
Awareness month: March
Multiple myeloma is the second most common type of blood cancer, according to the International Myeloma Foundation. There are
Color: Lime green
Awareness month: September
Someone is diagnosed with blood cancer every 3 minutes in the United States. Leukemia and lymphoma are two different types of blood-related cancer, but you often see them recognized together. The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, for example, is the leading organization for blood cancer research.
Color: Teal
Awareness month: September (and May 8)
September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, but organizations and survivors across the globe also mark May 8th as World Ovarian Cancer Day.
One in 75 women in the United States will develop ovarian cancer in their lifetime, according to the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition. And while the disease has over a 90 percent five-year survival rate with early detection, only 20 percent of cases are caught in the earliest stages. Organizations including the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition and the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund Alliance work to find a cure, improve treatments, and promote earlier detection.
Color: Purple
Awareness month: November
Pancreatic cancer is a particularly deadly form of cancer. It’s the fourth leading cause of cancer death in men and women in the United States. According to the National Pancreatic Cancer Foundation, the disease has a one-year survival rate of 28 percent, and a five-year survival rate of 7 percent. This is partly because it’s rarely detected early.
In November, organizations including the National Pancreatic Cancer Foundation, Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, Lustgarten Foundation, and National Pancreas Foundation rally to raise awareness and money for pancreatic cancer research.
Color: Light blue
Awareness month: September
Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in U.S. men. It affects 3 million men, according to the Prostate Cancer Foundation. When caught early, the disease is completely treatable. Because the risk of prostate cancer increases significantly with age, it’s important that men have regular screenings beginning in middle age.
In September, several organizations raise money and awareness to fight prostate cancer and to encourage men to get regular screenings. These include the Prostate Cancer Foundation, Prostate Cancer Research Institute, and ZERO: The End of Prostate Cancer.
Color: Yellow
Awareness month: July
Sarcoma, more commonly known as bone cancer, can affect far more than just the bones. It can affect any type of connective tissue in the body, including muscles, deep skin tissues, cartilage, and more. An estimated 20 percent of childhood cancers are sarcomas.
Various organizations that support bone cancer research have petitioned the federal government to declare July as Sarcoma Awareness Month. That has not yet happened, but organizations like the Sarcoma Alliance, Beat Sarcoma, and the Sarcoma Foundation of America recognize it regardless.
Color: Periwinkle
Awareness month: November
Stomach cancer, also known as gastric cancer, affects the cells in the lining of the stomach. It’s the fifth most common form of cancer in the world. There are approximately one million new cases diagnosed each year across the globe.
In November, organizations like No Stomach for Cancer, the Gastric Cancer Foundation, and Debbie’s Dream Foundation raise money and awareness for the disease. They host walks, golf tournaments, and fundraisers to support research for a cure.
Color: Orchid
Awareness month: April
Testicular cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among young men ages 15 to 34. According to the Testicular Cancer Foundation, one man is diagnosed every hour in the United States alone. Promoting early detection and self-checks is crucial, especially because younger men are rarely concerned about developing cancer.
Throughout the year, but especially in April during Testicular Cancer Awareness Month, organizations like the Testicular Cancer Awareness Foundation, the Testicular Cancer Foundation, and the Testicular Cancer Society work to raise awareness and decrease stigma associated with testicular cancer and cancer screenings.
Colors: Teal, pink, and blue
Awareness month: September
The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland at the front of the neck. Cancer of the thyroid gland is relatively common, with about