Breast cancer remains the most common cancer among women and the leading cause of cancer death, with one in eight women affected during her lifetime.
As Pink October, the month dedicated to breast cancer awareness, gets underway, Monaco’s landmarks are set to be lit up pink on Saturday, October 3, as Pink Ribbon Monaco marks its 16th annual illumination campaign, held under the Honorary Presidency of Princess Charlène.
Founded in 2011 by Natasha Frost-Savio, Pink Ribbon Monaco became the first association in the region to illuminate the Principality’s landmarks in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and has spent more than fifteen years promoting education around breast and gynaecological cancers, encouraging screening and early detection.
The weekend’s programme begins on Friday, October 2, with a private opening cocktail at the Hôtel Métropole Monte-Carlo, before building to Saturday’s Monaco Invitational at Royal Mougins Golf Club and the Pink Ribbon Monaco Gala, held in the Salle Empire at the Hôtel de Paris.
Alongside the symbolic lighting, Monaco’s Department of Social Affairs and Health is reminding residents of the importance of early screening, which allows for the best possible treatment outcomes.
The Centre Monégasque de Dépistage writes directly to residents and socially insured women in the Principality aged between 45 and 80, inviting them to undergo a mammogram every two years.
Between screenings, any unusual change in the breast should prompt a prompt visit to a treating physician or gynaecologist.
More broadly, an annual gynaecological check-up is recommended, including for women over 60.
Awareness and access to screening for Monaco’s residents and workers remain central to the fight against breast cancer, forming part of the Government’s wider public health strategy, which places prevention at the heart of its approach.