Awareness ribbons are used all around the world as a way for the wearer to make a subtle statement of support for a cause or issue. They were first recognised as a symbol of support in 1917 during a marching song sung by the military in the United States. The song referred to young women who wore yellow ribbons around their neck to illustrate their desire for their husbands and sons to return home from the war.
The meaning behind the awareness ribbon depends on its colour. Many groups have adopted ribbons as symbols of support or awareness, and as a result, many causes often share the same colour. Some causes may also be represented by more than one colour.
During the 1990s, AIDS activists were inspired by the ribbon movement and began making ribbons for people who supported the fight against AIDS. Red was chosen as it was the colour of passion. The New York Times then declared 1992 as “The Year of the Ribbon”.
Perhaps the best known awareness ribbon is the Pink Ribbon, which is synonymous with the National Breast Cancer Foundation, and is the symbol of support for the many women who have been affected by breast cancer globally.
However, there are many other ribbons used by groups and individuals to signify their support for a particular disease or health issue. The following are some examples of ribbons used both globally and within Australia:
Organ Donor Awareness
February
World Cancer Day
February
Leukaemia Awareness
March
Arthritis Awareness
April
Heart Awareness
May
Crohn’s & Colitis Awareness
June
Diabetes Awareness
July
Prostate Cancer Awareness
September
Breast Cancer Awareness
October
Lung Cancer Awareness
November
HIV/AIDS Awareness
December
Carcinoid Cancer Awareness
Cervical Cancer Awareness
Coping With Cancer
Down Syndrome Awareness
Eczema and Psoriasis Awareness
Hearing Disorders and Meniere’s Disease Awareness
Hodgkin’s Disease Awareness
Menkes Disease Awareness
Platelet Donors
Pulminory Fibrosis Awareness
Rheumatoid Arthritis Awareness
Spinal Cord Injuries and Paralysis Awareness
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Awareness
Teen Cancer Awareness