We are all created different. Different personalities, cultures, beliefs.
Yet, we're united. United in peace, united as people, united in a mission to create better lives for our friends, loved ones, selves.
The Peace Frogs Together For Life t-shirt aims to illustrate that complex idea from the standpoint of the diseases we fight, either in our own bodies or for our loved ones.
Together For Life joins a circle of awareness ribbons together not only to showcase how many difference types of diseases still in need of a cure, but to also highlight that we are fighting them all together. United. Like a circle.
Whether it's cancer, Alzheimer's Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, childhood obesity or brain injuries, we all want to find a cure. We all want to keep our loved ones, and ourselves, from any pain and suffering.
To help bring more awareness to some of the diseases the awareness ribbons represent, we're highlighting them here.
Pink. The pink ribbon is the international symbol for breast cancer awareness. The chance of developing invasive breast cancer is about 1 in 8 according to the American Cancer Society. And yes, men get breast cancer, too. In the U.S., October is dedicated to awareness about breast cancer. The Susan G. Komen Foundation helps lead the fight against breast cancer, raising nearly $2 billion to fulfill the dream of finding a cure.
Pearl. The pearl ribbon stands for lung cancer. What is lung cancer? The uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in the lungs. This year alone, more than 228,000 people were diagnosed with lung cancer, both smokers and non-smokers.
Purple. The purple ribbon symbolizes pancreatic cancer. Even when diagnosed early, this cancer has a poor prognosis. Pancreatic cancer spreads rapidly and can be difficult to detect. This year, some 45,220 new cases of pancreatic cancer have been diagnosed with 38,460 of those resulting in death.
Orange. The orange ribbon is dedicated to Leukemia, a cancer common in both adults and children. In fact, leukemia is the most common cancer in children and teens. In 2013 the National Cancer Institute estimated that there will be 48,610 new cases of leukemia and that an estimated 23,720 people will die of this disease this year. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is the world's largest voluntary health agency dedicated to blood cancer.
Blue. The blue ribbon symbolizes prostate cancer, the most common cancer in men. Typically found in older men, it can often be treated successfully. According to the American Cancer Society, one in six men will get prostate cancer during their lifetime with one in 36 dying of this disease.
Black. The black ribbon stands for melanoma and is the most dangerous form of skin cancer. Melanoma is most often caused by ultraviolet radiation from sunshine or tanning beds.
"If melanoma is recognized and treated early, it is almost always curable, but if it is not, the cancer can advance and spread to other parts of the body, where it becomes hard to treat and can be fatal," according to the Skin Cancer Foundation. More than 3.5 million skin cancers in roughly two million people are diagnosed annually.
Navy Blue. The navy ribbon symbolizes colon and rectal cancers. The National Cancer Institute estimates 102,000 cases this year with nearly half resulting in death. The Colon Cancer Foundation was founded when Susan Cohen was diagnosed with colon cancer at the age of 40. In less than a decade and through generous supporters, it has established itself as the national voice of colon cancer.
There are countless more causes and diseases the colors of the ribbons represent.
We can't list them all here. But we can say we are united in the fight against them all. Celebrate Life. Together.
