New York, New York - Breast Cancer Awareness Month is an international health campaign to increase awareness of the disease, as well as raise funds for research on causes, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer diagnosed among women in the US and across the world, according to the American Cancer Society.

It's also the number one cause of death among Black and Latino women.

October has been National Breast Cancer Awareness Month since the first event organized by the American Cancer Society and Imperial Chemical Industries Pharmaceuticals in 1985.

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The month started off as a week event to raise awareness, and it's come a long way over the past 37 years.

These days there are multiple events, campaigns, and fundraisers both in person and viral meant to increase awareness and raise fund for research.

The color pink is synonymous with Breast Cancer and Breast Cancer Awareness Month, as is the pink ribbon.

The story behind these symbols is still debated, though.

Ribbons for causes were everywhere in the early 90s. There was the red looped ribbon for AIDS and yellow for remembering hostages.

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Charlotte Haley, whose sister, daughter, and granddaughter had had breast cancer, made her own peach-colored ribbon to draw attention to what she considered the lack of funding for cancer research, per the The New York Times.

Soon after, companies like Estée Lauder and Avon and organizations like the Susan G. Komen Foundation realized how powerful ribbons could be. They adopted the symbol and changed the color from peach to pink.

These days, pink is everywhere in October and companies produce specialized products, with proceeds going towards breast cancer research.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month is about educating people about the disease and the importance of early detection.

According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, "1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. There is currently no known cure for breast cancer, and its early diagnosis is critical to survival."

A big part of early diagnosis is getting a mammogram, which is why this year saw the 16th celebration of National Mammography Day, held every year on the third Friday of October.

Besides actually getting a mammogram – which you definitely should – you can pledge to get one on the National Breast Cancer Foundation's website and check out their whole calendar of events and suggestions.

Or you can participate in a run, which have been associated with raising awareness about breast cancer since before the month itself was created.

The first Race for the Cure was held in 1983 in Dallas, Texas, and was organized by the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. By 1995 Race for the Cure events were held in 57 cities around the US, the organization's website.

But breast cancer isn't just an issue in October – it's an issue for people everywhere every day. By keeping awareness high, we can all do our part to fight it.