The White House turned pink to honor the start of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, with First Lady Melania Trump tweeting a picture of the event from inside the White House.
Trump also released a statement in support of the movement, as the rest of the world also did their part in ushering in Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
White House Honors Breast Cancer Awareness Month
The White House was lit up in pink on the evening of Oct. 1 to signal the start of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. First Lady Melania Trump tweeted a photo from inside the "pink White House."
In honor of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month we lit the @WhiteHouse pink! pic.twitter.com/w3M3XlpXos
— Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) Oct. 1, 2017
In a statement, Trump urged women to consult with their doctors and other healthcare providers about undergoing mammograms and other methods for the early detection of breast cancer. Women should also be aware of possible methods to decrease the risk of getting breast cancer, Trump said.
The White House said in a statement that improved options for early detection and treatment have significant reduced the number of deaths caused by breast cancer, but "there is still work to be done."
Other countries joined in honoring Breast Cancer Awareness Month by illuminating various landmarks in pink, with some examples being the Eiffel Tower in Paris for France and the Senatorial Palace in Rome for Italy. The Milan Cathedral, also in Italy, was likewise lit up in pink, as breast cancer survivors released pink balloons.
Breast Cancer News
In recent developments regarding breast cancer, a long-term study found that exposure to artificial lighting during night time increases the risk for breast cancer by 14 percent. This follows previous studies on the relationship between breast cancer and light exposure, with hormone disruption due to exposure to light during the evening tagged as the cause for the higher breast cancer risk.
Earlier in the year, there was a report on the increasing rate of double mastectomy among women who were diagnosed with early stage cancer in one of their breasts. Two of the factors contributing to the trend are the desire of women for symmetry and the Angelina Jolie effect, as the celebrity opted for double mastectomy after being diagnosed to have a gene that causes breast cancer.
Doctors, however, have recommended against double mastectomy, except for women who have an unusually high chance of developing breast cancer due to genetic factors. According to a study, women who choose to have double mastectomy do so not because of medical necessity, but rather out of anxiety.
