October is a month filled with pink-wearing survivors and supporters. Students and teachers across the school district unite to bring breast cancer awareness to the public.

Health Science teacher Nancy Stewart has been breast cancer free for five years and participates in awareness runs every year. She believes that there could never be over awareness for breast cancer or any other cancers. However, she said that the amount of funding for any organization is what leads to a higher awareness to some cancers and and a lower awareness to others.

“A gimmick like the ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) Ice Bucket Challenge gets the word out,” Stewart said. “I can just imagine how much money [ALS raised].”

Breast cancer organizations sell products that give proceeds to cancer research and host runs that bring funds and popularity to breast cancer awareness. For instance, the Susan G. Komen foundation hosts the Race for The Cure organization, which generates millions of dollars for breast cancer nationwide.

“It’s all about the money,” Stewart said. “I just don’t think other organizations have pushed as hard as [breast cancer organizations] have [to get funding].”

However, Stewart said that cancer is cancer and all types deserve focus. She said the amount of focus is what will bring the funding organizations need to become well known.

“More focus on these other cancers might just make that money happen which in turn would lead to awareness to other cancers,” Stewart said.

According to breastcancer.org, breast cancer is common among one in eight women in the U.S. and death rates have been decreasing since 1989 due to women participating in annual mammograms. According to Stewart, breast cancer organizations have used creative measures to raise money and other organizations have followed the same path.

“[Doctors] have been able to find [tumors] earlier,” Stewart said. “There is so much they can do for [treatment] once [tumors] are found early.”

People may know about breast cancer more than other types of cancers according to Stewart. However, there could never be an over awareness to any cancer because people die from these diseases.

“There are so many cancers now, that any awareness is good,” Stewart says. “It all goes down to funding. That’s all there is to it.”