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What Color Ribbons Represent Types of Cancer?

More than a dozen colors of ribbon have been used to represent as many types of cancer. Many colors are symbols for a number of other diseases and causes as well, but a few stand only for types of cancer or are used primarily for this issue.

  1. Pink and Purples

    • The pink ribbon easily is recognized as a symbol for breast-cancer awareness, although it also has represented other things, such as childhood-cancer awareness and birth parents. The large number of causes represented by purple ribbons includes pancreatic cancer, testicular cancer, thyroid cancer and leiomyosarcoma. Although their uses is less prevalent, periwinkle and violet ribbons are used for stomach cancer awareness and Hodgkin's lymphoma, respectively, and not well known for any other causes.

    Blues

    • Like purple ribbons, blue ribbons represent many things, and among these are two types of cancer, colon cancer and colorectal cancer. Blue ribbons are also used, particularly in Canada, as a symbol for another issue that is related to cancer, anti-tobacco and anti-second-hand-smoke awareness. Light blue ribbons represent prostate cancer and, as an alternative to pink, childhood cancer. Gold is yet another alternative color for childhood cancer. A half dozen causes are symbolized by teal ribbons, among them gynecological cancers including uterine cancer, ovarian cancer and cervical cancer. Also, primarily in Asian and Pacific Islander communities, but also occasionally in America, jade ribbons are associated with liver cancer, along with hepatitis B.

    Dark Colors

    • Along with being a sign of mourning, black ribbons are a symbol of melanoma awareness. Grey ribbons can be a sign for brain cancer. The types of cancer and issues represented by blue ribbons can be alternatively be represented by brown ribbons, so they can also be a symbol of colon cancer, colorectal cancer and anti-tobacco awareness.

    Other Colors

    • A number of other colors are used for other types of cancer, although they all also represent other causes. Orange ribbons are used for leukemia and lymphoma awareness along with kidney cancer awareness, while green is also used for kidney cancer. Yellow ribbons are a symbol for bladder cancer, white ribbons are a symbol for bone cancer, and pearl ribbons are a symbol for both lung cancer and mesothelioma.

    Lavender

    • While many other colors stand for particular types of cancer, lavender has been a symbol for general cancer awareness.

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