Women's understanding of breast cancer and responses to breast cancer awareness campaigns

The origin of this research project dates back nearly a decade and begins with a single water bottle. My father, a metropolitan firefighter, who often received free bottled water whilst on duty, brought home one of these bottles after a long shift. I still remember his words, "I thought you would like this bottle because it is pink." He was right. As he handed me a Mount Franklin water bottle with a blue and pink label along with a pink lid, I paid no attention to the label that identified the partnership between Mount Franklin and a breast cancer awareness campaign. I was merely focused on the fact that ordinary supermarket water bottles were now sold in one of my favourite colours. Over time, I purchased 'pink' products (products associated with breast cancer awareness campaigns) on the odd occasion, such as TimTams (biscuits), chocolate, and Avon beauty products; all essential items when you are a young teenage girl. I developed a superficial understanding of the connection between pink products and breast cancer awareness campaigns. I knew that by purchasing these products I was somehow contributing to a worthy cause and was doing my part to be supportive of a disease that I knew very little about.