Think Pink: Breast Cancer Awareness Events in Fairfield County

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and whether you love to shop, attend events, walk or run, there are tons of different ways to support the cause.

On Saturday, Oct. 13, you can receive your annual mammogram right on-site at the Darien YMCA, and then stop inside to learn about cancer prevention with useful tips for eating right, staying fit and managing stress.

On Sunday, Oct. 21, you can join other crusaders against breast cancer in the American Cancer Society's Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk. The event takes place in Sherwood Island State Park in Westport—for more information, click here.

The walk is organized nationwide and so far more than 8 million people have walked for this cause and raised about $460 million.

 In addition to the walk, residents will be participating in events throughout Connecticut that support national organizations that are fighting for a cure.

Research centers like Susan G. Komen for the Cure are selling pink ribbon merchandise and it’s a twofer -- retail therapy and donating to a cause that affects millions.

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See Darien Patch's Breast Cancer Awareness topics page for more articles, events listings, blog posts and announcements on breast cancer topics and events

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You can also support breast cancer research by affixing a special stamp to your mail. The U.S. Postal Service has been selling a stamp commemorating breast cancer awareness for the past 15 years. The agency has raised $75 million so far for research programs at the National Institutes of Health and the Department of Defense.

And you can join people from four continents in a Race for the Cure event organized by Susan G. Komen For The Cure, or an Avon Walk For Breast Cancer event organized by the Avon Foundation for Women.

Or you could attend an inspirational luncheon in Derby, CT to commemorate women who have been working tirelessly to spread breast cancer awareness. Your ticket would help the Griffin Hospital/Valley Breast Care Fund ensure that no one is ever denied a mammogram or diagnostic testing for breast cancer.

There's also the 17th Annual Swim Across the Sound luncheon, hosted by St. Vincent's Medical Center. This year's event takes place on Friday, Oct. 19, at 10 a.m. at the Holiday Inn in Bridgeport. For more information and to buy tickets, visit St. Vincent's website.

If you like to shop, there are several businesses in and around Fairfield hosting charity events or month-long donations from proceeds.

In Fairfield, Chico's will host an event for Making Strides Against Breast Cancer on Oct. 18 from 3 p.m. - 7 p.m. The store will donate 10 percent of the proceeds from the event to Making Strides.

The online boutique Stella & Dot has a Breast Cancer Awareness Boutique consisting of five items -- 100 percent of the net proceeds will be donated to the Noreen Fraser Foundation. Visit www.stelladot.com for more details. The boutiques runs through the month of October.

And in Greenwich, the swimwear shop Letarte will donate 20 percent of every "pink" purchase will go to the Norma F. Pfriem Breast Care Center. See the attached PDF for details.

TELL US: Is there a special event you participate in to support breast cancer research? Share your stories and thoughts with us by adding them to the comments sections of this article. Also, be sure to add photos of you and your friends supporting the cause to the photo gallery above.

Correction: The Darien YMCA event is on Saturday, Oct. 13, not Oct. 21, as originally stated.