A recent survey of more than three decades of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month events has found that these events were highly effective in increasing the diagnosis rates of the disease.

Breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women, with more than 200,000 women diagnosed each year. These awareness events have helped in making the problem a social issue.

Experts say that breast cancer awareness was not a popular topic as it is today. During the early 1980s, breast cancer was hardly discussed in public. Few women who disclosed their illness in public includes; President Ford's wife in 1974 and President Reagan's wife. After their stories were in media, the diagnose rate across the U. S. significantly increased.

Grant Jacobsen, University Planning, Public Policy and Management Professor, who conducted this study, say that the entire credit of increased diagnosis rates goes to the successful campaigns of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

The campaign aims at raising awareness about the prevention methods and getting more women screened for the disease. These campaigns also raise huge amount of funds for the treatment and support of cancer patients.