Firefighters from the Los Angeles Fire Department routinely stand up to fires, but this week they are standing up to breast cancer in a colorful way.
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, firefighters will wear pink LAFD shirts while on duty to raise awareness. The department is also raising money for the cause.
LAFD cites the following breast cancer statistics in L.A. County:
- Breast cancer incidents are three times as numerous as the next leading cancer.
- It's the second leading cause of death among Caucasian, African-American and Asian or Pacific Islander women.
- It's the leading cause of death among Latina/Hispanic women in L.A. County.
- It's the leading cause of death of women between the ages of 21-40 in L.A. County.
- When diagnosed early, the cancer has a survival rate of more than 91 percent. With a late diagnosis, the survival rate is less than seven percent.
LAFD is also selling the shirts for $20 each on this website. Proceeds from the shirt sales will be donated to the American Cancer Society.
