Lapel Pins Help Raise Awareness of Medical Issues

Lapel pins [http://www.lapelpinscn.com/] are common in today's world, and serve multiple purposes. They can be used to commemorate special achievements in the workplace, or traded by Little League baseball and softball players. Lapel pins promoting patriotism, support for U.S. troops, special achievements in the workplace and many other things. One of the most popular uses is the ribbon lapel pin to denote support for research and awareness of specific medical conditions.

The ribbon lapel pin as awareness symbol began in 1991 with the introduction of the red ribbon to symbolize awareness of and support for people with AIDS. Initially, a simple ribbon of cloth was folded to form the ribbon, and worn by actors at the 1991 Tony Awards. The design proved so popular as a way to show support and call for AIDS research that the ribbon soon was manufactured as a lapel pin in large quantities.

Based on the success of the red ribbon pin, other causes adopted the ribbon shape in other colors specific to their particular medical condition. The pink ribbon became a universal symbol of breast cancer research, as an entire "pink ribbon" marketing campaign arose to raise money for research and increase awareness of the disease.

With a limited color palette available, many ribbon colors came to symbolize multiple disorders or conditions, somewhat diluting the awareness message. Green ribbon lapel pins, for example, may indicate the wearer is trying to raise awareness of, among other things, bipolar disorder, depression, Lyme disease, or Tourette syndrome.

In the wake of the color confusion, some organizations have adopted different shapes. The American Heart Association for example, chose to make a red lapel pin, but in the shape of a woman's dress instead of a ribbon. The red dress pin serves to increase awareness of heart disease, the nation's Number One killer of women.

Ironically, the color confusion can help increase awareness. The only sure way to know what the ribbon lapel pin stands for is to ask the person wearing it. That gives the wearer an opportunity to explain what the pin represents and why the cause is important to him or her.