European Parliament turns pink to mark start of International Breast Cancer Awareness Month
"October is the most important month of the year for us," said Dr. Jan Lamote, president of Pink Ribbon Belgium. "Breast cancer is still the most common cancer among Belgian women. A healthy lifestyle and early detection remain crucial for preventing the disease and for the course of treatment when affected. This is why we at Pink Ribbon continue to draw as much attention as possible to the risk of breast cancer during International Breast Cancer Awareness Month."
This year, Pink Ribbon Belgium draws particular attention to its recent survey (*) on Belgians' attitudes toward genetic breast cancer testing. A representative survey of 1,000 Belgians, conducted by IVOX, shows that at least eight out of ten are willing to be tested preventively for breast cancer genes. Although such tests exist, they are underused, with the result that one in two hereditary breast cancers is not detected until it is already too late: at the time of diagnosis. Therefore, Pink Ribbon wants to initiate a dialogue on how genetic testing can contribute to breast cancer prevention in Belgium and possibly in Europe.
(*) IVOX survey conducted in July 2025 on behalf of Pink Ribbon Belgium, among 1,000 people who know someone in their immediate circle with breast cancer.
The illumination of Station Europe is part of a global movement where iconic buildings and monuments around the world are turning pink in October to highlight the importance of breast cancer awareness.
Each year several buildings, both in Europe and worldwide, are bathed in a pink glow to mark the start of International Breast Cancer Awareness Month. In Belgium, the city halls and iconic buildings of Brussels, Lier, Bruges, Leuven and Kortrijk, among others, turn pink. Many of these initiatives are possible thanks to the long-standing support of The Estée Lauder Companies, which have been committed to the fight against breast cancer since 1992. That is also the year in which Evelyn Lauder and others created the iconic pink ribbon, which is today the international symbol of breast cancer.
This Pink Illumination took place on Sept. 30 from 8 p.m. (**) in Place du Luxembourg, in front of the Station Europe.
(**) Regarding the lighting itself, Pink Ribbon vzw wants to emphasize that it attaches great importance to sustainable solutions with minimal impact on the environment. Therefore, energy-efficient LED lighting has been chosen and illumination will be limited to the hours between 8 p.m. and midnight. The focus is exclusively on the smaller building of Station Europe.
