Pink October in Costa Rica: breast cancer history and figures

Every October, in Costa Rica and many other countries, the month is devoted to the fight against breast cancer. Here is where the campaign and the pink ribbon come from, and what the country's official figures say about cases, ages, provinces and deaths.

Where Pink October comes from

The month devoted to breast cancer has two parts: a screening campaign born in the United States and a symbol, the pink ribbon, that made it recognisable worldwide.

1. 1
   1985, one week. The American Cancer Society co-creates the campaign as a week to educate women about screening and routine mammograms.
2. 2
   1992, the pink ribbon. Evelyn H. Lauder and Alexandra Penney, then editor of SELF magazine, create the pink ribbon.
3. 3
   1993, research. Evelyn Lauder founds the Breast Cancer Research Foundation to fund scientific studies.
4. 4
   2017 to 2022, the record in Costa Rica. The Ministry of Health's National Tumour Registry counts between 1,226 and 1,571 new breast cancer cases a year.
5. 5
   2023, first place. Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death among the country's women, with 426 deaths.
6. 6
   2024, the call. On 19 October, the Ministry of Health notes that about three women a day are diagnosed in the country and urges a monthly self-exam.

Timeline

Breast cancer in Costa Rica, in figures

The 2020, 2021 and 2022 figures are preliminary, according to the National Tumour Registry itself. A Ministry of Health press release in October 2024 spoke of 1,126 diagnoses in 2022; the Registry's table, used here, records 1,226. Either way, that is about three women diagnosed a day.

In 2022, 72 % of cases (887 of 1,226) were in women aged 50 or over, and 86 in women under 40. By province, Heredia had the highest rate, 70.7 cases per 100,000 women, followed by San José (57.1) and Guanacaste (51.2); the lowest was Puntarenas (31.9). Deaths rose from 398 in 2022 to 426 in 2023, 7 % more, according to the Ministry of Health with INEC data.

Curious facts

• Before it was a month, it was a week: that is how the campaign began in 1985.
• One in four cancers diagnosed in women in 2022 was breast cancer: 1,226 of 5,129, or 23.9 %.
• The central canton of Heredia had a rate of 86.4 cases per 100,000 women in 2022, almost double the national rate (47.4).
• In 2023, 5,829 people in Costa Rica died of cancer; 426 of them of breast cancer.
• The pink ribbon was not born in a hospital: it was created by Evelyn H. Lauder, of the Estée Lauder cosmetics company, and Alexandra Penney, editor of SELF magazine.

Frequently asked questions

Is Pink October a public holiday in Costa Rica?

No. It is not among the public holidays of article 148 of the Labour Code, according to the Ministry of Labour's official 2026 calendar. It is a health campaign.

What does the Ministry of Health recommend?

In its October 2024 press release, the Ministry of Health recommended a monthly breast self-exam, regular medical check-ups including a mammogram every two years for women over 40, telling the doctor about any family history and a healthy lifestyle. For any question about your own case, see a doctor.

Why pink?

Because of the pink ribbon created in 1992 by Evelyn H. Lauder and Alexandra Penney, which became the symbol of the fight against breast cancer.

Sources

• American Cancer Society: “Turning Awareness Into Action: 40 Years of Breast Cancer Awareness Month” (17 October 2025).
• Breast Cancer Research Foundation: “12 Facts About Our Founder, Evelyn H. Lauder”.
• Ministry of Health: National Tumour Registry, malignant tumour incidence 2017 to 2022 (2020-2022 preliminary).
• Ministry of Health: press releases of 19 October 2024 (breast cancer) and 4 February 2025 (cancer in the country), with INEC data.
• Ministry of Labour and Social Security: 2026 holiday calendar (4 December 2025).