Triple Ribbon Month is designed to bring a renewed focus to three important issues in our community: Breast Cancer, domestic violence and Red Ribbon Week.

Traditionally, all three of these causes held separate events throughout the community, often competing with each other. Robins Air Force Base helping agencies came together to combine efforts for all three issues throughout the month to enhance the ability of the helping agencies to ensure that prevention messages reach more people.

Each year, breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women with an estimated 231,840 women diagnosed with breast cancer. Also, each year, while less prevalent among men than women, just under 3,000 men will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer with about 500 deaths occurring annually.

These numbers have fallen, year after year, as more men and women are educated both about the importance of self-checks, early screening and other tips for prevention. 

Red Ribbon Week is held Oct. 23-31 with this year’s theme, “Send a Message: Stay Drug Free.”  The theme is a call to action to actively speak out in support of healthy choices and is also a reminder that by staying drug free, you are sending a message, not only to yourself, but to those around you about how much you value yourself, your overall health, your community and your future.

The Georgia Commission on Family Violence shows that from 2009 through 2018 over 1,300 Georgia citizens lost their lives due to domestic violence, often with a child witnessing the domestic violence homicide, and Georgia was recently ranked 25^th in the nation for its rate of men killing women. Again, while there are higher numbers of domestic violence reported by women, men are also at risk for being victims of domestic violence. 

In 2017, alone, Georgia law enforcement agencies responded to almost 62,000 family violence incidents in Georgia.

If you or someone you know is being abused call the 24-hour Hotline, 1-800-33-HAVEN, for a confidential place to get help and access the community and state resources available. 

To combat these problems, the base will hold various road shows and activities throughout the month of October. 

Oct. 4, there will be a 5K Color Run along with vendor tables from helping agencies standing by with both prevention and awareness resources.

There will also be spirit days held throughout the month, encouraging people to wear different colors on Wednesdays – Oct. 9 will be pink for Breast Cancer Awareness and Prevention, Oct. 16 is purple for Domestic Violence Prevention, and Oct. 23 is red to acknowledge the importance of and support for Red Ribbon Week’s theme of “Send a Message: Stay Drug Free.”  

Come out and show your support by coming to the Robins Base Fitness Center and participating in the Triple Ribbon Color Run/Walk Oct. 4, kicking off at 8 a.m., supporting the causes by wearing their colors on spirit days, and stopping by our displays and tables during our weekly traveling road shows.