The first organized effort to bring widespread awareness to breast cancer occurred as a weeklong event in the U.S. in October 1985 through a partnership between the American Cancer Society and the pharmaceutical division of Imperial Chemical Industries (now part of Astra-Zeneca). The mission was to educate and empower women to take charge of their breast health. In the fall of 1991, the Susan G. Komen Foundation first handed out pink ribbons to participants in its NYC race for breast cancer survivors. Two years later, Evelyn Lauder, SVP of the Estee Lauder Companies, founded the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) and established the pink ribbon as its symbol.