DeKALB –  Every October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month across the nation, but this year it is especially prominent in DeKalb.

According to a news release from the DeKalb Police Department, for the month of October, police officers will be wearing pink t-shirts, pink ribbons or displaying pink squad car decals. This not only involves DeKalb, but has also reached places like Tinley Park, Kendall County and Kane County.

This October campaign is very similar to the “No Shave November” campaign that the DeKalb police force participated in during November 2018, which helped raise money for organizations like Heroes & Helpers or Shop with a Cop. Even though there have been other campaigns, this is the first year that the police department has outwardly supported breast cancer awareness.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month is an important month for many woman in DeKalb because of the 65% breast cancer screening rate, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, more than 10,000 woman in Illinois are diagnosed with breast cancer each year, which is a substantially high number for people who are diagnosed with cancer.

According to the American Cancer Society, so far in 2019 there have been 11,560 new cases of breast cancer, in females, and 1,720 related deaths to breast cancer. Future campaigns like breast cancer awareness month and “No Shave November” are expected with the DeKalb Police Department, according to the news release.