A local ambassador for Men Wear Pink is raising awareness and big bucks for American Cancer Society research and support.

“If nothing else, I want others to do the things they need to do to keep them alive,” said Grant Navarre. “I want more people to be aware of the power of prevention. Early detection saves lives. Get that test. You are not invincible.

“Yes, some of those exams can be uncomfortable,” he said. “But five minutes of discomfort is worth adding 50 years to your life.”

The overall declines in breast cancer death rates since 1989 have been attributed to both improvements in treatment and early detection by mammograms. Following American Cancer Society guidelines for breast cancer screening can help women find breast cancer earlier, when treatments are more likely to be effective

Navarre is one of 25  local influencers “leading the style, leading the charge, leading the change” in helping fight cancer. Together they have raised $187,241 of their $250,000 goal.

Navarre is not only the leading ambassador in Southwest Louisiana, he is also number three out of 10 in the nation for his efforts this year, having raised $92,202.

When he began raising money for American Cancer research and living patient support there wasn’t a whole lot of pink in his closet. He’s added more pink each year, purchased pink shirts for his sales staff to help in the charge against breast cancer. He even makes sure to incorporate pink into his Halloween costume.         

“I do it for our sisters, daughters and grandmothers,” Navarre said, “and I do it for my dad. He didn’t die of breast cancer, but he did die of leukemia and this way of getting on board to help the American Cancer Society just sort of checked all the boxes for me.”

Breast cancer awareness month began in 1985. During the time Betty Ford, the wife of the former President Gerald Ford, had a breast removed to treat cancer. Her openness about the experience increased media coverage and public awareness.

Most people know pink is the color associated with breast cancer. The pink breast cancer ribbon got its start in the 1990s when Charlotte Haley, the granddaughter, sister and mother of women who had battled breast cancer, began handing out thousands of ribbons to raise awareness for cancer prevention and hope for a cancer-free future. A women’s magazine did a story about it. A major skincare, makeup and fragrance brand shared the symbol across the nation where it sold cosmetics.

For a long time, women led the charge on fund- and awareness-raising through breast cancer walks and other activities. It is mostly women who get breast cancer, though men do, as well. But breast cancer touches the lives of more than those who survive it or die from it.

To acknowledge that, the NFL started dressing its players, stadiums and sidelines in pink in 2009. Navarre said he remembers seeing the Saints play in pink. That ended about 2017.

One of the earliest Real Men Wear Pink campaigns began in Jackson, Tenn., in 2013 as a way of acknowledging the disease wasn’t limited to women, and to support their wives, daughters and sisters who were lost to, or were fighting, breast cancer. This past year the campaign was shortened to Men Wear Pink to align with the American Cancer Society core values of to be more inclusive.

Men Wear Pink volunteers/ambassadors agree to wear pink throughout October, raise awareness for the cause through their social media networks, and raise a minimum of $2,500 to help the American Cancer Society fight breast cancer.

Other Southwest Louisiana ambassadors/volunteers are Keilynn Fradieu, Andrew “Woody” Bougard, Dan Phelan, Matt Hebert, Milton Guillory, Matias Nauts, George Vanderhey, Lenny Parker, Ed Bonilla, Andrew Jordan, Jarod Abshire, Trey Hays, John Ware, Nicholas Algero, Scotty Schadler, Randy Partin, Chad Galicia, Heth Allen, Garet Berry, Cody Stroud, Logan Williams, Kevin Sandstead, Edwin McCall and Joshua Robinson, currently in second place in Southwest Louisiana with $25,000.