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Breast cancer is a disease that affects one out of every eight women in the United States and the Joliet Police officers are doing their part to bring awareness during the month of October by wearing pink badges in place of their normal shields.

"This idea started from our chief earlier this year," said Sergeant Chris Botzum. "These patches we wore on mother's day and we put out to the officers if they wanted to purchase the pink badge."

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Joliet police officers were able to purchase the pink badges for $100 and wear them all month.

"The proceeds from the badges goes towards the Pink Heals organization," Botzum said. "We donate the money towards them and we are really happy to help out in any way that we can."

Breast Cancer Awareness Month is an annual international health campaign organized by major breast cancer charities every October to increase awareness of the disease and to raise funds for research into its cause, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure.

The campaign also offers information and support to those affected by breast cancer.

For the Pink Heals organization, the money raised with the purchasing of the badges goes to people in the area who are affected by breast cancer.

It can be towards people that currently have breast cancer, family members who are living with it or to those who have fallen from the disease or any other form of cancer.

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"The proceeds go towards people who are also affected by any form of cancer, not just breast cancer," Botzum said. "

Although there are other organizations and different ways people broadcast their support for breast cancer, Botzum added no matter how small of change someone might think they are positively impacting others who have been affected by cancer, every little bit helps.

"Awareness to the fact that is does affect everyone, not just those who have it is something that needs to be known," Botzum said. "When a women has breast cancer, it affects the community and the families and friends, so putting the message out there that we do care and want to do our part in helping the community anyway we can is something we take a lot of pride in here."