Awareness Ribbon Color Meanings

Penney Laingen, wife of a hostage in Iran, was the first one to use the medium of a yellow colored ribbon to create awareness and send out a message. Awareness ribbons show support and bring public attention to specific causes and issues. They each have a meaning associated to its color. Some colors have several meanings as they support several causes. Below is a list of various colors of awareness ribbons and their meanings.

Red: Aids, HIV, heart disease, substance abuse, pro-life, MADD, DARE, love, hypertension, Evans syndrome.

Pink: Breast cancer and childhood cancer awareness, birth parents, cleft palate, nursing mothers.

White: Innocence, peace on earth, right to life, victims of terrorism, anti-child pornography, holocaust remembrance, child exploitation, bone cancer, child exploitation.

Yellow: Missing children, suicide prevention, supporting troops, adoptive parents, liver disease, bladder cancer, a general symbol for hope.

Black: Mourning, melanoma, gun controls, anti-terrorism in Spain, anti-gangs, POW-MIAs

Orange: Cultural diversity, motorcycle safety awareness, leukemia, reflex sympathitic dystrophy, Prader-Willi syndrome, hunger and lupus.

Brown: Colon cancer and an anti-tobacco symbol.

Green: Tissue or organ donation, environmental concerns, kidney cancer, childhood depression, mental retardation, missing children, cerebral palsy, homeopathy and worker and driving safety.

Gold: Childhood cancer, COPD and breast feeding.

Lace: A symbol for Osteoporosis

Burgundy: Brain aneurysm, cesarean section, hemangioma, vascular malformation, hospice care, multiple myeloma, William's syndrome, and adults with disabilities

Purple: Homeless, pancreatic cancer, testicular cancer, thyroid cancer, ADD, religious tolerance, animal abuse, the victims of 9/11 including the police and firefighters.

Gray: Lung cancer, mental illness, MS, Parkinson's disease, allergies, brain tumor, diabetes, disabled children, end sex trafficking and slavery in UK.

Dark Blue: Child abuse prevention, victim's rights, free speech, water quality and water safety, arthritis, colon or prostate cancer awareness.

Teal: Ovarian, cervical, and uterine cancers, sexual assault, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and tsunami victims.

Silver: Brain disorders, strokes, elderly abuse, and stalking.

Lavender: Epilepsy, Rett syndrome, foster care for foster parents.

Pearl: Native American reparations, lung cancer, and multiple sclerosis.

Navy Blue: Polio

Periwinkle: Eating disorders, pulmonary hypertension, stomach cancer and GERD.

Jigsaw Puzzle: A symbol for autism.

Red and White: Bone Marrow Failure - Aplastic Anemia MDS.

Black and Gold: Platelet Donor.

Blue and Silver: Living and coping with cancer.

Gold and Silver: All hearing and ear disorders.

Rainbow: A symbol of gay pride and support for the GLBT community and their quest for equal right.

Pink and Blue: Miscarriage, stillbirth, infant death due to SIDS or other causes, and twin to twin transfusion syndrome.

Red, White and Blue Ribbon: Flag, National Support, Patriotism, 9/11 Heroes and Victims.

Pink and Teal Ribbon: A symbol for Hereditary Breast Cancer.

Red and Yellow: A symbol of Hepatitis C virus

Blue and Yellow: Down Syndrome and the Hero campaign - designated driver.

Fuchsia: A symbol for Feminism

Orchid and Orange: A symbol for Psoriasis

Purple and Blue: Rheumatoid arthritis, and pediatric stroke.

Different ribbon colors are used to help raise awareness about many social causes. Most of them are associated with these colors for all times, while some are periodic; i.e only for a short span, or till the project is completed.