Awareness Ribbon and Bracelet Colors and Meanings
 | I always see people wearing ribbons or bracelets to support different organizations/ disease awareness, and I wonder what color is for what? It can be confusing. Some colors and awareness ribbons have multiple meanings. We did the best we could to compile a list of colors and meanings from multiple sources and we checked with many of the foundations represented for accuracy. |
Awareness Ribbons by Color
Pink Ribbon :
Meaning: Most commonly associated with breast cancer awareness, this ribbon is also a symbol for birth parents, and childhood cancer awareness (alternative color: light blue)
Yellow Ribbon :
Meaning: We've all seen this symbol used to support our troops, but it is also a symbol for MIA/POW, suicide prevention, adoptive parents, amber alerts, bladder cancer, spina bifida, endometriosis, and a general symbol for hope. A yellow ribbon with a heart is used to represent the survivors left behind after a suicide.
Pale Yellow Ribbon :
Meaning: This color is a symbol of spina bifida
Red Ribbon :
Meaning: Most commonly associated with the fight against AIDS and HIV, this ribbon also is a symbol for heart disease, stroke, substance abuse, MADD, DARE, Epidermolysis Bullosa, Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy
Burgundy Ribbon :
Meaning: This color is a symbol of brain aneurysm, Cesarean section (worn upside down), headaches, hemangioma, vascular malformation, hospice care, multiple myeloma, William's syndrome, Thrombophilia, Antiphospholid Antibody Syndrome, and adults with disabilities.
Purple Ribbon :
Meaning: This color is a symbol of pancreatic cancer, testicular cancer, thyroid cancer, domestic violence, ADD, alzheimer's, religious tolerance, animal abuse, the victims of 9/11 including the police and firefighters, Crohn's disease and colitis, cystic fibrosis, lupus, leimyosarcoma, and fibromyalgia.
Lavender Ribbon :
Meaning: This color is a symbol for general cancer awareness. It can also be a symbol for epilepsy, and rett syndrome.
Periwinkle Ribbon :
Meaning: This color is a symbol of eating disorders and pulmonary hypertension.
Blue Ribbon :
Meaning: This color is a symbol of drunk driving, child abuse, Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI), the victims of hurricane Katrina, dystonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), alopecia, Education, Epstein-Barr Virus, Save the Music, colon cancer.
Blue and Green Ribbon for Intracranial Hypertension
Dark Blue Ribbon :
Meaning: This color is a symbol of arthritis, child abuse prevention, victim's rights, free speech, water quality, and water safety
Light Blue Ribbon :
Meaning: This color is a symbol of childhood cancer (alternative color: pink), prostate cancer, Trisomy 18, and scleroderma.
Teal Ribbon :
Meaning: This color is a symbol for ovarian, cervical, and uterine cancers as well as sexual assault, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and tsunami victims.
Green Ribbon :
Meaning: This color is a symbol of EDS, childhood depression, missing children, open records for adoptees, environmental concerns, kidney cancer, tissue/organ donation, homeopathy, Lyme Disease, and worker and driving safety.
Orange Ribbon :
Meaning: This color is a symbol of Lupus, Multiple Sclerosis, leukemia, hunger, cultural diversity, humane treatment of animals, and self-injury awareness.
White Ribbon :
Meaning: This color is a symbol of innocence, victims of terrorism, violence against women, peace, right to life, bone cancer, adoptees, and retinal blastoma.
Pearl Ribbon :
Meaning: This color is a symbol for emphysema, lung cancer, mesothelioma, and multiple sclerosis.
Black Ribbon :
Meaning: This color is a symbol of mourning, melanoma, and gang prevention.
Brown Ribbon :
Meaning: This color is an anti-tobacco symbol as well as a symbol of colon cancer, colorectal cancer.
Grey Ribbon :
Meaning: This color is a symbol of diabetes, asthma, and brain cancer.
Silver Ribbon :
Meaning: This color is a symbol for children with disabilities, Parkinson's disease, and mental illnesses such as severe depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and anxiety disorders.
Gold Ribbon :
Meaning: This color is a symbol for childhood cancer.
Jigsaw Puzzle Ribbon:
Meaning: This style of ribbon is a symbol for autism.
Lace Ribbon:
Meaning: This style of ribbon is a symbol for osteoporosis.
Pink and Blue Ribbon:
Meaning: This style of ribbon is a symbol for miscarriage, stillbirth, and infant death due to SIDS or other causes.
Flag Ribbon:
Meaning: This style of ribbon is a symbol for both the victims and heroes of the 9/11 attacks. It is also a symbol of patriotism and support of our troops. In addition, it is a symbol of fireworks safety.
Rainbow Ribbon:
Meaning: This style of ribbon is a symbol of gay pride and support for the GLBT community and their quest for equal rights.
Yellow with Black polkadots: UK Fibro Awareness ribbon.
Red & Yellow Ribbon: Hepatitis C awareness
Black and White (zebra) Ribbon: Carcinoid
This list is provided for informational purposes only. If you found it helpful, please feel free to LINK to this page. We welcome any opportunity to improve this page so if you see any errors or omissions, please contact us.
Article written by Christine Miserandino, © 2008 butyoudontlooksick.com
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* If you found this list helpful, you may also like:
Helpful Medical Abbreviations
Comments
I've never seen the green ribbon used for anything other than organ donor awareness... no doubt the other causes also use the green ribbon, maybe organ donor awareness should be listed first?
... but then again, I have a bias toward the topic - I have a transplanted kidney :)
Posted by: Krissi | March 12, 2008 05:47 PM
Wow, great job pulling that together, Christine!!! I just wish we had run out of diseases before we ran out of colors!!! Any ideas on where we can order different colors, or do you have them all available in your store and I am showing my woeful finances by even asking this question?? For instance, I haven't ever seen orange bracelets in my local chapter office .... Thanks, Sarchie
Posted by: Sarchie | March 13, 2008 03:00 PM
wow amazing how much awareness can come in a rainbow
Posted by: chronic chick | March 14, 2008 01:06 PM
LIGHT GREEN: HPV awareness........this should be used more and more with the problems we are having
Posted by: Lindsay | April 20, 2008 11:47 AM
Also yellow ribbons are used for childhood cancer awareness........my daughter had leukemia and its was always yellow ribbons used to signify awareness.
Posted by: Lindsay | April 20, 2008 11:51 AM
A lot of autistic individuals prefer the rainbow mobious ribbon (in a figure 8/infinity loop) to represent neurodiversity to the puzzle ribbon, which is associated with Autism Speaks, specifically. (A group which has NO autistics on their board and who are somewhat cold to adult autistics.
Posted by: Cait | June 10, 2008 06:09 AM
In Canada, there are also RED ribbons with MADD (Mother's Against Drunk Driving) on the ribbon, that are big enough to put on your car antenna. Definitely different than the AIDS awaremess ribbon.
PURPLE for eye sight awareness and issues as well as childhood abuse prevention.
Wish some of them that are for mulitple uses, could add a symbol, stripe or something, so then we know that they are for or against what issue.
Posted by: IB | June 10, 2008 11:49 AM
Blue Ribbons are being used for ME awareness too :)
Posted by: Rebecca Sultana | June 10, 2008 12:34 PM
We use silver when possible, white otherwise, for invisible illnesses - National Invisible Chronic Illness Awareness Week.
Posted by: Lisa Copen | June 10, 2008 04:50 PM