Not a Blueprint: It's the Shoe Prints That Matter

Awareness Ribbon Colors
APPENDIX C

Throughout our environment, toxicity attaches itself to us through many disguises: drugs, alcohol, diseases, people, and even battlefields. These elements of toxic relationships are often represented by an awareness ribbon.

Interesting, huh? There’s an array of ribbons in circulation that symbolize and share colors with certain causes, many of which deal with toxicity. This list will aid in recognizing some of them.

Black: victims of 9/11, melanoma, gang prevention
Black and light blue: loss of a brother, loss of a male child, mourning a brother or son
Black and pink: loss of sister, loss of female child, mourning a sister or daughter
Burgundy: cesarean section, headaches/migraines, hospice care, multiple myeloma
Cream: paralysis, spinal diseases
Dark blue: child abuse prevention, victim rights, hurricane support, free speech
Flag: victims and heroes of 9/11, patriotism and support the troops, fireworks safety
Gray: asthma, brain cancer/brain tumors, diabetes, borderline personality disorder
Green: bipolar, cerebral palsy, depression, kidney/ovarian cancer, missing children, mental health

Indigo: bullying, harassment, stalking
Jigsaw puzzle: autism, child-to-child care, and development
Lace: osteoporosis
Lime green: lymphoma
Navy blue and orange: Batten disease
Orange: leukemia, lupus, Agent Orange exposure, humane treatment of animals
Pale yellow: spina bifida
Pearl, white, or clear: lung cancer/lung disease, multiple sclerosis
Pink: breast cancer, birth parents, childhood cancer
Purple: Alzheimer’s, drug overdose, pancreatic cancer, cystic fibrosis, children with disabilities

Rainbow: gay pride and support, domestic abuse
Red: heart and stroke, HIV/AIDS (World AIDS Day), burn victim, substance abuse
Red, white, and blue: victims at Millard South High School (in Nebraska)
Silver: elder abuse, Parkinson’s disease, children with physical or learning disabilities, stalking
Teal: ovarian, cervical, and uterine cancers, anti-bullying, post-traumatic stress disorder
Turquoise: addiction recovery, congenital diaphragmatic hernia
Violet: Hodgkin lymphoma
White: gay teen suicide, peace, right to life, Pope John Paul II —“Rest in Peace”

Yellow, black, and red: post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury

Yellow: suicide prevention, bone cancer, amber alert, liver cancer, support the troops

Zebra print: rare disease

Food for thought: Remember, we’re all born to bear gifts.
It’s how we distribute our gifts that make an impact.