The image of the White House lit at night is iconic to Washington, and Monday evening another twist was added. In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the White House was bathed in pink lights.

The White House issued a presidential proclamation Monday morning, in which President Barack Obama declared the month of October to be National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and encouraged “interested groups to join in activities that will increase awareness of what Americans can do to prevent breast cancer.”

Last year alone the American Cancer Society estimated that over 230,000 women were diagnosed with breast cancer. In the president’s proclamation, the White House estimated that over 200,000 women would be diagnosed with the disease in 2012.

“Breast cancer touches the lives of Americans from every background and in every community across our nation,” Obama’s proclamation states, “my administration remains committed to ensuring quality health care that includes preventative services for women.”

Obama’s signature first-term legislation, the Affordable Healthcare Act, altered many current insurance plans so that mammograms, along with other cancer screenings, would be provided to individuals without deductibles or co-pays.

The pink lights are in keeping with several other Breast Cancer Awareness movements, including the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, whose famous pink ribbon icon is practically synonymous with breast cancer prevention and fundraising efforts.

For more information on breast cancer, including prevention and treatment options, visit www.cancer.gov.