Awareness Months – According to Whom, Exactly?

OCTOBER IS:
NATIONAL BULLYING AWARENESS MONTH.
AND Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
AND, in some places, Energy Awareness Month! [TRUTH].
BUT WHO DECIDED THAT OCTOBER BE DEDICATED AS [INSERT CAUSE] AWARENESS MONTH?

I have always wondered who makes the determination that a certain month is dedicated to different topics – breast cancer, AIDS, autism, bullying…

Is there a government agency who confirms these dates and causes? A master list of some kind? Can a person simply add their OWN month of awareness to our proverbial ‘consciousness calendar’?  (i.e. Fur Shedding Awareness Month).
For example, PACER has been credited for the designation of October as National Bullying Awareness Month:
“PACER created the campaign in 2006 with a one-week event which has now evolved into a month-long effort that encourages everyone to take an active role in the bullying prevention movement.”
So sayeth PACER and Wikipedia, so it must be true. Right?

I’d love to have an answer to this question, and Google is just NOT providing me with it, even after extensive research (15 minutes) and interviews with several individuals (my boyfriend, and my roommate).

Please, if you have the answer, do tell.

I’d appreciate it.

 

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