This year I'm just over the pink this & pink that. No, I'm not one to get all militant about pink ribbons & pink everything in October. But I'm starting to see that it's just not fair. WHY all this attention on bc? Isn't every single damn part of your body able to get some sort of cancer? Why all the bc focus? And why pink?
One thing I really have never understood is all this "Race for the Cure" stuff where you see ladies all decked in pink everything, complete with boas & tutus & tiaras. I can't really understand how people appear to be all celebratory about bc awareness. Believe me, the world is totally fuckin aware of bc. And before you come at me with the "they're celebrating survivors" stuff...I get that. But at the same time, I kind of feel it's insensitive to those living with stage iv bc, & to the families of those taken by it. Yes, when I first was diagnosed, I went to "Pink Out" things & did Relay for Life stuff...wore pink ribbons...but as I went through & continue to go through it, thoughts & feelings change, ya know?
Now hear this: There is NOTHING Pretty In Pink about bc.
So, September is Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month...where's their Teal Race? Or Leukemia's Orange Race? And so on & so on....
But nooooo...let's just make a big ol fuckin party about bc. Why? Cause it's BOOBS? Everybody likes to look at boobies, right?
Well, I'm sorry that maybe you don't find a Pancreas as pretty as Boobies, but I sure would like to see even HALF the attention given to bc, shared with funding research for pancreatic cancer...or colon cancer, or....What, colons not cute enough for ya?
Let's not forget that there are all kinds of fucked up cancers out there, ok? (Is there any other kind? I think not.)
I don't love that Fall now includes a visit to the oncologist. I love the fall. Every year I start looking in certain craft stores as early as July for the first Halloween deco fun things. And I always find them. But now, even though I do still love the fall, it has been tainted a bit for me. Although I was diagnosed in the summer, the shit really started hitting the fan as fall approached. Chemo started in August. Head was shaved in September. And that, as y'all all know, was really the hardest part....so now, even as I can feel the seasons changing, I'm also kinda ill feeling too, since September is now one of the months of my bi-annual Six Month Oncology Tours.
And yes, I do have a pink ribbon on my car. Some bc people still like it. And maybe it'll get me out of a speeding ticket one day. Now I mostly keep it there to help me find the damn car in a parking lot.
Please don't misunderstand me. I don't have issues with those who like the pink ribbon. I am not offended by the pink ribbon. I'm VERY honored when someone tells me they participated in a Pink *this or that* thinking of me or in my honor. Love love love that. And thank you so so so much.
Just think before you pink. Seriously, the majority of this pink ribbon branded merch only donates the tiniest portion to bc research, if anything at all.
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Ok, topic change...I made it through the Autumn Oncology Tour with flying colors. Dr W said that if all is still well in March, he'll release me to annual Oncologist visits. Dr V went ahead & released me to annual visits following my annual mammograms...& as I type, I'm waiting on the results of my blood work, drawn this morning at my annual physical..plus flu shot. And my arm hurts...like it wants to fall off hurt. But it's worth it.
Ok, so that's it for now...Think Before You Pink.
10 comments:
Ditto
Ditto
Ditto....
Thanks so much for reading & commenting. =)
Great post. Adding another ditto.
Thanks Eileen! *Gets excited when Blogroll Bloggers comment here!* =)
I agree with everything you posted. I am not a cancer patient, but my mother was. I too am not against the "pink", but there are so many other horrible things out there, cancer being just one of them. Awareness needs to be brought to all of them. My mother passed away in 2004, she had Alzheimer's Disease. Yes, there are programs out there to bring awareness to that too. I just feel the "pink" has gone overboard. And you're absolutely right about fundraising, only a small portion goes to research. When I donate, I give directly to the cause. Thanks for letting me vent a bit.
Karen
Karen, Thanks so much for keepin up with me & commenting here. Yeah, bc isn't the only thing deserving of attention, research & funding. xx
I feel the same way as you do about pinktober. I used to participate in many of those walks before cancer happened to me but as I learned more and more about this disease, I wasn't feeling it anymore, because I never really felt stage 4 patients were getting support. I think the system wants us in denial so we can "keep going" with our lives. And now we have a culture which is hard to change. I feel many patients aren't aware that we are all at risk for developing metastatic breast cancer. They think they're cured. And hey, I hope they never have to face cancer again.
I also feel it's unfair to those patients who have died and to their families to be celebrating but that's just me. I have family members who have died of bc and def. don't feel like celebrating.
Right? Me either. Although I def celebrated certain "milestones" along the way, I totally disagree with the whole pink party atmosphere that surrounds bc & especially in October. I'm taking October back for the colors of leaves turning, sweaters, & Halloween fun! Thanks so much for commenting & sharing my post. xx
Hi Kimberly,
I think you articulated your thoughts and feelings really well. I am not opposed to pink and/or pink ribbons either. But how the heck did breast cancer turn into the shopping disease in the first place? And I do think the pink ribbon has become the bully of ribbons. Thanks for the post.
Hey Nancy! I totally agree. The pink ribbon totally IS the bully of ribbons. I just know it's just so hard for those with other cancers to see all the attention bc gets. And some of this pink merch is just stupid. Thanks for checking out my post & for your comments. xx
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