Pinktober

Here we are, the last day of October and Breast Cancer Awareness Month. We cannot turn a corner without seeing a pink ribbon on a food product or a billboard. Maybe your favorite sports team has ribbons on their jersey or a night dedicated to breast cancer patients. Whatever it is, Pepto Bismol pink serves as a constant reminder of this disease. That is the purpose of the campaign, right? To bring awareness for early detection and raise funding for research. If a pink ribbon or a humorous meme will remind you to complete your self check, great. I, personally, don’t know how I feel about the pink takeover. I live with the disease everyday and do not need a reminder. In fact, all the pink and ads and “support” is sometimes overwhelming. I almost forget there are other cancers out there; especially for women. But there are.

Supposedly, October is also Liver Cancer Awareness Month. Did you know that? Most don’t as the others tend to take a back seat to breast cancer. There is a month and ribbon color for various cancers. Now I appreciate the effort put into research and finding a cure for my disease, but I feel a little guilty that the other cancers seem to not draw as much attention. Whether one is suffering from thyroid cancer, melanoma, lymphoma, or pancreatic cancer, the disease wreaks havoc on the patient’s life. All of a sudden, their life is turned upside down and they have to learn to navigate a whole new world of doctors, treatments, and terminology. The ‘C’ word instills fear, anxiety and depression. And anyone of them can be deadly. What I’m saying is that all cancers deserve to share the spot light and be recognized for what it is. I would never want a patient with a different cancer from I to feel like he or she is less important.

So let’s give recognition where recognition is due. This disease SUCKS regardless of the type and funding is needed for all areas. And hopefully if you are one of those people that suffer from a cancer other than breast, I pray you have the support you need and feel empowered. Here is a listing of the other cancer awareness months: https://www.choosehope.com/cancer-awareness-months-calendar/