It's that time of year again– from the depths of our closets, out come all things pink. Pink socks, shoes, tee-shirts, hair bows and even pink hair. The month of October is well known for Columbus Day, Halloween, but most importantly (at least in my opinion), Breast Cancer Awareness month. Although many are eager to participate in the monthly fad of #ThinkPink or #SavetheTatas, there are a lot of people out there that do not truly understand what they are fundraising for.
All my life, cancer awareness seemed to be all around me, whether it be television advertisements, billboards, or word of mouth. Everyone knows someone who has or is currently battling with cancer, and if not personally, they know someone who knows someone who was been affected by the disease.
According to the American Cancer Society, about 231,840 new cases of invasive breast cancer are reported yearly. Out of that total, about 40,290 deaths will occur as a result of it. To some, these numbers are just a statistic, to others, this is their reality. It isn’t until it hits home that you realize how special fundraising truly is.
Late June, after the completion of my sophomore year, my mother was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. Receiving this news felt like a knife to my heart. I would not wish the pain I endured on my worst enemy. The feeling of helplessness does not even begin to describe how I felt. Hearing that not only your mother, but your best friend was just informed she will need surgery and radiation in order to cure the cancer spreading in her body felt worse than any injury I have ever experienced. Unless you see it first hand, many people do not realize that the surgery and radiation or chemotherapy is not the worst of it, it is what comes after that.
The woman who you had always seen as bionic, able to take on the world, now cannot lift a box or raise her arm to reach for something on the top shelf. She is no longer the woman she once was, and will never be that woman again. The emotions bounce from joyous laughter and smiles, to tears being shed for no reason at all. I’ve been told that being diagnosed with cancer forces a person to lose a part of themselves that they will never get back.
When you fundraise and donate money you are not just helping a worthy cause, you are helping to bring a smile to a woman’s face who is in desperate need of one. The care packages my mother received brought her nothing but joy, knowing that strangers are wanting to help her during one of the hardest periods of her life. Care packages she received consisted of pink chapsticks, fuzzy socks, pens, and even a mouse pad (for the people that still use a mouse for their computers). It really and truly is the little things in life that count.
During the month of October, remember what the meaning of this month is truly about. It is not about the hashtags, the cute Instagram posts with your best friend, or even the pink themed parties. It is about helping fundraise for research, help with hospital expenses, or even create care packages for women all over in need of our help and guidance. It is also about spreading awareness and spreading the word of early testing and screening. It is never too early.
For those of you that get involved with any aspect of awareness, I thank you dearly. Just know that a small portion of your time, or the random change found in your pocket, can allow you to become a part of an organization much larger than yourself. Now and every day, love the ones that are close to you, and appreciate all that your mothers, grandmothers, aunts and friends do, and family that surrounds you.
There is only one life to live, make sure to make it count.
