October is breast cancer awareness month. People wear pink. Schools designate a game for fans and players to wear ribbons or the color pink. The NFL gets all their teams to wear pink cleats or have pink towels. Commercials run all month long. And for one month, you are reminded about a disease that affects millions every single year.
235,030 Americans will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year and 40,430 will die from the disease according to the American Cancer Society. 1 in 8 women will develop invasive breast cancer in their lifetime. That's 12% of the female population. These are mothers, daughters, aunts, sisters, cousins, friends, co-workers, and even strangers. 1 in 1,000 men are even diagnosed with this terrible disease.
I have seen first-hand what this disease can do. I have watched my aunt bravely decide to shave her head before she ever even had chemo because she didn't want to watch her hair fall out. I have sat beside her and talked to her distracting her from her first chemo treatment ever. I have walked beside her and my mom for 20 miles in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure to celebrate her remission. She is now five and a half years cancer-free.
This disease takes thousands out lives. It takes mothers away from their children. Wives away from their husbands. Daughters from their parents. It takes thousands. And it isn't going to stop because we wear pink once in the month of October.
One month is not enough to remember and give justice to the millions who have died. Don't remember breast cancer for one football game a season. Don't remember it because you have to buy a pink shirt for school. Don't remember it because it's October.
Remember it because the victims and survivors of this disease deserve to be remembered. Continue wearing pink, but also tell your family and friends why you're wearing pink. Donate to the cause. Donate your hair on your next haircut for women that lose their hair to try and fight this disease. Walk in the hundreds of 5ks all over the world for victims and survivors. Go to hospitals, visit patients. Reach out to families that have been touched by this disease. Stand up for the people fighting this disease every year.
Also, make time to do self-examinations and get your annual mammogram. It is a terrifying thought but it can happen to you; knowing as soon as possible could end up saving your life.
It is October so start being aware of breast cancer - but don't stop at the end of this month.
