October has ended which means that my favorite holiday, Thanksgiving, is close, candy will be at least 50% off and Pinktober has ended. Pinktober is when most companies use the “pink ribbon” to exploit consumers out of money in the name of breast cancer research. The month of October became National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in 1985 thanks to the efforts of the American Cancer Society and AstraZeneca to promote early detection. The pink ribbon was added in 1992 by Susan G. Komen and at some point became known as Pinktober.
I have to give credit to the campaign in that it has raised money for research, helped educate women on the importance of mammograms, and cancer itself. My concern is always that on November 1st the conversation ends and many are back to life as usual. There is no “life as usual” for the cancer patient. It would be great if after the last chemotherapy or radiation, that we could just pick up where we left off. This “new normal” requires you figure out how to deal with all the post-effects that follow treatment while helping your family and/or friends realize that the “old” you is no longer.
It's all an education process which is why I will continue to advocate for more research and a cure. I encourage you to join me. Before you buy an item that says it is donating to Breast Cancer research go the extra mile to determine what percentage and if they really donate. If you are uncertain, take the money and just donate to an organization with year end reports you can see or donate to organizations that serve your local area. A few of my favorites are below.
- American Cancer Society
- Young Survival Coalition
- Living Beyond Breast Cancer
Saturday, November 5th, I will be joining a few survivors and friends as we #pedaltoendcancer. Spintensity 200 is sponsored by the American Association for Cancer Research and involves participants to spend for 200 minutes either in a team or solo to raise funds for research. This is my first time participating and I'm pretty excited. Find more information here
No matter what your stance is on Pinktober, please remember the importance of yearly mammograms and monthly self exams.
