It's October and Time to Break Out the Pink?

Well, for most people ... not for me. I've come to hate this time of year and the overwhelm of "in your face" breast cancer awareness.

I am aware.

I am a survivor.

But, here's the thing — I believe breast cancer awareness should be year round and not just October. I hate being reminded, throughout the month of October, that I 'belong to the club'. There are some that seem to base their identity on this disease — I'm not one of them. Every year I sit in the waiting room of the mammography center, and every year I hear women proclaim, almost proudly "well, I have to go through special screenings because I'm a breast cancer survivor." I am too, I just don't think it's any one's business but my own when I'm sitting there.

Truthfully, I don't think it's any one's business even when I'm not sitting there. (and yet here I sit writing a public post about it) I'm still surprised when someone learns I had breast cancer and they hadn't known at the time. Why would they? I didn't declare it from the rooftops or take out an ad in the post. I did what I needed to do. I researched, I found the best care I could, I kept a positive attitude (even when I wasn't feeling particularly positive) and through it all, I was thankful that I decided to schedule a mammogram for my 50 year/50,000 mile check up and it was caught early.

After nearly five years I don't notice the scars and, except for doctor appointments, I have finally hit a point where I forget that I belong to the group labled breast cancer survivors.

So while I won't wear pink ribbons, buy pink appliances (Tell me, what does a pink mixer have to do with breast cancer research anyway? And who has a kitchen a pink mixer would look good in?), or put a pink ribbon magnet on my car, here's what I will do:

• I will support the organizations that are trying to make a difference.
• I will encourage women not to ignore their mammograms and extol the benefits of early detection.
• I will be there for another woman who is dealing with the news that something "suspicious" was found in the images.
• I will donate to groups that I believe are truly committed to women's health issues. (One major organization lost my support several years ago for what, I thought, was a short-sighted decision that has since been reversed. I'm sure they continue to do good things, just not with my money.)
• I will Make Strides when I can, and support others when I can't.
• I will remember that breast cancer is only one type of cancer and that daily people are in a fight for their lives.
• I will continue to donate to the American Cancer Society because of that.
• And finally, I will ask you to respect the right, of survivors, to view October as the month between September and November, and not assume they don't care about the cause. We do care, just not publicly, and not just in October.

Of course, I have no control over Luna... 
She's half terrier and has a mind of her own

Now, back to our regularly scheduled, less preachy, more sassy and smart-assy, blog.