You would think as a cancer survivor I would relish in all the pink this time of year. You'd be wrong.
Let me clarify on thing. I HATE CANCER. Breast, uterine, colon, testicular, skin, lung, you name a cancer, I HATE it. (And let me just say, I DO NOT use the word hate lightly.)
Come October 1st, I HATE PINK! It probably started in October of 2003. I was struggling with my own cancer battle, and I remember The View having special episodes each week, I think in connection with Ford's Warriors in Pink (this may have been 2004, can't really remember). You know, it is very easy as a cancer patient to become completely self absorbed (I know I did, and I am so sorry for those people who had to live with me back then, well, and now). I watched The View everyday, and every time that talked about breast cancer survivors it killed me. I was DYING too, I had CANCER too.
Honestly, a lot of this resentment probably started because my cancer did not (and still doesn't) have a name. My cancer was, and to this day is still, just CANCER. Sure, we can get technical, metastatic carcinoma of unknown primary, according to one oncologist, or diseminated malignant neoplasm, according to another. Both of these scientific diagnosises basically mean that cancer was attacking my body and it was everywhere. Where was the national campaign for that?
There are a lot of people out there that are sick of seeing pink ribbons everywhere, but would propably never say it out loud. I understand that you need a new toaster, so why not buy the pink one because a portion goes to breast cancer "awareness." I would have to say at this point the world is AWARE of breast cancer. How about making a donation to the American Cancer Society? It will probably be more than the toaster people are giving them anyway.
You know, if I were a marketing major, I would probably give Susan G Komen's sister mad props, but I am not a marketing major. I am a cancer survivor who gets choked up (and kind of pissed off) at the sight of a million pink ribbons.
Did you know that there are several cancer awareness months? January is Cervical Cancer Awareness month. March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness month. April is Cancer Control month (???). May is National Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention month. September has several awarenesses: Gynecological Cancer Awareness month, Leukemia and Lymphoma Awareness month, Ovarian Cancer Awareness month, and Prostate Cancer Awareness month. And November is Lung Cancer Awareness month and National Pancreatic Cancer Awareness month? Were you aware of any of these months? I guess they need better publicists.
I would also like to say that I understand having a minimum donation for walks and runs; however, I find it difficult to understand the Susan G Komen for the Cure 3 Day having the minimum set at $2200, per person! If you are able to raise thousands of dollars for the charity, that is AWESOME, but being required to raise thousands to walk doesn't make since to me.
I hope that I have not offended anyone with the rant, which is exactly what it is: A RANT. My absolute favorite time of the year has been transformed from beautiful fall colors, to PINK.
Some links I found on anti-pink people like myslef, and OTHER cancers awareness:
National Cancer Awareness Calendar
Sarah Horton, Alive and Anti-Pink
Pink Proceeds, Where Does the Money Go?
Before You Buy Pink
