As most people across the country know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. Despite the flood of pink ribbons, shirts, hats, water bottles, and countless other products designed to showcase our support for women battling this horrific disease, some people might not realize the underlying purpose of raising awareness of breast cancer.
Arguably the most important aspect of raising awareness of breast cancer is to remind women to get mammograms regularly. There has been some debate lately on the correct age when women should begin getting regular mammograms, so it’s best to have that conversation with your doctor and get his or her recommendation. The important part is that you get mammograms as early and as often as your doctor recommends based on your health, family history, and other factors. Because when it comes to breast cancer, most doctors agree that early detection is the largest factor that determines a positive outcome for the patient.
The dedication to wearing pink in October doesn’t just serve as a reminder for women to get mammograms, however. It also shows those women who have battled, and continue to battle breast cancer that they aren’t alone in their struggle. For these women, a breast cancer diagnosis can often be an extremely lonely ordeal. Even with friends and family by their side, these warrior women can feel isolated. There can be a tendency to feel different, or even abnormal. Despite the massive public awareness campaign which has been going on for decades, the sight of a woman with a bald head can make people shy away or stare at the woman who obviously has something “wrong” with her.
For someone who is already battling a dreadful disease that no one deserves, these looks and gestures—no matter how subtle they might seem—can inflict more pain than all the side effects of her treatment combined. But a simple ribbon or a proudly brandished shirt or hat in pink, can be all it takes for that woman to know that there are people out there who understand, even a little, what she’s going through. That despite their helplessness to do anything to cure her disease, they can stand in solidarity with her so she doesn’t have to battle alone.
If you, or someone you love, has never been affected by breast cancer, you might not see the need to promote the symbolic pink shades that are so prevalent in October. But this battle isn’t one reserved for those who have been affected by it. It doesn’t discriminate and it doesn’t play favorites. As unfortunate as it is, odds are that in our lifetime someone we care about will be diagnosed with breast cancer. And if the unthinkable happens, the pink support we see people proudly displaying will suddenly take on a whole new meaning for us.
Even if you are one of those fortunate few whose life is never touched by breast cancer, there are millions around the world who can’t say the same. Those women and their families need our support. They need our strength. They need to know that they aren’t alone and that even strangers on a street corner are pulling for them and have their backs.
So, this October, make an effort to go shopping for pink products. Even if it’s something as simple as a ribbon worn proudly on your chest, you never know who it might give just a little hope to. And after Halloween has come and gone, don’t stuff those pink products back in the drawer until next October. Because women fighting this disease need our support much more than just 31 days a year.
