Kristen Bracker | Staff Writer
Too much pink. That is a phrase that I used to say all of the time. I’ve never been a huge fan of pink: not until the breast cancer ribbon campaign anyway. Now every chance I get, I catch myself purchasing the pink product simply because a portion of the proceeds go to breast cancer research. Why this change of heart? Both of my grandmothers were diagnosed with breast cancer when I was younger. One of them has been a survivor for 21 years now, and the other is no longer with us. Having a personal connection with this cancer, I tend to get a little bit defensive when people complain about there being “too much pink” during the month of October. I would have to agree with many of the people who say that Breast Cancer Awareness Month gets an awful lot more attention than many of the other celebrated cancer months, but it is not without reason.
To me, wearing pink in October symbolizes more than just support for breast cancer survivors or victims. To me, this means a step in the right direction for all cancers and diseases. The amount of funding that has come through this color gives hope to millions. For me, it means that I don’t have to live in fear of this cancer even though it has affected both sides of my family. There is so much hope for me that if I do get this disease, it can be caught quickly and treated. The color pink means we, as women, need to take preventative measures. That means that we need to provide women with healthcare options that give them the chance to protect themselves.
Wearing the color pink is a reminder that there are women out there that are so strong and fight so hard so they can beat this deadly disease. Wearing the color pink also reminds us of all the people who have passed on while fighting breast cancer, not because they were too weak, but because their bodies needed the well-earned rest that comes with our final breath. Pink also reminds us that this disease affects men too, and they fight just as hard as the women.
While it is true that there are hundreds of other cancers and diseases that affect people every single day, we should never be frustrated with the amount of pink we see in October. Instead, if you believe another disease deserves recognition, speak up. Take the initiative like those who started the pink ribbon campaign and make people see that other cancers are a problem too. Use the example of this “pink sea” to make waves!
Graphic by Keyla Sosa
