The C-word

I’m pretty straightforward when people talk with me about cancer. It’s a word that strikes fear into the hearts of many and quite frankly it’s not a word that people talk about enough… except of course in October. This month is breast cancer awareness month, with all the pink things, pink ribbons and talk about boobs, I think we’re not only aware of breast cancer but that we think it’s stylish to “show our support.”

What we’re not aware of are the other things that people should know about cancer. In October it’s all pink, but what about the other months? How much dark blue did you see in March for colon cancer awareness (the closest to my heart gets top billing)? How about orange all through September for Leukemia? Anyone celebrate June 5th for National Cancer Survivors Day?

There’s a month/week/day for something all year-long. Stop just being aware of breast cancer in October and be aware of health 365 days a year. Take those special awareness events to try to understand a new illness and how it affects more than just the body. Do more this month than buy a pink coffee mug, find out the risk factors and preventative steps to take to reduce your risk of breast cancer. Next month educate yourself about lung cancer (and diabetes).

Everyone knows someone who is affected by cancer, for some of us it’s closer than for others. It’s sad when cancer awareness is stylish instead of supportive or proactive. Cancer awareness is not about wearing a ribbon and October is not all about pink, it’s learning and understanding at the very basic level what cancer is and how it affects people.

After my father’s four years of surgeries, chemo therapy and fighting – I’m aware.

Fact: Colorectal cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer and the third leading cause of cancer death in both men and women in the US, with about 141,210 new cases and 49,380 deaths this year. {source}