Seeing pink: October's message is worth a listen
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You know it’s fall when the air is crisp and clean, tinged with the smell of wood smoke, and vibrant hues of red, gold and pink are everywhere. Wait a minute — pink?
It’s been 20 years since the Susan G. Komen Foundation first handed out pink ribbons to breast cancer survivors in New York City, and the symbol has spread like wildfire since then. From NFL players to high school volleyball teams, everyone is wearing pink during October in support of National Breast Cancer Awareness month, and athletes around the Mission Valley are no exception. Banners hanging in hospitals, businesses and schools remind us to “Think Pink,” and grocery store cashiers ask if we want to donate to the American Cancer Society. For one month, pink isn’t just for tutus or icing; it’s a reminder that there’s a dreadful disease attacking one in eight women, from our neighbors to our loved ones. And you don’t even have to smoke, or drink, or bathe in toxic chemicals to put yourself at risk for breast cancer. It can happen to anyone. So what’s the point of all this pink?
The good news of Breast Cancer Awareness Month is that while anyone is susceptible to the disease, the tools are in place in today’s society to help anyone who’s interested avoid the dreaded diagnosis of a “late detection.” While breast cancer may not be preventable, it is much more treatable when it’s caught early on. As part of “pink month,” many healthcare organizations, such as St. Luke Community Hospital in Ronan and St. Joseph Medical Center in Polson, are offering women free breast cancer screenings. That means we have no excuse.
While I’m only 27, they say it’s never too early to get screened. This is one case where what you don’t know certainly can hurt you, and if all this pink has done one thing, it’s shown me that I have no excuse for not getting checked. No, it doesn’t sound particularly pleasant. Yes, it will take time out of my day that I could spend doing a million slightly more pleasant things than getting a mammogram.
But you know what? I bet if I ask any breast cancer survivor, she’ll tell me it’s worth my time. Isn’t it worth yours, too?
