By ANA FERGUSON
Yesterday, I had to go on a little shopping adventure. A pretty normal excursion, you would say. Nothing uber exciting. A bit of retail therapy normally puts a smile on any woman’s dial. Traditionally, I find wandering through the shops and focusing on something other than cancer, a great way for me to take my mind off my woes. I like to lose myself in all the sights, sounds and activities going on around me and just roll along with life.
BUT NOT IN OCTOBER.
In October, I can’t escape the pink. There is Pink Pink Pink – everywhere. Pink cardboard figurines are over enthusiastically scattered all around the stores. Pink ribbons on lapels. Pink merchandise at the counter. Every way I turn my head I can see pink pink pink and I hate it.
As a mother of four daughters pink used to be such a part of my life. When the girls were younger it was pink everywhere and the lovely colour used to generate a warm fuzzy feeling inside as I reflected on the memories of pink tutus, pink shoes, pink fairy wands, pink rooms and generally just the joys of being a mama to little girls.
Now I despise it. Pretty powerful words I know, but I know I am not alone. There are a lot of us Stage 4 Breast Cancer patients out there walking amongst you who feel exactly the same.
On my shopping outing, the well-meaning sales girl approaches me and whilst trying to flog me a certain type of floor board, she throws into the conversation how they are assisting breast cancer and I can feel my fist start to clench. I am not a violent person, but I wanted to deck the poor unassuming girl right there and then.
Top Comments
Okay, I completely see what the author is saying in this article, and let me just say that I do agree with some of what was said. But, there are a lot of things that have been missed. For example, a lot of money raised by places like the Cancer Council don't just go towards research - it also goes towards paying for places for family and friends to stay when receiving treatment, counseling for cancer patients as well as their families, and let's not forget that all of this fundraising raises awareness. Isn't getting women to check their breasts for lumps on a regular basis just as important as treating and curing? Further, there are over 500 different kinds of cancers when you include every different strain and sub-type - I think we can all agree that we are a long way from a cure. Just because a cure hasn't been found does not mean that we haven't come a long way from where we were, and despite over-commercializing the cause, it has raised awareness and frankly I think that is the most important thing.
My 62yo mum has had breast cancer twice, the first time at 40. At 60 she was diagnosed (3rd time cancer diagnosis), with metastatic breast cancer; throughout the bones of her body and in both lungs. That was 2 years ago. She rang The Cancer Council for advice/support/information, and she was told to just Google. No help whatsoever. She's never had any assistance from any of these so-called support agencies, and not for lack of trying. She's 62 and has weeks left to live, unable to see or hear due to the cancer in her head, unable to breath without an oxygen machine due to the cancer in her lungs, unable to walk or stand for long due to the cancers in her bones. Cancer is more than just stage 1 or 2. It's unpleasant, it's suffering and a little bit of support from these 'companies' that we've always donated to because of the support and research they advertise that they provide, would have been nice.