Breast Cancer Awareness Means More Than Pink Ribbons

As Breast Cancer Awareness Month kicks into full gear there are a plethora of pink ribbons, Facebook "share this post..." requests, 5K runs and many other ways one can show solidarity to the cause.

 While awareness is good and these actions well-intentioned, there are three other perspectives to the equation that we should not forget. One is that awareness is great but meaningless if it does not spur women into a routine of proactive management of their breast health. Second, when you do discover something has gone wrong all the pink ribbons in the world cannot prepare you for the life transition you are about to make. There is just no way you start at point A and arrive at point B the same person you were before it happens to you, no matter how successful or not the outcome of diagnosis, treatment and healing. Third, what can go wrong with our breasts is not always cancer-related. There are other diseases that while benign can cause major damage and change your life. So regular check-ups, self-exams and maintenance aren't just about the big C; they're also about knowing your body and being aware if something is going wrong sooner than later so something can be done.

This happened to me. After a difficult year dealing with my sister's rapidly advancing melanoma, her passing away last November, and the complexities of dealing with her estate, I thought life was finally taking a turn for the better. That is until I took a shower. That's when I found a rather large lump in my left breast. Given I come from a family with three breast cancer survivors (including the sister who passed away from melanoma) and other cancers, I have been faithful with monthly self-exams, annual mammograms, and random checks since my early 30s.  I knew this had not been there two weeks earlier; an important piece of information to take with me to the doctor who I went to see immediately.

I lived privately with the diagnosis of breast cancer for three weeks until the biopsy came back negative and instead indicated that I had a benign but rare breast disease. Simply put a long summer of tests, a recurrence and intervention culminated in the loss of a majority of breast tissue and reconstructive surgery. The healing, both physically and mentally, has been slow but things are moving in the right direction and there have been no more recurrences. Things are looking up.

Throughout my ordeal, I was in the final editing and production phases of Press Pause Moments. Four of the essays in the book deal directly with the subject of breast cancer and breast wellness. When I selected essays for the anthology I never realized how much these particular essays and writers would inspire me personally.

• In Sisterhood of Breast Cancer Survivors, Sandra Aylward shares her journey dealing with breast cancer as she realizes the many women around her who are also survivors and, in a silent motion, acknowledge her and  show her their support.
• Mary Myers talks about dealine with mastectomy and how she factored in "both Western medical knowledge which deals with the physical and my own spiritual wisdom which gives me that energetic connection to Spirit."
• Irene Sherlock describes the experience of a mammogram that might "show something" and how the experience parlays into thoughtful introspection about her relationship with her mother.
• Diana M. Raab offers her reflections about dealing with breast cancer and the life transition she experienced, personal insights captured through her journal writing. 

So Breast Cancer Awareness Month is about more than posting pink ribbons and sharing stories about people we know who've had breast cancer. It's about making a decision to get to know our bodies, how they change and transform as we age, and what to do when we face a problem. It's about being diligent in getting information and making the commitment to change old habits, hard as it might be, if it means better health and wellness. It's about knowing what to do if you find something, not just hoping it will go away or ignoring the fact that it's there.

If Breast Cancer Awareness Month can get each person who reads this post to make one change or commit to one action that will help them maintain the health of their breasts, then solidarity for the cause will be stronger than ever and will be making an even bigger difference.

I wrote today's post as part of the WOW-Women on Writing Blanket Tour for Healing with Words: A Writer's Cancer Journey by Diana M. Raab, MFA, RN (www.dianaraab.com).  The book includes Diana's experiences, reflections, poetry and journal entries, in addition to writing prompts for readers to their own personal stories. A survivor of both breast cancer and
multiple myeloma, Raab views journaling to be like a daily vitamin--in that it heals, detoxifies and is essential for optimal health.

Diana, the author of eight books, spent 25 years as a medical and self-help writer before turning to poetry and memoir. She teaches creative journaling and memoir in UCLA Extension Writers' Program.

If you comment on today's post you'll be entered to win a copy of Healing with Words: A Writer's Cancer Journey. To read Diana's post about breast cancer and a list of other blogs participating in Diana's Blanket Tour visit
The Muffin.

Comments

[Christa]

What an important post. It seems that October has becoming a month of "pinkwashing" - we're surrounded by brands urging us to "become aware" of breast cancer - but we don't hear many messages regarding prevention. Living a healthy lifestyle by making positive nutrition choices, moving more often and limiting our intake of processed sugars and flours, we can prevent many cases of breast disease.

[Kate Powers]

Thank you for this moving post. I do not wear a pink ribbon in October. Instead I help organize my family to run a 5K race for a cure in memory of my Aunt. She died in 2006 when undetected breast cancer grew to bone cancer. Her refusal to obtain preventative care cost her life. Her death shook the entire family as she was diagnosed when at the needing hospice stage. She suffered silently. In her memory we participate in the 5K as TEAM BARBARA JEAN and we talk to each other about mamograms and monthly self exams as well as pap smears, having babies and going thru menopause. In her memory we have made a pact to be pro active about preventative care.

[AnneWitkavitch@comcast.net]

Kate - you had shared the story about your aunt in your Facebook response but I am so moved to read about what your family started in her memory - this important race and ritual. Thank you so much for sharing this.

[AnneWitkavitch@comcast.net]

Christa - I think as people develop their prevention approaches and share them, we'll end up with the sort of best practice sharing we always did in the corporate world...taking what's worked for others and applying it successfully to our own lives. Thanks for the comment.

[Rich]

Anne - I'm impressed by this was a brave account of something you went through. (I had no clue that you had.) I think you're right. To me, it seems like there are so many breast cancer "awareness" campaigns going on (some of them silly/annoying, like the "viral facebook" stuff - how does that do anything for anybody?), and it's turning into white noise. People need to personalize the issue and learn to be proactive about self-exams and knowing what to check for...

[Anne Witkavitch]

Thanks Rich...you know us writers work things through with words! Doing much better at this phase. Love the phrase "white noise." That was why I wrote more openly about this...just like in communications, when we tag line and slogan people to death, the real message gets lost. Hope Ohio is treating you well!

[Connie]

Thanks for writing this, Ann. Your willingness to share will go a long way toward making others proactive. You are a prime example of making lemonade when life hands you lemons ;-}

[David Sepulveda]

Anne... Excellent article with some essential advice for every woman. As the husband of a breast cancer survivor, I am acutely aware of the pervasiveness of the disease. Glad to know this is not the case with you, but fully understand the roller coaster of emotions you must have endured - especially with so many other things going on in your life. Your Press Pause Moments effort will surely help others, even as it has helped you. Keep up the good work.

[Diana Raab]

Hi Anne

Thank you for the great post and the wonderful opportunity to be in your anthology. I am moved that my essay touched you and i hope that future readers will be helped by my self-help memoir, HEALING WITH WORDS which not only tells my story but has blank journaling pages for others to share their own story.

To your health,
Diana Raab, MFA, RN
WEB: http://www.dianaraab.com
BLOG: http://www.dianaraab.com/blog

[Anne]

David - your beautiful wife was a treasure trove of information, support and camaraderie for me! I won't forget our conversation as we walked the channel at low tide in O.S!

[Anne]

Diana - I am blessed by the collection of writers and stories come together in the Press Pause Moments anthology and thankful for the opportunity to share you wonderful book as part of breast cancer awareness month. Journaling is a powerful tool we are given freely but so few accept into their wellness.

[Caverta]

I lost my husband last year. If only we could diagnose it earlier, he may have been with me today. Breast Cancer is the second most cause of death among women. It is time that we learn about breast cancer and take precautionary measures to prevent it. It’s time to act responsible and join hands to get over the fear of breast cancer by getting ourselves screened for it. Wear the pink ribbon and become a part of breast cancer awareness campaign.

[Wrong Diagnosis]

Stumbled across your blog and good for me! I am a Survivor 8 1/2 years and going. I have a tatoo - so totally out of character for me! I have a pink ribbon on top my foot. It is my symbol of SURVIVAL! It is my celebration of beating the beast. My daughter has one on her tummy. She asked to have it for her 18th birthday. And she did. Just never went back for them. No real reason.
Glad to meet you.

[Wrong Diagnosis]

thanks for the information... It is not just in hospitals where patients may be at risk from medical negligence.

[Anne]

Caverta...so sorry for your loss. Awareness and early prevention is so important for breast cancer and many, many diseases. If we could all pay more attention to what our bodies are telling us...thanks for posting.

[Anne]

Hurray for you...8-1/2 years in a tremendous milestone! I love the idea of a tattoo and your daughter's gesture. One of the writers in the anthology puts a purple streak in her hair when she reaches five years!

[Anne]

Clarification...my misdiagnosis was because the disease mimics cancer like an identical twin. The only way it can be accurately diagnosed is with a biopsy so until those results came back there was no way to believe this was anything else. I was blessed with an incredible medical team who, thank goodness, had actually dealt with this before!

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