(A hair extension is $20 and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to benefit Susan G. Komen Greater NYC for the fight against breast cancer.)
Before you donate any money to the Susan G. Komen Foundation, think.
Please rethink those pink hair extensions you were about to glue into your hair to show solidarity with breast cancer patients.
Two weeks after I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I had a mastectomy. Fighting cancer is very much like climbing a mountain. The pain that comes from human fear, loathing and suffering was shocking to me, and it has changed me forever.
So, why pink ribbons, pink bracelets, pink wrappers and inspiring smiling photos of women walking together, holding one another’s waists and smiling broadly from ear to ear?
These things remind me of happiness, babies and cotton candy. They do not conjure an image of a grown woman staring down death, swearing that she will kill herself before it kills her.
Pink ribbons have undoubtedly saved tens of thousands of lives just by the mere fact that awareness equals money. But I don’t have to enjoy having my suffering reduced to a trite symbol that reflects nothing of the depth of sorrow that hundreds of thousands of women and their families have been forced to endure.
Cancer preys on your body. You can fight as hard as you can and still be claimed. The only power you have is access to medical care and good doctors, and sometimes, even then, you lose. But come October, especially here in the United States, we love to celebrate the cancer patient.
'You’re so strong.'
'What courage!'
Let me tell you something. In the midst of my journey, I cry. Not a pretty pink ribbon cry. I’m talking sobs.
Does that sound brave or strong? If it appears to you that we are brave, strong and courageous, it is because, frankly, we have no choice. What are we going to do? Lie down and give up?
Pinkwashing the NFL or running sales promotions designed to earn corporations more money or refurbish their brands all around other people’s pain is sick and twisted. The color of baby blankets, fluffy cotton candy and your favorite Laffy Taffy does not represent the pain breast cancer patients have endured. Make it gray, make it black — or better yet, stop participating in the self-serving Pinkwashing and help make the switch from 'Awareness' to 'Action.'
How? Instead of buying pretty pink things where the majority of the profits do not go to research, donate directly to organizations that help women deal with the devastating diagnosis of cancer. Or, go see your friend and let her talk about what it’s like to lose her breasts and live with the constant fear of it sneaking up and making her endure it again. If you want to reflect on breast cancer and it’s true toll, visit and give to the SCAR Project. That is the real face of breast cancer and survivorship. Just like the confusing and contradictory cacophony of life, survivorship is ugly, hard, beautiful and joyous all at once.
And in case you haven’t been reminded enough: Go get your mammogram.
www.standup2cancer.org
www.metavivor.org
www.thescarproject.org
#ThinkBeforeYouPink #StopTheDistraction #Pinkwashing #BreastCancerAction
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