"He has breast cancer" my friend Helen replied when I asked after our friend Chet. "That's awful" I said. "I'd like to give him a call. Is it okay if I tell him that you told me?" "Sure," Helen said. "He's totally public about it." I had always respected Chet, but now I had even more reason to admire his bravery and selflessness in sharing his private diagnosis to promote cancer awareness.
I can't think about breast cancer without thinking about all cancers. Every year at this time, I'm reminded of the loved ones I've lost to cancer, of those who have survived, and of those who have spoken out about their experiences so that others might take preventive measures or utilize early detection options. And I'm reminded of the American Cancer Society ad reading "The five most dangerous words in the English language: Maybe It Will Go Away." We can't afford to wait for an unusual lump to go away. We need to remember that early detection is critical. We also need to remind ourselves not to jump to dangerous conclusions. We need to remember that men can get breast cancer, and that people who have a chronic illness can still get cancer even though they already have their "bad medical thing." (I've been told "I assumed my sister couldn't get cancer because she had Lupus." and "It didn't occur to me that my son could get cancer. After all, he has Down Syndrome.") If something doesn't seem right, it needs to be checked now, no matter who you are, no matter what your medical history.
When I was growing up, October was a glorious month filled with the color of changing leaves -- rich reds, oranges, and yellows. Somewhere along the line, October became pink. Every year, it seems to get pinker -- pink food, pink housewares, pink clothing & accessories. I wish we didn't need to be overwhelmed with pink. I wish women didn't need an annual reminder to undergo breast cancer screening. I wish breast cancer -- and all cancer -- would become a thing of the past, that my daughter could grow up thinking of October simply as a beautiful month filled with fall colors. But until that day, please, please be vigilant about your health. Take action while you can, and don't let yourself think "Maybe it will go away."
