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| Fxck Cancer: Respect the Rays |
Because of my campaign name (“Black is the New Pink”), I was recently
asked, “What do you have against breast cancer?” My answer is, “everything…I hate breast
cancer.” In fact, I hate all
cancers. But what I think the person
meant to ask me was, "What do you have against breast cancer AWARENESS?"
Absolutely nothing. Yes, I suffer from pink envy as many others
do from different cancer communities, but I hate all cancers, therefore I love
all efforts to raise awareness and funds to fight all cancers.
When I was a kid, cancer was something other people got far away. Then a little girl named Emily who lived
across the street got brain cancer. She
was only a year or two older than me. Because
this was my only real exposure to cancer, as a child I thought cancer was
strictly a brain disease. And I learned
that it killed little girls.
Of course as I grew up, I became aware of other cancers, and
fortunately it didn’t touch our family.
No, heart disease haunted our family medical history…cancer
was for other people.
In 2003 or 2004, that all changed.
My mom was diagnosed with lung cancer after a lifetime of smoking. Her prognosis was not good. Around the same time, my brother was
initially diagnosed with early-stage melanoma.
Half of my original family of four was suddenly stricken with
cancer. Mom died in 2005 and later that
year my urologist stated that I possibly had prostate cancer. I went through two painful biopsies to determine that
I was clear…for the moment. In 2010, my
brother’s melanoma had returned and he died within months. Within that same period, I had cousins
stricken with other cancers…throat and breast.
Now these past few weeks, I’ve learned of breast cancer diagnoses for a
distant relative and a colleague.
I hate cancer.
The reason I’ve taken up the fight against melanoma rather than lung,
prostate or breast cancer is that melanoma is SO misunderstood. “It’s just skin cancer.” “I’ll get it cut out.” “A base tan is a healthy thing.” No other cancer seems to be surrounded by as
much ignorance as melanoma…and this ignorance (and stupidity) can lead to
death.
Period.
The only other cancer I can think of that has
a history of such public ignorance and misinformation is lung cancer with
respect to smoking, but that awareness battle has been won. People now know and understand that smoking
is bad. Right now, the majority of the
population seems to be dangerously unaware of how serious melanoma can be, how
easy it can be to get, and how simply it can be fought. I want to be a part of that cultural change.
But make no mistake, I hate all cancers…every single one.
Many thanks to my friend Timna of
Respect the Rays for allowing me to use her photo. (If you haven't read her blog or followed her on Facebook yet, do so immediately!) Her Fxck Cancer hat and pose matched my mood
perfectly as I was composing this post…I just had to use it. Thank you Yogina Princess.
