Awareness
So here we are - almost through Breast Cancer Awareness Month (BCAM). How has it been going for you? Does the profusion of pink make you think?
Regarding awareness, trust me, I’m aware - three surgeries, two courses of radiation, and five years of little white pills worth of aware! I joked during my treatments that I should be awarded some type of degree for all the new things I was learning.
This year I decided to make October my personal Breast Cancer Education Month. What form does my education take? My own experience is only a small slice of what is encountered by those who deal with breast cancer. Medical school is not in my future, but there is always something to learn. How can I build on my own experience to help others?
Locally and online we have an abundance of information along with support groups that work in partnership with the medical community, yet the newly diagnosed may be so overwhelmed they may not know where to look for answers, or even what questions to ask.
It’s a connectivity issue, like when your car battery dies. Without jumper cables, a fleet of cars with functioning batteries surrounding you is no help! As individuals, we can be that connector who directs someone to a resource they need. We can educate ourselves and raise our own awareness regarding what is available.
Whether we have personally experienced breast cancer or not, we can be there for those around us who are going through this. We can do our part to make sure they have access to what they need.