Charitable organizations have, in recent years, discovered that setting aside a special day or month is a great way to focus peoples' attention and to raise funds. I think they all got the idea from Jerry Lewis. His Labor Day Telethon must be the single largest charitable fundraiser in the world. And, we all know when it's coming; Labor Day weekend is Telethon time.
Apparently, October is Breast Cancer time. It's nearly impossible to miss this fact. Pink ribbons are festooned everywhere, like decorations! Go to the grocery store or Target or even the mall; products suddenly have pink labels, pink balloons are displayed and giant pink ribbons are everywhere.
On one level, I get it. This month is a time to raise awareness, to remind women to get checked regularly, and to raise money. But, here's the thing. One in 8 women in the Bay Area has or has had beast cancer. We are quite aware. And, for me, it's the pink.
Pink is cute, pink is cheery, pink is little girlie and sweet cupcakes. Breast cancer is not pink. Breast cancer is devastating; it is ugly scars; it is chemo and hair loss and brittle dry skin and nails and it is fear and it is most definitely not pink.
Why is it considered ok to "decorate" for Breast Cancer Awareness month in October, but these same stores don't decorate for Prostate Cancer Awareness in September? Where are the blue ribbons everywhere? Where are the blue ribbon Craftsman Tools? If we have pink ribbon KitchenAid mixers, why not a blue ribbon tool set?
I went to the grocery store the other day. It was on my way to work and I was in a hurry and focused on getting what I needed. At the checkout, the clerk asked me, very innocently, if I wanted to donate to breast cancer research. That was the wrong question at the wrong time. I'm not proud of what followed, but it happened, and I'll bet I'm not the only survivor who has reacted this way.
When I looked up, I saw a big pink ribbon on the checkstand. I snapped. I replied that no, I wouldn't be donating today because I've given about all I can to my surgeon. And furthermore, the store should be more sensitive to the fact that 1 in 8 women in San Jose is dealing with breast cancer, and by the way, pink is a terrible color for breast cancer because breast cancer is ugly and devastating and definitely NOT pink.
I won't be going back to that store again this month.
And, just maybe, I've been under a little more stress than I thought.
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I am going to guess which store asked you about the cancer donation. Last year, the same store had a clerk that asked if I wanted to donate and would not let up when I said no. I finally had to rip my hat off (I had a good growth of stubble at that point) and exclaimed loudly that I had given enough. I think the clerk ended up in therapy as a result of running into me that day. With 12.5% of the women dealing with this issue, they need to be more sensitive!
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