For those who don’t know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a month in which people celebrate those who have won the fight against cancer, remember those who have lost the fight and come together to find a cure. It is absolutely incredible to me how such a terrible disease, which can tear apart peoples’ lives, can unify so many under one banner.
To me, this unified movement to find a cure has been even more special this year than in the past. We are facing times of extreme hate, with soldiers dying in combat, shootings at elementary schools, student stabbings outside a bar and more. Yet in spite of all of this, here we are today — people from all different walks of life coming together to fight a disease that has taken so many lives.
In recent weeks, I have seen several signs for breast cancer awareness. Athletes, specifically NFL players, have shown their support for this cause by wearing pink sweat bands, socks and other articles of clothing during games. Last weekend, the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure took place in Washington. Thousands of people showed up, not only to walk 60 miles but also to show their support and raise money to fight cancer.
Yet raising awareness for this disease doesn’t just happen at large events such as these. If you have been on Facebook in recent weeks, chances are you have seen statuses that read “I like it on the ____.” One could fill in the end of the sentence with basically anything imaginable. After seeing so many of these statuses, I turned to my lifeline, Google, to search for the meaning behind this Facebook movement, which referred not to sex but to where a woman would put her purse. I discovered that these statuses were supposed to grab attention — which they do — and lead people to look up what they mean — which they also do — and thereby raise awareness for breast cancer.
Some may be wondering why I, as a man, chose to devote a column to a disease that rarely affects men. My answer to this is simple: While men often don’t get breast cancer, it affects mothers, wives, sisters, aunts, grandmothers, friends and so many more women, which ultimately affects a man. The hope that one day we may find a cure to save all of these lives is what drives me and other men to raise awareness for such a terrible disease.
Recently, my close friend’s mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. I have dealt with cancer within my own family, which made me to see how terrible the disease really is. We are living in a time when cancer can affect all of us, whether directly or indirectly.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but it doesn’t have to stop there. For all 12 months of the year, you can raise money, join a Relay For Life team, give support to cancer survivors, remember those who lost their fight and above all, never lose hope that one day we will cease burying the bodies of loved ones, friends and strangers due to this horrific disease.
Josh Birch is a junior communication and history major. He can be reached at birch at umdbk dot com.
