The other side of Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. For many women who have or are currently fighting means, October is basically 31 days of low-key PTSD. The inbox box is crammed with marketing emails featuring other survivors’ stories.  

Breast Cancer Awareness isn’t something that only should come to mind in October, the time of year when we’re overrun with pink ribbons, pink cookies, pink just about everything you can get your hands on. I appreciate the focus on fundraising, but the spotlight is a double-edged sword.

It’s hard to see campaigns where “everyone’s laughing and smiling and having bake sales and doing fun runs. The month can feel like a seasonal bandwagon that every company wants to hop on. “It’s a pink tsunami of ‘We see you, we feel you,’ and then it’s November and it’s like, ‘Well, that’s over, time to get the Thanksgiving stuff out.

“It is definitely not patients’ favorite time of year,” said Kathleen Ashton, a psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic Breast Center in Ohio. “Some do enjoy the opportunity to raise awareness, but the majority of my patients find the month distressing.”

For some, Breast Cancer Awareness Month is a moment to celebrate empowerment, but for others, it can be a re-traumatizing experience.  Many may recall the traumatic moment of learning their diagnosis or the treatment they endured, how scary or uncertain that time was.

While friends and family may assume this is a celebratory month for survivors, you need to understand that a serious personal illness like breast cancer is a traumatic experience. 

 “Say ‘I’ve heard Breast Cancer Awareness Month isn’t always positive for survivors, how are you doing?’”

If you know someone who has been through it, who has survived, maybe tell them “you’re proud of them, of how far they’ve come, of what they’ve endured”.

If you want to make a purchase to support the cause, look at where the proceeds go, and “think about if it’s something you want to fund or if you’d be better off making a donation to a more focused, local opportunity, or to a research-based foundation

Here’s the thing with surviving cancer: It takes its toll on your entire life. Many of those who have been treated for cancer find themselves unable to work during that time because of the wallop chemotherapy serves to the body. While there are great companies out there (like the one I work for) that will work with women during their treatment, many will not.

This year, rather than raising money for a cancer organization, why not hire someone who is surviving cancer? 

Hire someone who’s had cancer; they can crush any challenge you send their way.

Life after cancer can be just as confusing and frustrating as living with cancer, so rather than pinning that ribbon to your shirt in support, reach out to someone who is actually surviving breast cancer. You’ll be amazed at how much better you feel (and how many holes you’ll spare your clothing).

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If you’ve made it this far, I had a follow-up appointment with my breast surgeon today. She thinks everything is looking well. There are a few areas that need TLC but for the most part, I got the “thumbs up”.