I saw the above screenshot on Instagram and I grabbed it, because at least it’s not pink plastic crap.

Pinktober is hyper commercialized. It’s still a disease that has a very public face and is a very private thing to live through.

I don’t like pink plastic crap and I haven’t liked it for 15 years. People hawking those products are doing it for their profit not for the benefit of breast cancer patients or survivors.

I’m not trying to be a Debbie Downer, but I think women deserve more respect if you’re going to have a month devoted to breast cancer.

I reached my 15 year mark June 1 and I’m very lucky and I know it. Since that point, I have had many friends diagnosed and I have some friends who have hit the 25 year mark of being cancer-free if not more.

Whenever this month of fake pink celebration rolls around, I think of how my head was literally swirling, including the room when I got my diagnosis. I wasn’t feeling like a warrior or a cheerleader or anything other than scared. I was lucky I have a great support system. Not every woman has that.

And I think today because of the continuing issues with our healthcare system, it’s harder. And I’m not just talking about coverage and/or being denied benefits. It’s about even being able to get into get basic testing done let alone schedule surgery in a timely manner. I have been told by people using for example, that they are waiting weeks to get things like an MRI read at hospital system that is not mine.

So maybe this month you guys out there support someone you know going through breast cancer.

We don’t need to be hovered over every day.

We just need to know that people are there for us.

And when you’re there for other people don’t impose your own fears or ideas because you really don’t know until you live through it.

Just be a friend.

Until next time…