Like it or not, pink is everywhere during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Everyone who has been impacted by breast cancer seems to have an opinion on the pink month. Some of us are quite conflicted about it. Why not bring the issue to your journal? After all, your journal is the perfect place for exploring conflicting emotions. Here are some prompts to get you started:
- How do you feel about Breast Cancer Awareness Month? Do you embrace the awareness activities or do you cringe over the constant reminders?
- How do you feel about all of the pink products that companies push in October? Does it seem great that a portion of a product purchase will go toward the cause? Or does it smack of insincere marketing?
- Does breast cancer get too much attention from the media? Do you think that Breast Cancer Awareness Month is effective?
- Do you think that the media do a good job portraying and explaining the realities of breast cancer?
Recently, I introduced this prompt in a journaling workshop for breast cancer survivors and it really sparked a great discussion. Attention all you marketers out there: people are all over the place on this one.
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I agree this is quite the hot button issue. Before my diagnosis I had no idea it was controversial. I plan to blog about it next week. Guess I better hurry up before the month is over. Good prompt ideas here. Keep posting on this blog!
Nancy,
I’m pretty sure that October 2006 (my first post-diagnosis October) was the first time that I was aware of Breast Cancer Awareness month. But it seems so BIG. Was I just oblivious in before 2006? Or has it really grown so much that it is now noticed by the general population?
It reminds me of when I was pregnant and all of a sudden noticing pregnant women everywhere. Maybe I was just oblivious! I guess I will never know.
I have mixed feelings about Breast Cancer Awareness Month and pink products. Some years I do public speaking and writing during October, but this year, I kind of went into hiding from the pink ribbons, which really one cannot hide from.
In some ways, I really like that so many companies are supporting breast cancer research, but at the same time, I feel that they are also doing good to help make themselves appear good to society. I think there is definitely insincere marketing, but if the funds are really going toward the breast cancer cause, then that’s a good thing.
I think the media brings out a lot of misconceptions about any ailment, but especially breast cancer. It seems that the blame falls on the shoulders of women for not having children before age 35, for not eating right, for not exercising, etc. The list goes on and on regarding sensationalism. At the same time, the media does an important part in bringing breast cancer to light.
I wish that cancer of any kind doesn’t get a month dedicated to it. Breast cancer occurs year-round, as does other cancers. I also wish more attention would be paid to other cancers, such as ovarian cancer, which is often caught too late.