The Ribbon Color Battle - Pink vs All Other Colors

I have seen the battle and the "Not all cancer is pink" posts. Seen them for years, even before I was diagnosed with cancer, even before my mom was diagnosed with "the pink" cancer. 

Cancer is NOT a color. Cancer is pain fear, anger, tears, surgery, poison flowing into your veins to kill an unseen beast. Cancer means scars - physical & mental. Cancer means never being who you used to be, not feeling your "normal" self and having to get used to a forever new normal. 

Cancer is more doctor appointments than you ever thought you'd have in your life. It's hospitals and clinis, scans, endless pokes with needles. 

Cancer is finding out who your true friends, family and supporters are. Cancer is finding out how truly strong you are when push comes to shove. Cancer pulls some families and friends closer and pulls others apart forever. 

Cancer does not care if you are young, old, male, female, black, white, yellow or red. CANCER DOES NOT CARE!!! 

It is not a COLOR. ALL cancer is horrible! Cancer is not pretty t-shirts, bracelets, bras, soup, cupcakes and all those other PINK products you see in every store in October. 

Let me repeat: ALL CANCER IS HORRIBLE!! It is a destructive disease. It destroys cells, organs, and bodies. It KILLS!! 

Please do your research on the organizations you give to - find out how much of the money you donate goes to research and the programs they profess to have. Does the organization help those it says it serves or does most of the money go to their staff? Does that can of soup you're buying just because it has a pink ribbon on it really send money to help those who are diagnosed with breast cancer or help provide mamograms or is it a marketing gimic to get you to buy more soup? 

Just because you or your family may not have been affected by cancer yet doesn't mean you never will. When you get a cancer diagnosis, you want something to help you connect and identify with others. That becomes a color - an important identity. Pink for breast cancer, Teal for Ovarian Cancer, Peach for Uterine Cancer, Yellow for Sarcomas, Grey for Brain Cancer, Gold for Childhood Cancer. But please, please remember, the COLOR IS NOT THE CANCER, the COLOR IS NOT THE BE ALL END ALL. 

What I'm asking is that when you reach for that pink spatula, sunglasses or box of cereal; ask yourself if it's because you've been conditioned to "think pink" or "save the ta tas" or if it's because it is really going to bring more awareness to breast cancer. 

Remember, we use the color for awareness, for people to ask us why we are wearing a particular color ribbon or what our shirt means, - but color is NOT cancer. Because ALL cancers suck!