We are proud to offer an extensive array of supportive features in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. But as one of our authors, Lori Hope, points out in this powerful guest post, it can be difficult to be a non-breast-cancer survivor in October because you can easily feel like your disease is carried out to sea on a tide of pink ribbons. --Holly
It's
challenging to be a Breath Cancer survivor during Breast Cancer Awareness
Month. What's Breath
Cancer? It's the
cancer that attacks the organ behind the breast, the organ we cannot live
without.
Its proper name is Lung Cancer. But I prefer to call it
Breath Cancer, because it literally and permanently takes the breath from a
jumbo jet-full of people every day.
I bet you're
wondering if I smoked. Did you know that up to 20% of people with Breath Cancer
never smoked, 60% don't
currently smoke, and most of us wince at the question?
People don't
ask Breast Cancer survivors whether they're
overweight or drank wine (raises the risk), exercised (lowers risk), or got
regular mammograms. Is this partly because Breast Cancer is sexualized? As the
new "Save the
Boobs" PSA shows,
breasts are beautiful. And the thought of losing them? Terrifying. No blame, no
shame to Breast Cancer.
Not so with Breath Cancer. Although it's usually caused by
smoking -- which like
overeating, is a lifestyle choice --
most fighting the disease don't
smoke. But that shouldn't
matter anyway. Cancer is cancer. I lost one friend to Breast, another to Colon,
another to Breath Cancer. Did one deserve to live more than another?
It's
challenging to be a Breath Cancer survivor during October because everyone cares so vocally about Breast Cancer. And although Breath Cancer kills twice as many
women, during Lung Cancer Awareness Month (November), you won't see invisible ribbons (the non-color of
Breath Cancer) used to hawk everything from tissues to tampons.
Stigma has kept Breath Cancer deplorably underfunded. And
that's why only 15%
of us live longer than five years. That's
unfair. So please. Care.
And by the way, yes, I smoked, but quit almost 20 years before my diagnosis. Regardless, don't I deserve to live?
Lori Hope is the author of the top-rated cancer support book, Help Me Live: 20 things people with cancer want you to know, and speaks and blogs about how to help people facing cancer and other life challenges. For more information, see LoriHope.com, or read her interview with Time, "How to talk to a friend with breast cancer".
Read Lori's powerful cancer features on Beliefnet:
How to Keep Hope Alive Through Cancer
Wise Words from Cancer Survivors
(image via http://shop.advanceweb.com/)
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I think breast cancer is a bad thing to happen to anyone.I support the walks etc, but other cancers should receive some of the support and carrying on that breast cancer does. My husband was diagnosed in Sept.'08 with Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia,CML for short, and I don't hear any hoopla about this cancer. It's just as bad as the others.He is on chemo tablets for his cancer. I would like to see more support for all cancers.
As someone who has had three close calls with this I don't think there can be enough coverage. However I would like to see more emphasis put on providing exams for those who can't afford them.
Beverly, I'm keeping you and your sister in my thoughts and heart.
Jimbeaux, good point. And I'm so sorry for your loss. Donna, CML is unfortunately another underrecognized cancer. And Gale, I too have had close calls with breast cancer - have had two lumps removed, and a breast biopsy shortly after I completed lung cancer treatment. Close calls can be so traumatic, because one of the toughest things about cancer is dealing with the unknown, and the attendant anxiety.
Again, thanks to all of you for weighing in.
Always hope,
Lori
Lori -
Thank you for your insightful post. I'm a neversmoker battling Stage IV non-small cell lung cancer at the one-year post-diagnosis point. But my smoking status doesn't really matter. I found myself disappointed and even angry as a sea of pink surrounded me during October. Even NFL players were wearing pink equipment in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month for goodness sake! I know the players won't be wearing pearl for Lung Cancer Awareness this month (November). I don't begrudge Breast Cancer research or support in any way, but it really hurts/angers me to see the lack of attention and "blame the victim" stigma attached to lung cancer. For anyone out there who thinks, "I don't smoke. It can't happen to me." -- Guess again!!! Fight now for research funding and for awareness. This is a horrific disease and no one deserves it.
- Catharine
Catharine, thank you for writing and I am 100% with you. I do hope and believe that things will get better - and soon. New treatments will become available as we make headway and the public and legislators learn the facts about LC, hear the stories, and open their hearts and pocketbooks! I wish you well and have faith that we're going to be around for a long time!
Always hope,
Lori
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