Breast Cancer Awareness and Me

As a breast cancer survivor, I greeted this October with mixed emotions. I understand those who view the awareness messages and pink products with a jaded eye and feel taken advantage of. As for me, I don't blame the color as even before Barbie it has been my favorite color. But I too feel anger and sadness this day, this month, all year long frankly, for the way too many of us have lost their lives or loved ones to breast cancer, as well as for those who are living with metastatic breast cancer with no cure.

I'm proud to be a survivor (and in fact I consider myself a "Thriver") and I'm grateful for all the love and support I received and still continue to receive. But I really hope that no one goes through what I did! That is?what I think these awareness months are truly about. A reminder to get our tests and live as healthy a life as possible.

?Awareness?months should also be a reminder to all of us who work in and for biopharma that there is still a lot of work to be done. The innovation cannot stop until every person who receives a cancer?diagnosis also receives a path forward to hope. I look forward to the day that chemotherapy will not be a standard of care and that all will receive targeted therapies, so hopefully we will have less short and long-term side effects.?

?I look forward to new emerging technology. I just learned about a handheld device that uses light to detect changes in a tumor with no side effects, so doctors can see very early on how the tumor is reacting to the current treatment and whether to stay the course or switch medicines. Such amazing work is underway, and I am so hopeful and anxious for all that is yet to come.

?If wrapping everything in pink helps one more woman get tested, feel hopeful and loved, or serve as a reminder to self-check, then I say bring it on. If Breast Cancer Awareness Month raises dollars for more research, we should celebrate. But I know that many feel taken advantage of. So, let's let everyone participate as they are comfortable, or hide from it, if that is what is best for them. What about you? Will you be feeling pink?

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