October is traditional breast cancer awareness month. You will see pink ribbons, pink T-shirts, pink clothing of all kinds worn by both women and men.

In fact, this year 2010, the professional soccer teams of the National Soccer League have included the color pink in their soccer uniforms. Beefy linemen and linebackers put pink cleats on their football cleats; quarterbacks and receivers wear pink wristbands and carry pink towels as part of their kit.

why pink? How did the pink ribbon movement start? And most importantly, does it really help women who already have breast cancer? Or make them feel worse?

How Pink got into the cancer business

The ribbons have been used to express solidarity by the wearer with the identified cause from the early to late 20th century. Yellow ribbons are used for troops at war. Red ribbons for people with AIDS. Pink ribbons (and the color pink) express support for people diagnosed with breast cancer.

In the fall of 1991, Alexandra Penney, editor-in-chief of Self, a women’s health magazine, and Evelyn Lauder of the Estée Lauder cosmetics company, came up with the idea for a ribbon. The cosmetics giant distributed those tapes to stores in New York City.

Charlotte Hayley, who battled the disease, produced peach ribbons. She sold the tapes to support cancer prevention. After discussing the opportunities with Lauder, Hayley and her lawyers, a “new” color was chosen, pink, which has become an international symbol of conscience.

Does pink really help women with breast cancer?

There are strong voices of criticism about the “Pink Month” and its long-term effects in fighting breast cancer.

Critics say the promotion of pink ribbons as a symbol has not been credited with saving lives. Others believe that pink ribbon will fade from popular use and become a fad. October has become a month in which “pink” sales explode. Businesses that sell pink products and give a token donation to related charities.

Gayle Sulik, a medical sociologist, wrote Pink Ribbon Blues: How Breast Cancer Culture Undermines Women’s Health. She found that while “pink ribbon culture” has drawn much attention to the disease in the United States, it has not improved women’s health. Based on eight years of research, analysis, and hundreds of interviews with women with the disease, Ms. Sulik found that cancer rates are rising, the cancer industry is thriving, corporations are profiting from the disease, and people with it cancer are stigmatized by the pink ribbon. .

How do women with cancer feel when they see pink?

How does any woman feel when she has a serious illness and everything around her says: “Beware of breast cancer.” In October 2009, after Cheryl was diagnosed with DCIS, a Stage 0 level. That October was a difficult month. Pink was everywhere and was very aware of cancer. She had been diagnosed with it.

Yes, early detection was very important because we had less severe symptoms to treat. However, awareness month itself did little to support her. Every time Cheryl went shopping, pink was everywhere. She felt horrible, like she couldn’t get a break to live a normal life. There were reminders everywhere that she was not normal: she had this cancer. She just wanted to hide.

Writing notes of support, using affirmative words, and spending more time together did so much more for her spirit than the pink shirts and ribbons. Using the Treasure mindset and approach helped Cheryl feel loved, appreciated, and valued on the inside.

So my questions to you, dear reader, are: What does October Breast Cancer Awareness Month mean to you? How do you value women with diseases? What do you write or tell them? And if you yourself have breast cancer, what would you like the important people in your life to write or say to you?