Pink Pause

I'm pausing in my Philippines trip posts today...  

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  (I wrote about what that means to me here.)  This topic is very close to my heart.  My Mom had an eight year battle with breast cancer.  That battle ended 21 years ago today.  She was only 58.  I was thinking about Mom this week.  She would have loved hearing about our trip.

Mom is the inspiration behind many of my posts.  Her Bible has been the source of encouragement to me for many years.  The one aspect of our lives that is different is our approach to health.  Mom's motto was "no news is good news."  She tended to bury her head in the sand until something major happened.  I believe it's important to have regular check ups.  As of today, I am healthy and I want to stay that way.

Through the years, I've jumped on my pink soapbox more than once.  But it's not just cancer awareness that we need to pause for.  Healthy hearts, lungs, minds and bones are important as well.

I don't focus on my health because I want to fit in a certain size dress.  I focus because I want to continue being involved in God's kingdom.  Mom was an amazing teacher.  She taught both Sunday school and at the Christian school.  She was incredible with children.  When her cancer returned, she was only 54 years old - younger than I am today.  I often wonder how many more children she could have influenced if she had taken better care of herself.

In honor of my Mom, I ask my readers to take a little time today.  Take inventory of your health.  Are you healthy?  Keep it up!  Need to make some changes?  It's not too late!  God created our bodies to do amazing things, it's our job to keep them healthy so we can do great things for Him!

What Breast Cancer Awareness Looks Like to Me

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month - the month of pink ribbons.  They're everywhere, from candy to t-shirts, from NFL players to coffee mugs.  I don't need to see pink to be aware of this disease.  Here's what it looks like to me:

A stunning diagnosis, followed by faith:

Grandma, carrying on, reading to her grandchildren:

Good reports after hard days:

 Mother of the Bride, 13 months after her diagnosis:

She also made our wedding cake:

A smirk while wearing "Another Bad Hair Day" hat:

A note taped in her Bible that came with flowers from Rod when she finished chemo:

Hair that grew back:

And a faith that grew stronger:

No pink ribbons here, but a flood of memories.  Sixteen years ago today, Mom finished the fight with courage and faith.  And I still believe the final score - Mom (and God) 1, Cancer 0!

Jumping on My Pink Soapbox!

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month.  I haven't been in any stores yet this month (it's only the second!) but I'm sure there are an abundance of pink items for sale.  Manolo Blahnik has a pink satin, Swarovski encrusted buckle, 4 inch heel for a mere $990.  20% of the proceeds will go to the Breast Cancer Alliance.  

This is a startling number:

The National Football League has their "Crucial Catch" campaign, with players wearing bits of pink on their shoes and jerseys.  The NFL, in partnership with the American Cancer Society, is focused on the importance of annual screenings, especially for women who are 40 and older.

Will buying pink M&Ms and Hershey kisses bring about a cure for cancer?  No, but the more awareness, the more women will be screened early and hopefully avoid long term damage to their health.

I don't remember my Mom ever wearing a pink ribbon!  Her battle lasted eight years and I have often wondered if early detection could have changed our lives.  She had her first mammogram at age 50, which was the recommended age at that time.  Cancer was already present, a lump that could not have been detected with a self exam.  If she had started getting mammograms at age 40, would it have been found two or three years earlier?  We will never know. 

My annual mammogram is in a couple of weeks.  When is yours???

Friday Foodie - Think Pink!

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This is a topic very close to my heart since Mom's cancer originated as breast cancer before spreading. The Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation was inspired by a young woman who died of breast cancer. Since its inception in 1982, it has invested nearly $1.5 billion in the fight against breast cancer in the world.


So while you're enjoying Fall, open a can of Pink Ribbon soup...


Or stop at your nearby Panera Bread for a Pink Ribbon bagel...


Or just enjoy some pink M&Ms!


And don't neglect your regular check-ups! If you're over 40 and have been avoiding having a mammogram, don't rejoice because of the new guidelines that say you can wait until you're 50. Mom had her first mammogram at 50 and cancer was found immediately. Do NOT take your health for granted. A few minutes of discomfort are nothing compared to months of chemo.

Okay, off my pink soapbox now...