Pay It Forward, Breast Cancer Awareness Month

For ten days now, I have been bombarded by pink.  Pink ribbons, pink T-shirts, pink socks, pink drawings on car windows, etc, etc, etc.  It seems like every store is asking if you want to donate to breast cancer research before they tell you your total.  I was even asked if I wanted to donate to current patients.  I wanted to scream, "I am a patient!"  I feel that it is all a little too much.

Everyone knows what the pink ribbon means.  Everyone knows that this disease is horrible.  Everyone knows that early detection is KEY.  Everyone knows to check your breasts once a month.  Everyone knows about breast cancer.  Everyone knows.

There have been walks and runs and fundraisers that raised billions of dollars for research and to build awareness.  A disease that was once new and unknown is now up front and in our faces.

Did you know that breast cancer isn't the leading cause of deaths in the United States?  All cancers are lumped together and it is still second.  Breast cancer is second of all cancers.  Yet it is all we hear about.

Number of deaths for leading causes of death

• Heart disease: 597,689
• Cancer: 574,743
• Chronic lower respiratory diseases: 138,080
• Stroke (cerebrovascular diseases): 129,476
• Accidents (unintentional injuries): 120,859
• Alzheimer's disease: 83,494
• Diabetes: 69,071
• Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome, and nephrosis: 50,476
• Influenza and Pneumonia: 50,097
• Intentional self-harm (suicide): 38,364

Source: Deaths: Final Data for 2010, table 10  [PDF - 3.1 MB]

Because of all the money and awareness in the US, I am alive today to write about this.  I am very grateful.  Without someone pushing for awareness and research, and October being breast cancer month, we wouldn't know as much as we do about breast cancer.

But don't you think it is time we moved all that energy onto the other horrible diseases that are out there?  Is there any more awareness needed for breast cancer?  

So I am going to pay it forward and run races for other diseases besides breast cancer.  I will run them as a breast cancer survivor, but will run them to spread awareness of their ugliness.  I want them in your face as much as breast cancer is today.  I am going to try to be that someone who pushes like someone did for breast cancer.  

I think October should be Horrible Disease Awareness Month.  Okay, maybe that wouldn't take off with a name like that, but you get my point.  Every day, bring into light another horrible disease that needs our help.  I believe we can spread out and help other diseases while continuing to "Fight For The Cure".

I have a friend who has a niece with Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB).  Have you ever heard of it?  I dare you to read about it and not ache for that little girl within five minutes.  

http://www.butterflywishesforellie.com/ 

I want to run for Ellie.  I want to raise money to bring awareness to her horrible condition.  No one should have to go through what she goes through on a daily basis.  I want to run to fight for her and get EB to the level of breast cancer.  The level of saving lives and lessening the symptoms like mine were lessened.  And the level where everybody is as knowledgeable on EB as they are on breast cancer.

I have another friend who lost her son to Ornithine Transcarbamylase (OTC).  Have you ever heard of it?  Walker stayed in the hospital for 19 days until he passed away.  My heart also aches for my friend.  To never bring your son home.  To only hold him among other people and wires and tubes.  I am not an expert (hence my point), but it is a genetic disease.  If they had gotten tested before, they could have prevented it.  But where is the awareness for that?  (This month is Infant Loss Month.  I wasn't aware?  Were you?)

http://www.healthline.com/galecontent/ornithine-transcarbamylase-deficiency#definition

I want to run for Walker.  I want to raise money for his terrible disease.  No one should have to go through what that family did.  I want to run to fight for him and get OTC to the level of breast cancer. The level of saving lives and lessening the symptoms like mine were lessened.  And the level where everyone is as knowledgeable on OTC as they are on breast cancer. 

My friend, Traci, is a fighter for breast cancer.  Always was.  Then she was diagnosed and now fights even harder.  

http://www.adventuresoftraci.blogspot.com/

There will always be people fighting for this disease.  I am going to let them continue to fight and save lives affected by breast cancer.  People like Traci helped save my life.

Now it is time for me to take that life that was saved, pay it forward, and save some lives dealing with other horrible diseases.

I guess it is time for me to hit the trails.  Who wants to join me?

My shoelaces for Ellie