Awareness????

It is October and the world is celebrating Breast Cancer awareness month. There are pink decorations, cup cakes, donuts in pink ribbon shapes everywhere. People are wearing pink bands, pink pins, pink head gears and I myself went around the town putting up pink ribbons in support of Breast Cancer Awareness month. There are so many products that are packaged in pink boxes or are sold in pink color, the proceeds of which benefit some or the other non-profit organization.
One of my friends told me that they were asked to wear pink on the first working day of October and everyone was very supportive and did accessorize with pink jewelry or wore pink outfits. Their office was all about pink. They ordered a pink icing cake and gave away pink goodies. My questions to her were, "Did you discuss why you were doing all this? Was there a speech about the awareness on breast cancer? Did you learn about where the proceeds from such fundraisers go? Do you know what kind of research are people doing with the money they raise? Do you know what is Breast Cancer? Do you know how to do a self exam and have ou ever done one on yourself?". The answer, as I had expected it to be, was "NO".
How do people help in spreading awareness about breast cancer by just dressing up in pink or by purchasing pink products or chewing a gum in a pink packaging, the proceeds of which will benefit a reserach program that they have no idea what its all about? How do you support the cause, when you are a part of why we need this awareness?
There have been so many supporters to my cause. There are so many people who cheer me up or tell me how proud they are that I am so positive and survived this disease with a brave heart. I can actually count how many or how few of these people, family and friends, have actually done their own breast exams or gotten a mamogram after the age of 40. It is shocking that people who motivate me in what I do to spread a word about breast cancer have not yet learned why I am actually doing this. It saddens me to know that my very close friends and relatives who have all the means to get their regular health exams fail to do so. Is it because they are too lazy or scared of what they will learn about their health. If they are so scared now, then what will they do when they are actually faced with something that they fear happens to them?
I feel like I want to shake these people, open up their mind and shout in their ears!! Wake up!!
Yes, its October and Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but what are you doing to make sure that this is not a month that you want to support because you or you family member/friend is going through it. Leave apart October and the cause attached to it, how about just a regular physical exam?
Stay in tune with your body. One life, one body - Respect it and Love it!! Its your own!