Blue In A Pink World
Some of us are old enough to remember when the Women’s Liberation Movement took place
back in the 1970’s. It was an amazing time in our history and every comment, commercial and
article seemed to be about women’s #inequality.
Yes, the right for women to vote, smoke and work came so many years earlier, but the true
revolution happened in the 70’s and no one who lived through it could get away from it or forget about it.
But now, in 2014, about 2,600 men in the United States are living with and experiencing a totally different type of “equality”! Another 400+ will unfortunately join them in this same fight. The fight of being A Man living with a Women’s Disease... BREAST CANCER!
The month of October has grown into a totally PINK month. The
entire United States seems to turn a shade of PINK as every company, organization (Like the
NFL), every city and state jump on the Breast Cancer Awareness bandwagon. Some are truly
dedicated to the cause while others are just “using” this dreaded disease to increase sales
of their products, for positive public relations and to have their company or organization be
viewed as “caring”. There as so many varieties of “PINK” one has to wonder if any other colors really exist in October? Talk about “Inequality”! WHERE IS THE BLUE?
In 2014 and again in 2015 about 2450 MEN (that’s right I said MEN), will be diagnosed with
Male Breast Cancer! Every year about 450 MEN will DIE from Breast Cancer. And no one seems to care!
This Sunday morning in a local Sunday paper in Rochester, New York we found a 24 page
Insert all about Breast Cancer and the “MYTH’S” about Breast Cancer. 24 comprehensive
pages covering every aspect of this dreaded disease. Except, NOT ONE SINGLE WORD, LINE,
PARAGRAPH, let alone story had to do with MEN being diagnosed with Breast Cancer or MEN
How can this be comprehensive when not a word is mentioned about the guys living with the
disease or unfortunately dying from it? #INEQUALITY? Definitely!
The true facts are that about 1 percent of all breast cancers are diagnosed in men, but that
the percentage of men who will die from it is about 4-5 times more likely than their female counterparts. Blue vs. Pink?
Harvey has been living in this PINK world for the past 6 years as he was diagnosed with Male Breast Cancer in 2008. Yes it was a shock- a man being diagnosed but what he quickly learned was that he was not alone. What he also found out was that no one seemed to care! All of these great resources and awareness movements were totally about women.
We vowed that once Harvey beat this (Expletive) disease, we would change the plight of all men dealing with it and find a way to warn those men who are at a higher risk for contracting it. Harvey and his sister
Vicki (who is a three time Breast Cancer Survivor) went to work and formed one of the
first organizations to equal the playing floor, if only just a little.
HIS BREAST CANCER AWARENESS FOUNDATION, Inc. was formed. Our logo is a half Blue, half Pink ribbon to show that, Yes, Men Too Can Get Breast Cancer.
We assist with post diagnosis and post-surgery information. We help with prevention and
making men aware of all of the warning signs. We teach lifestyle changes and mostly we are
there for all the men living in a world of PINK and the stigmas that go along with being BLUE in such a PINK world! Harvey have even written a book, Sir, You Have Breast Cancer! so other men can learn and not feel so alone.
This October, please take a minute to understand that you, your father, your brother or your
son can also be diagnosed with breast cancer. For those men (and women) who are carrying a BRCA1 or
BRCA2 genetic mutation, take a minute to understand that you may pass along a much greater
risk to, not only your daughter, but to your sons as well.
And finally, take a minute to think about this PINK October we live in and understand that there is also a little bit of BLUE in it!
Breast cancer doesn't care what sex you are. It’s trying to kill both men and women EQUALLY!
Let’s get the media and world we live in to understand and treat both Men and Women Equally
while dealing with Breast Cancer! This year remeber #BAD2014 #Blogaction14, #Inequality, #Oct16 It's a Pink and Blue disease!