Save The Women

Usually I would have already talked to you all about this – the importance of it, the necessity of it, the life-changing / life-saving need of it; but it’s been a good year. I’ve received no new phone calls and there have been no new discoveries that I am aware of, which means, that all is well for now.

For the past five years, and for every single one of those five years, I have had at least one girl-friend receive the news that no woman ever wants to hear: “Ma’m you have tested positive for breast cancer and we must begin a plan for treatment”. One year, two of my friends received that same, awful news, so the count for five years is at 6 women and running. That doesn’t even include all the women that you already knew who survived it, or the new fighters you will meet while you walk through someone else’s journey with them, hoping to provide comfort and support.

This has been a good year, and as silly as it sounds, I didn’t want to jinx it by saying so. My last friend who received her own news September of 14’, finished her last chemotherapy treatment this past October 1st. She is a traveling store organizer for a national company and she’s back at work full-time. She travels from one store to another, setting and re-setting their store-fronts for business. It can be hard physical labor, but she is tough and she has persevered.

As far as I’m concerned, every single woman who has been diagnosed are tough, strong and determined. I don’t know a single one who sat down in defeat and refused to do whatever it took to make sure they would still be here for themselves and their families.

But you know I read something the other day and the author was talking about all these advertisements and catch-phrases that are used to get people’s attention and raise awareness – one of them being those bumper stickers that say things like “Save the Ta-Ta’s”. Well it got me to thinking, because I have one of those very same stickers on the tailgate of my truck; I’ve had for at least five years or more. I bought when my first close friend was diagnosed, calling it a show of support – I guess.

Well what I read was talking about how all these stickers are certainly recognized for what they are – but how about we make some stickers and signs that just simply say – Save the Women. And I thought to myself, what a powerful statement that is – because in the end, although losing body parts is not a wishful or encouraging thought, it is a better thought than losing a person, losing a loved one.

We love people, we love women; not for their appendages, but for themselves and who they are: as mothers, grandmothers, wives and friends. Get your annual mammograms - matter of fact - get all of your women well-health appointments every year. Be proactive in living, save the women – save yourselves.