By Sheri Kay
October will be here before you know it, and it’s as though the entire country plans to be covered in pink. I never really liked pink – until I became one of the reasons that pink is so popular.
My diagnosis came to me in February 2010 while I was on a mission trip in Guatemala. To be perfectly honest, by the time October came around “breast cancer awareness” was overwhelming and almost frustrating to me. My personal awareness was so high that I remember wishing the color pink would permanently disappear. I saw pink on every milk carton, newspaper, magazine, cup of yogurt, menu, and commercial. Pink ribbons were everywhere – including dental instruments! I couldn’t even make myself watch football, as the NFL players were proudly displaying their pink ribbons and pink socks, and I simply had enough.
As I completed my treatment and moved slowly away from the trauma of surgeries and chemo, I began to develop a very sweet and strong appreciation for everything pink (and especially pink ribbons) because of what they represent. Breast cancer awareness is about one thing: saving lives. And if there is one thing that I love being commited to and supporting, especially after what I’ve been through, it is helping to create a world where less and less people have to hear the words, “you have cancer.”
For so many people, pink has become a connection piece to stimulate conversation, support, and a way to bring people together in community. Cancer is, after all, a community disease, affecting not only the patients with the diagnosis, but also the family, friends and professional network of people around them. We are sadly at a place where nearly every single person has been touched by cancer in one way or another. This is why I have come to love October! It’s a month where we can all stand together toward a common cause and truly make a difference.
In the spirit of team, the power of dentistry, and our dedication as a profession to the cause, please consider how you and your team will participate this October. Here are some ideas to get your creative juices flowing. Your plan can be as big or as small as you want it to be. Remember that this kind of project also happens to be great marketing for your practice.
10 Tips for Participating in Breast Cancer Awareness:
- Let’s start with the obvious and easy ones. Give away pink carnations, pink ribbons, pink floss, or pink lip gloss. Consider “I love boobies” bracelets for guys.
- Have a potluck for your team – all the food has to be pink! (Okay, pink punch is sufficient if you can’t be more creative)
- Instead of those boring old scrubs, spice up your team colors and have everyone wear pink. Use pink gloves for the month too!
- Create a team (or join an existing one) for Relay for Life. If you have never attended a Relay it is both fun and incredibly inspirational. Preparing for an event like this is a wonderful team-building activity enjoyed by all, including your patients!
- Dedicate your Facebook page to the cause for the month. For every patient that “likes” your Facebook page in October, you can donate $1 to the cancer cause of your choice. Ask patients to post their own survivor stories on your Facebook page too.
- When reviewing medical histories with your patients, be sure to ask about mammograms and family history. It’s also a perfect time to revisit your protocols for oral cancer screenings, including extra-oral exams.
- Set up a booth at a local festival or fair offering free oral cancer screenings and give away more pink carnations or pink ribbons.
- Have an open house at your office and make it a pink ice cream social. Encourage patients to bring their friends and offer door prizes.
- Did someone say pink cookies in the reception area?
- As a team, make a bunch of big pink teeth and sell them for a dollar in honor or in memory of others. You can stick them up all over the office and donate to the cancer cause of your choice.
On a more serious note, think about scheduling time to sit around the reception area with your team over some hot chocolate or tea to offer your own stories. Yes, we have all been touched by cancer, and what a wonderful way to honor ourselves and each other by taking time to share and to listen each other.
Wishing you and the people you love a beautiful October filled with falling leaves, and just a little bit…of pink.
When Sheri was diagnosed with Breast Cancer in 2010, she began to capture her experience through blogging and quickly found that others were inspired by her writing. She has since published her journey as a book, Hineni: Here I Am and has become a friend and confidant to many women fighting the same battle. Sheri hopes that her words will continue to be a source of hope and strength for people facing not only breast cancer, but any of life’s challenges. www.sherikay.com
