The power of wearing pink

On Wednesday's we wear pink!

Unlike the mean girls Regina, Gretchen and Karen, Kissed by Pink started wearing Pink every Wednesday to show support for those facing breast cancer. I like to have fun with it! It's a little reminder of how far I've come and when I see loved ones sending me their outfits for the day sporting some pink earrings, top or even a new hairdo! That makes me feel like I'm not alone. It is a simple way for people wanting to help and be there to support me. My experience has shown me that many people don't know how to react or help when someone very close to them has been given such life changing news. Sometimes, wearing a simple colour is the only thing they can do to show they care.

Now I understand that wearing a single colour fixes nothing. It's just a colour and someone wearing pink does not help us in any way...in a practical sense. That is not the goal though. Wearing pink does not help kill the cancer cells. My best friend wearing pink does not help fold the washing. You know what it does to help? Making me feel thought of, that I'm not facing this single handily. Sure, I might be the one that has to go through treatment, have endless scans, the painful surgeries, lose my hair, lose my energy, lose my sense of self (the list goes on!), but having someone wearing pink on a specific day means that person has gone out of their way to wear pink for a loved one facing breast cancer.

Breast cancer can be so lonely yet so many women are diagnosed with it every day! Some breast cancer women feel the whole wearing pink fad has become a marketing money making scheme and defeats the purpose entirely. To some degree I see their point. It can feel hurtful that companies are almost taking advantage of the deadly disease. People feeling "pretty in pink" is such a moot point in the big picture. Businesses will always find ways to make more on their bottom dollar. However, in this instance, I feel supported when someone chooses to purchase a pink product and wear it proudly. The statistics are too high for the average Joe to not know someone facing breast cancer. If funds are being raised in conjunction, then what is the harm?

I may be a bit biased, because I love the colour pink! Breast cancer for one is not going to take that joy away from me and two, pink is such a feminine colour. It is nice to be able to feel feminine again even if it is me just wearing a pink pair of earrings. Many breast cancer patients face drastic changes to their bodies that it can be hard to feel like a woman again.

Kissed by Pink's goal is to hopefully grow a community of people embracing the pink every Wednesday to continually raise awareness, show support and solidarity for our pink sisters. Imagine a world where we celebrate the warriors of breast cancer every Wednesday. The ones who are fighting, the ones who have finished treatment and struggling with their new normal, the ones who we have lost but won't forget and the ones who are yet to be diagnosed but hopefully will feel empowered enough to tackle the challenge knowing there is a whole pink community behind them.

Wearing pink is not just a colour, it's a statement, it's empowerment and it's a little F you to cancer in my opinion.