Weekly Round Up: It’s the End of October but NOT the End of Breast Cancer!

Time for this week’s round-up of the best of the blog posts which I’ve read over the past week. These are the posts that have moved me, taught me something, inspired me, and which I’ve wanted to share with you. Don’t forget if you have written a post which you would like readers to see, just leave a comment below.

And so we come to the end of another Pinktober and as Kimberly succinctly says “Buh-bye Pinktober!”

Dr Susan Love reminds us it’s the end of October but not the end of breast cancer:

As October comes to an end, we can put away our pink clothes for another year and focus on the real challenge….not awareness but action!

Yvonne Watterson writes how “After an interminable month of pink ribbons and races, I will still have breast cancer. I haven’t made the five-year mark yet so we can’t say it’s in remission, and in spite of all the stories we hear about women who have been “cured,” the fact is that breast cancer may recur at any time. Long term remission is just not the same as being cured.”

And Jackie makes the following point:

I’ve heard people on more than one occasion say that breast cancer is: ‘the best cancer to get’. Truth is, the only good thing about cancer, is not getting it in the first place

Nancy is wrapping Pinktober up with a great movie give-away,  Gayle shares a helpful round-up of stories you may have missed and both Laurie and Susanne recap their October posts. Finally, do read Tinged Pink: When The Cancer Narrative Can’t Compass Your Loss on the excellent Breast Cancer Consortium blog.

Elsewhere in the blogosphere….

It’s so important that we write about the less-talked about losses of cancer. Our relationships are often a casualty and this week Beth shares openly and honestly her experience of divorce during cancer.

Sara Diamond shares some wonderful stress-busting and self-care tips.

Justine has completed a video trailer for her super book Ever Upward (which I am currently reading and looking forward to reviewing).

Cancer can take us to dark places, as Sarah‘s latest post attests to,  which is why we need to light the way when we can for each other – this is the achingly beautiful theme of Laurel‘s latest post in Cancer Is The New Black.

Lisa examines some worrying breast cancer disparity trends.

Britt’s reluctance to join a gym made me smile and nod my  head with vigorous understanding.

Rebecca shares the experience of a young woman with breast cancer on her blog, Secret Diary Of  A Chemo Girl.

Helen continues to provide  lots of great information on lymphedema and Yvonne shares a yoga pose for lymphedema this week.

Here’s a lovely post by my friend Andy remembering his father on Día De Muertos.

Caroline shares a video on men with breast  cancer.

Check out Uzma‘s Faces Of Breast Cancer profile in the New York Times blog.

Some exciting news for Philippa as her first book is officially launched.

Debbie is moving on with a new website.

Elizabeth shares an important lesson on expectations this week.

Read Anne Loeser, an Inspire blogger, on Seeing Red During Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Some good advice from Lisa on self-advocacy.

A thought-provoking post by the Cancer Curmudgeon on whether or not to bare all when it comes to cancer scars.

Many of our scars are hidden from view, but no less painful. Beverly writes of these for Coping With Cancer magazine.

I always enjoy posts which celebrate the post-chemo haircut – check out Jamie’s new hair-do on her blog.

And while not quite ready for a restyle just yet, Elissa’s hair is starting to grow back.

The Malignant Ginger‘s latest post takes me right back to my own beanie-hat -wearing-no-hair days.

Having a bad day, week, or month? Then read the Pink Underbelly for some perspective.

Lulu shares information on how her clinical trial is going.

Team Booby And The Beast is going to Washington for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer.

Margaret shares news about the National Cancer Institutes’ study:  The Exceptional Responders Initiative.

There’s usually one blog each week that defies a neat summary, and this week it’s Catherine’s turn 🙂

A mouth-watering Pink Kitchen recipe for Baked Delicata Squash with Sweet Almond Glaze.

Finally, I leave you with a question from Justine to take us into another week

What would it be like to stop doing and let it be?

 

Until next week,

Yours with love

Marie xxx