Weekly Round-Up: The Pink Wave Is Upon Us Edition

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 it’s arrived. Pinktober is in full swing, or as Nancy puts it “The Pink Wave is upon us.” While some embrace Breast Cancer Awareness Month in all its pink array, others count the days until it’s over. As Karin writes, “You do not need to have cancer to sense that cancer awareness days, weeks or months can be complex, helpful, annoying, divisive and frightening. They can throw us off balance.”

This month I am marking 14 years (I really can’t believe it’s 14 years!) since I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I deliberately say marking, not celebrating, for the very reasons that Kathi writes about in her latest post.

I imagine that there are people who feel like throwing a party when they are still NED ten years after they were first treated for breast cancer. I wish I could say I’m one of them. Instead, I’m once again realizing that there really is no such thing as “after” after breast cancer. The Stalker stalks forever.

Complement Kathi’s post with Judith‘s excellent piece on ringing the chemo bell.

JoAnn has set herself the challenge of writing a post every day for the month of October reflecting on what this month means to her.

The question of what to call yourself when you are living with cancer is a thorny one and Sarah tackles it full-on in her latest post, What Am I?

Claudia offers suggestions for where your “pink dollars” should go to make the most impact.

A mystical reflection on love and life from Ilene this week.

A year ago Rebecca Hogue and I collaborated together to write a chapter for an ethics textbook on the ethical use of patient information that is shared on social media. It was a great experience working with Becky and I am proud of the work we did together. Becky shares a snapshot of our finally published chapter on her blog this week.

Sharing our stories can be not only healing for ourselves but incredibly powerful for others who are on this journey too, as Connie‘s latest post testifies.

A reminder from Catherine of those things we have to be grateful for.

Some good practical advice from Margaret on what to eat and drink to beat fatigue.

A great question from Carolyn this week, Is ‘being nice’ hurting women? She writes of women’s heart attack symptoms not being taken as seriously as men’s, but her words can equally apply to all of us, when she writes, “You know your body. You know when something is just not right. Speak up. Stand up. Show up.” See also Sue’s Speaking My Truth To Your Power. 

Dee looks at the perennial question of whether sugar causes cancer in her latest blog post.

Barbara reviews the newly released Breast Advocate app.

Elizabeth is back with a new post and an update.

And finally, this week’s writing prompt with a difference. I am writing an article on the lessons learned from your experience of breast cancer which you’d like to pass on to others.  You may like to write about it on your own blog, or simply leave a comment below.

Until next week,

Yours with much love always

Marie xxx