Tag Archives: Awareness

Pinking of the NFL

I am a big fan of Spike’s Ink Master. It is an elimination-style reality show, where tattoo artists compete for $100,000 and a feature in Inked Magazine. On one of the final episodes last season, artists did post-mastectomy tattoos for breast cancer survivors. There were some beautiful pieces in there! Episode highlights here.

This season there is also a breast cancer-related episode and it airs tonight (November 18 @ 10pm EST on Spike). DeAngelo Williams of the Carolina Panthers appears as a guest judge. He talks about his mom and her four sisters who all died from breast cancer. The artists are designing a piece to honor DeAngelo’s family. What he doesn’t say in the previews, and I’m not sure if he mentions in the full show, is that his mother and her sisters all carried a mutated BRCA1 gene, which they inherited from their father, DeAngelo’s grandfather. He and his two sisters are negative for the mutation.

What does this have to do with the pinking of the NFL? I don’t watch football and don’t follow the athletes at all, but I have noticed that there’s an awful lot of pink out there. I did not know DeAngelo’s story or that he is largely responsible for the players of the NFL wearing pink during Breast Cancer Awareness Month. His mom was the inspiration behind the idea for players to start wearing pink cleats five years ago.

Breast cancer has affected me to my core. I’ll never forget the loss of my family members. But it also allowed me to use the platform I have in the National Football League to bring awareness all over the country. -DeAngelo Williams

In the BC and HBOC worlds there has been a lot of talk around awareness (aren’t we all aware?), the love or hate for the month of October (aka Pinktober), and pinkwashing, but that’s another topic for another day. I am just sharing the previously-unknown-to-me sotry of the pink in the NFL. Are you going to watch tonight? I am!

Related articles:

Wear Pink For My Mom, Who Lived to Love (by DeAngelo Williams, si.com)

FORCE jewelry fundraiser

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EXCITING NEWS: I have launched yet another fun fundraiser to benefit FORCE: Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered!

This time I am making and selling cancer awareness themed jewelry. Started with bracelets in many different styles, sizes, and colors (not just pink and teal). Now that I have some free time on my hands while I recover, this is a great way to keep busy! Other products coming soon. I am taking custom orders too!

I am really excited about this fun project and supporting such a great organization, which has helped me and many others facing hereditary breast and ovarian cancer. These bracelets are great for previvors, survivors .. those undergoing treatment .. families and caretakers! Buy and wear (or gift) this hand made cancer awareness jewelry to show your your love, support, and warrior spirit.

I hope you love these as much as I love making them. I donate all proceeds from this fundraiser to FORCE: Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered (www.FacingOurRisk.org). FORCE is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and families affected by hereditary breast and ovarian cancer. People like me and many of you.

Please visit my Etsy shop to see more styles and place an order. Mother’s Day is coming up! These bracelets make great gifts! As I mentioned, I am taking custom orders too, so if you’d like to purchase one, but don’t see something you like. Send me a note!

P.S. Recovery update coming soon. Going to my follow up appointment later this afternoon.

Boobfographic

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For all those Ladies that still have their boobies, here’s a fun boobfographic (I came across on good ol’ Imgur; originally posted by R.O.I Media) demonstrating ways to check the girls:

Breast Cancer is treatable if it’s detected early on. This means that if you, or you and your partner, examine your breasts regularly for warning signs, you stand a better chance of finding lumps before it’s too late.

Tip #1

The soap you use in the shower allows your fingers to glide along the surface of the skin, making it easier to feel irregularities in the texture of the breast tissue.

Tip #2

Checking your partner’s breasts – or your own – isn’t all about intimate fondling; you have to stay focused. Gently massage with varying levels of force to ensure that the area is thoroughly examined.

Tip #3

Remember that it’s not just the soft breast tissue that needs to be checked, but the whole chestal area – from collar bone to armpit to upper ribcage.

It doesn’t matter whether your cup is half full or if it runneth over – it’s essential to take a hands-on approach to your boobal well-being. Use these three easy steps when examining your breasts and consult your doctor for further information. See more at R.O.I Media.

BTW, today is my one year blogaversary. Woo hoo! A year ago I wrote my first post: You’re doing WHAT? What a difference a year makes!!!