Pink Ribbon Event 2008I went to breakfast today with over 200 women and men for a great cause. Crescent Moon is one of the Retailers for Ribbon sponsors for the 2008 Pink Ribbon Event for Breast Cancer Awareness Month in Wilmington. We will donate a percentage of our sales during this month. Mike also has the five "PINK" vases shown to the left on sale at the shop and proceeds from them will be donated.
If you have never heard of the local Pink Ribbon organization, let me fill you in. I will paraphrase directly from their program...Since its inception in 1998, the Pink Ribbon event has raised more than $850,000 and provided over 4,000 "Comfort Bags" to area women as they undergo treatment for cancer. Distributed by the Zimmer Cancer Center and area physician groups, the Pink Ribbon Comfort Bags are designed to bring comfort to women as they traverse though their cancer journey...from diagnosis to treatment.
It was an energizing way to start the day and inspiring. Frances Weller, always an enigmatic speaker was the Mistress of Ceremonies. Brief words from Jack Barto, President and CEO, of New Hanover Regional Medical Center and the Presenting Sponsor of the event, and Event Chair Sandy Spiers, brought home the importance of local donations and participation in fundraisers benefiting this organization's work. Besides the Comfort Bags, the proceeds provide funding for uninsured women receiving mamography through the Coastal Care Van, our region's only mobile cancer screening van. We all know how crucial early detection is.
As a daughter, sister, cousin, aunt, and friend, I have been fortunate in the fact that I have not had this dreadful disease touch my life up close and personally. But I know I have met and shared conversation with probably hundreds of survivors in my lifetime without knowing their struggles or challenges. Which brings me to mentioning the guest speaker at this morning's breadfast, author Dana Sachs, who has traveled the world, now calling Wilmington home. Her work includes the books "If You Lived Here", a novel, and "The House on Dream Street, a memoir about her experiences living in Vietnam in the 1990s. In her talk she paralleled her journeys abroad with those of a dear friend recently lost to breast cancer. She offered a different perspective, one that made us laugh at one point, but struck a heartfelt chord throughout her speaking.
I guess my point is I've been considering myself lucky to not have had this ugly, debilitating, and sometimes humilating disease touch my surrounding life. But in reality it has. It is there with every woman that has to take the journey to survival. It touched me this morning being among 200 people who care and want to see a cure in their lifetime so that we don't have this reason to have breakfast together.
I have my mammography scheduled for October 17th. I will wait nervously until I hear the results. And I will remember all the support for women that was at this Pink Ribbon event. If you have not scheduled a yearly exam, please do so now...for your sake.
Six friends and my sister joined me at this breakfast and each and every one of them is important to me. I never want them to need a comfort bag, but if they or I ever do, the Pink Ribbon in Wilmington will be there for us.
Information on Breast Cancer Awareness Month:
National Breast Cancer Org
Susan Komen Org
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