A New Kind of Challenge

We’re awash in writing challenges these days, and what I’ve been reading has been inspiring, from a cathartic release of pent up pain and frustration to the bonding over shared experiences, ridiculous as they may be. These challenges can both center us and remind us that we may each be on our own path, but we will always intersect on the journey.

As you are probably sick of hearing by now, on Friday I saw the film Pink Ribbons, Inc. It said all the things that many of us in the breast cancer blogosphere have been saying for some time now. Chief among the highlights for me are:

• We need to stop blaming the victims and start focusing on the disease.
• Breast cancer has become one big party, with walks nearly every weekend throughout the year, pink boas and upbeat music and a carnival atmosphere. Is breast cancer something to celebrate?
• “Pink” has become an industry, and while the film mentions any number of corporate campaigns with breast cancer tie-ins, even worse are the ones that have NO tie-in. And we are sick of being a marketing tool!
• If we don’t know what causes it, we aren’t likely to “cure” it.
• There is probably enough money, but we aren’t smart about how it is used.

So here’s my challenge: We can all agree that words matter, but actions do, too! To begin this multi-part challenge, I’d like to know what YOU think the most important action step is to eradicating breast cancer. It doesn’t have to be one word, but try for one idea.

For me, the most important action is to coordinate research and channel funding in order to eliminate duplication and foster cooperation.