Pink with a purpose

The month of October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and it seems that no matter who you talk to, we have somehow been affected.  We know of someone who lost the battle, is battling or is a survivor.  I met a woman named Shelby Coriaty (she’s in the photograph on Day 1 with me).  Shelby was diagnosed with Breast Cancer at the age of 40 and in a 5 year period has undergone 18 surgeries.  Let me tell you that if you are thinking about feeling sorry for her, don’t.  She’d kick your butt and has the greatest attitude ever!  In fact, she has a grandchild and she and the other grandmother (who was black, you’ll see why this is relevant later in the post)  were both diagnosed, unfortunately the other grandmom gave up and Shelby has said that as soon as she gets to heaven, she’s going to kick her butt.  After meeting her, I have no doubt that she’s going to make that happen.

Shelby decided to not just be a survivor but to go on a crusade to help women who are uninsured get mammograms.  Every year she works to help put together a walk where men wear high heels to raise funds for these uninsured women.  It’s called Heroes N’ Heels and as she said, “the good thing is we spent the money, but the bad thing is, we spent the money”. Heroes N Heels has provided 175 Screening Mammograms, 17 Diagnostic Mammograms, 28 Ultrasounds & 9 Biopsies over the past 2 years.  Seven of these women tested positive for cancer and was able to get life saving treatment because of this program.

I decided to go on my own little crusade to help this organization.  I wore the color pink for 7 days and asked for donations to help this effort.  There are more white women diagnosed but more black women die from breast cancer.  This statistic really hit home for me.  I’m self employed and have no health insurance and its a program like this that could truly mean the difference between life & death from someone like me.

Like so many others I’ve been affected by Cancer, I lost a good friend to breast cancer a couple of years ago, I lost my grandfather to prostate cancer & ironically, on day 7 of my Pink with a Purpose crusade,  I started my day at the funeral of my best friends dad who succumbed to cancer.  Research & education is paramount to the extent that even retailers such as QVC are offering their net proceeds to support the hope for a cure.  Please donate if you can,  lend your support by volunteering or venture over to QVC and buy yourself a pair of shoes for 50% off and know that you are not only adding something special to your closet but adding something special to someones life. One day, there will be a cure and cancer will no longer rob us of our loved ones.  Thank you all for your support!