Where's your pink bra?

Do you have a pink bra? Up until about a month ago, I didn’t, but now I have one covered in flowers which I’m waiting to wear on October 27. You see, the last Saturday of this month is the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk.

Thousands of women (and men) will be strapping on a decorated pink bra over their t-shirts, putting on pink wigs, wearing pink tutus. Why? Because they want to stop breast cancer in its tracks.

This is my second year of involvement with the walk. Last year I volunteered to count money behind the scenes. I’ll be doing that again this year, but I made myself a bra this year and got on a team that’s fundraising, too.

October 27, the day of the walk, also happens to be USA Weekend’s Make a Difference Day. What better way to make a difference than to fundraise to fight breast cancer and walk to raise awareness about it?

Here’s some more awareness. Women over 40, like myself, need to get mammograms every year. I didn’t get one last year. My gynecologist moved. I did go see him and get a pap smear, but when I went in, he said he was leaving so soon he wouldn’t get to see the results of my mammogram before he left.

Month after month I put off getting a new gynecologist. I talked to friends about who their gynecologist was. I finally decided on one and kept thinking I’d call her and set up an appointment, but I never did.

The one year anniversary of my last visit to my gynecologist came and went. So I set a goal, to see a new gynecologist and get my mammogram and pap smear before my next birthday. My birthday’s next month and I’ve seen my new gynecologist. I’ve gotten the order for a mammogram from her.

If you’re over 40 and haven’t gotten a mammogram in the last year, set a goal. Give yourself a birthday present and get a mammogram before another year goes by.

A friend of mine lost a breast to cancer last year. She felt a lump in her breast but she put off doing something about it. What’s more important? Your life or the inconvenience (and let’s admit it, pain) of having a mammogram? They’re not fun. I know. But the security of knowing you are OK is worth it.

If you can’t make the Making Strides walk on the 27^th, maybe you can take an hour to do something else to make a difference. You can find a list of projects already in the works on the Hands On Network website.

I want to hear your stories. How have you helped others this week, month or year? Email me at anne@annesanders.net with your story and I may feature it in my blog or on my website. On my website I have an Inspiration in Action section about people making a difference. You may be one of them. You don’t have to start a nonprofit to help others, you just have to care and do something.