I have been having a rough go of it lately and honestly felt like most things I do have been a mess. What is the best thing to do when feeling depressed? Usually find a way to serve so I’ll ask for you all to keep reading my blog if you’ve found any of the 720 posts helpful over the years and forgive me if I have offended you in any way along the way. I have certainly done the best I could to make this as compelling reading as possible. My choices haven’t always been great but don’t give up on me! We’ll get another 720!
But let’s focus on other people and let the chips fall where they may. I want to tell you about the Warriors in Pink program because its pretty awesome. It is a program of outreach and well made/attractive products that helps to prevent and find a cure for breast cancer. The goal is to “keep the topic of breast cancer part of everyday conversation and encourage women and men to engage in self-exams. Greater awareness can lead to earlier diagnosis, which in turn, could save lives”
I can’t think of a much better goal than that! Breast cancer is particularly important to diagnose early because it is so treatable. The American Cancer Society says in 2013:
- About 232,340 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women.
- About 64,640 new cases of carcinoma in situ (CIS) will be diagnosed (CIS is non-invasive and is the earliest form of breast cancer).
- About 39,620 women will die from breast cancer
So clearly if we can spread the word on diagnosis and treatment we can save lives. To read about how to do a proper self-exam and to know what to look for go to nationalbreastcancer.org. This is important stuff so if it feels awkward, do it anyway.
After monitoring your own health, would you like to contribute as I desired to? That’s where Warriors in Pink comes in. They sell wonderful clothing, scarfs, bags, and a variety of items for reasonable prices with 100% net proceeds going to 5 breast cancer charities- Susan G Comen, Susan G. Research Foundation, The Pink Fund and the Young Survival Coalition. You can give to one of the 5 or all 5.
I was really impressed with the quality of the items I got and just the apparel proceeds since 2006 adds up to almost 5 million in donations. Pretty great!
The prices are very reasonable with beautiful scarfs selling for $35 down to keychains for $10. There are also beautiful ties for men to show their support. The more women we can keep around for their families the better off this country will be. I firmly believe that.
So its a win-win situation. You get a quality product at a good price that looks cute and you donate to a very important cause with 100% net proceeds going to the charities. Please follow my lead and contribute if you are able.
Thanks, Rachel
Want to see them up close and personal on this video! Go for it!
Rachel's Musings 
My undergraduate Anatomy and Physiology instructor’s mantra was, “A healthy gland is a functioning gland.” The only undeniably effective thing that women can do to protect themselves from breast cancer is to breastfeed their children exclusively for the first six months, and then to continue until natural weaning occurs, which normally happens somewhere between two and four years, on average. Repeated research (too copious to cite here) substantiates this.
A genuine physical “inability” to breastfeed is an extremely rare abnormality, and although modern obstetrical “management” of pregnancy and childbirth needlessly introduces complicating factors, such factors do not contraindicate breastfeeding. Even women who have never been pregnant have trained their bodies to produce breastmilk for their adopted children.
There are those who object to strong breastfeeding advocacy on the basis that artificial infant feeding is an equivalent “personal” or “lifestyle choice,” and that to discourage “choice” is to make women “feel guilty;” however, the “choices” of tobacco, alcohol or recreational drug use by pregnant mothers are strongly discouraged, regardless of how “guilty” this makes women feel. Breastfeeding is the gold standard: it protects the health and saves the lives of women and children.
Breastfeeding is the only physically and psychologically normal, natural, and healthy way to nourish babies and nurture young children, and it is the best protection women have against breast cancer. In our society this is not a popular position to take, but it is the truth. Thank you for providing the opportunity for me to speak out on a subject that was one of the pillars of my professional career.
I so agree on the breastfeeding front. If I had a baby I would totally la leche league. I think it is outrageous that we live in a society where women feel more comfortable in a bikini than they do breastfeeding their baby. The breast is only sexualized because we have made it so. I think this image shows a lot about how backwards we have it in this country http://breastfedblog.blogspot.com/2011/08/breastfeeding-inspiration_19.html
I recently had a huge debate on facebook about whether women should breastfeed their babies during sacrament meeting. I think if they want they absolutely should and I am grateful those who do because they are a good example to other young mom’s and the young women who have grown up with these messed views on their bodies.
This blog is awesome on the topic http://whoopscoop.blogspot.com/2013/09/breastfeeding-and-lds-culture.html
You and I really are kindred spirits. Hardly anyone agrees with me on this one but breastfeeding is a natural beautiful thing. It should not be covered up and it should not be an embarrassment. It is the best thing we can do for our children and it bonds mother to child in an important way. I could also go on and on. Have you read Gabrielle Palmer? Her book on breastfeeding is pretty eye opening. It is very damning on the formula industry that is for sure.
The thing I like about Warriors in Pink is that the stuff is well made, low in cost and 100% net profit goes to breast cancer research. We need to get the word out on self exams and early detection because it is a cancer that is so treatable if caught early. Women, especially mothers, are too important to lose another one.
Thanks for your comment.
As a retired registered nurse, childbirth educator, doula, and La Leche League leader, I can look back on my professional career with satisfaction: I made a difference in a few persons’ lives. But of course I feel best about my primary career as a stay-at-home mom, with four years and ten months (cumulative) breastfeeding experience, and that I set a good example for my sister, who breastfed her only child for two years (I even wet-nursed him once). I make no claims of perfection, but I have lived long enough to see Proverbs 31:28 come to pass (even though the husband was “ex” by that time). Someday, you’ll be a good mother, too.
And thank you, for the links. Incidentally, I always tried to get front-pew seats when my four were babies and small kids. They were much better behaved, there.
Thanks. I hope I get the chance