Love Stories: What Breast, Bladder & Colon Cancer Awareness Have in Common

Like everyone else - I am so aware of pink this month but I have had a different reaction. You see it makes me feel good because over 15 years ago I had the privilege of meeting the woman behind the "pink" - Nancy G. Brinker - the sister of Susan G. Komen. At the time - she had been working hard for over ten years to raise awareness and find a cure for the disease that took her sister's life. I was in my early thirties and had never heard of her or her organization and quite frankly - I didn't know anyone at the time with breast cancer.

Here's what drew me into her talk - the amazing "love story" between two sisters. You can read it here http://ww5.komen.org/AboutUs/SusanGKomensStory.html The mistakes made during Susan's treatment would never have happened today thanks to the progress made in breast cancer awareness and research - a promise Nancy made to her sister Susan.

Then there was a second love story - Norman Brinker, a billionaire from Texas who started the Chili's chain and Brinker International. He lost his first wife to breast cancer and then met Nancy G. at a fundraiser at MD Anderson where Susan was treated in her final days.

When Nancy and Norman married - they worked diligently to "save" women through early detection and better treatments - in memory of their loved ones. Obviously, Norman's wealth helped fuel the efforts but in the early years Nancy shares how she worked without much support from the public or medical community because people didn't want to talk about something unmentionable like breasts.

Twenty five years later - no matter where you go - in the month of October - I see pink and the first thing that comes to mind is the love Nancy spoke of for her sister the first time I heard her speak. I think of all the people who lost loved ones and had breast cancer themselves that joined Nancy to fight such a ravaging disease - and the love they had for the loved ones they lost continues.

This also brings to mind another love story - Katie Couric and her young husband's battle with Colon Cancer - like breast and bladder cancers - it's another unmentionable. Her organization is a little over 10 years old and doing what they can each March - their designated month.

Well - just like the Breast Cancer and Colon Cancer awareness organizations - BCAN started with a love story as well. BCAN was founded by Diane Zipursky Quale and her husband, John Quale. John was a bladder cancer survivor who was initially diagnosed in July 2000 and died of the disease in June 2008. In case you don't know "our" story - you can read it here - http://www.bcan.org/about/mission-background/ . If it weren't for the Quale's - there wouldn't be a BCAN or the online discussion group we are on now.

We can learn a lot from the breast cancer awareness efforts but we all need to realize that Nancy has been at this for 25 years. We've just started but we can jump start our efforts by learning from our "pink" friends. And our love stories don't stop at Diane and John, they continue on through Candon and Ed, Mary and Ben and Kelley and Mark - just to name a few.

The bottom line - I love people and I hate cancer - no matter what the "color". This month I have attended "pink" events in support of my friends who have been touched by breast cancer. Next July I will invite my friends to attend the "orange" event in support of me and others who have been touched by bladder cancer. Claire just announced a national Bladder Cancer day for next July. Just like Nancy Brinker - these first few years we need to pull together and realize awareness is the first step. (If someone wants to marry a Texan billionaire to fund our efforts - I am sure Cheyenne knows a few - he may even be one:)

I've signed up to help and I encourage you to do the same. After all - together - we're better. Let's tell the world our "love stories", raise awareness and find cures - for all of the "cancers of the rainbow"! Are you up to the challenge?