I really do – college and pro football is  nearing it’s halfway mark; basketball is just starting; the MLB playoffs have begun; and there is nothing like watching softball games in the fall, especially in Utah with the stunning colors surrounding the fields.

But the color of pink is already starting to annoy me.  I’ve pondered the reasons why – there have been hundreds of breast cancer survivors supporting Wacky and our effort to cure childhood cancer.  Why shouldn’t I reciprocate without hesitation?  I want to cure breast cancer as badly as I want to cure childhood cancer – all cancers, actually.  All cancer is stupid.  All cancer sucks.

Maybe I’m jealous, because I’m quite sure if the color “gold” was as extensive in the month of September (the month assigned to childhood cancer) as “pink” is in October, it would bring me a tremendous amount of satisfaction.  I know of some breast cancer survivors that are offended to the object of breasts rather than the woman being sensationalized through various marketing ideas.  Not having gone through breast cancer, I’m not as sensitive to this subject and still think a tee shirt  stating “Save Second Base” is funny to me.  But we certainly don’t see any men wearing tee shirts that state, “Save the Nuts”, which may or may not apply to the object or the man.  Regardless, I would never intentionally be disrespectful to anyone going through a battle with cancer and my remarks are not meant to offend.

Maybe I feel slighted in representing “Kids & Young adults”:  research for childhood cancer is seriously underfunded and the mortality rates for young adults have not changed in nearly 40 years.

Maybe the “business” aspect of the pink campaign seems rampant and I’m left feeling confused as to who is really benefiting from pink products – the corporate sponsor or the charity?  Today I read a couple of interesting articles about this specific question.  Please visit the Charity Navigator website for the following:  “Charities Working to Prevent & Cure Breast Cancer” and “The Ins & Outs of Cause-Related Marketing”  What is impressive is that donors are getting smarter about where their dollars are going and charities are more transparent in their reporting.

The bottom line is that there are some truly amazing charities out there making an enormously impactful difference in the war against cancer.  The awareness factor has been thorough, reaching almost every single family we know.  Now it is time to move from awareness to ACTION.  DO your homework before donating or purchasing a product with a pink ribbon; REACH OUT to someone you know that could use a friend – whether a caregiver or a patient; DEMAND transparency from corporate sponsors; LEARN how your diet and environment impact your chances of getting cancer; ENCOURAGE new research; PARTICIPATE in any type of a cause that means something to you; be a VOICE for those that cannot be heard.

I am hopeful research for ANY type of cancer will benefit ALL types of cancer.  We will continue to learn and share.  I embrace the fact that in the pink month of October, there is a tremendous outpouring of support for those in the cancer community.  This support will have an unlimited ripple effect; in research, in compassion and ultimately eradicating cancer once and for all.

I like pink.