HappyPause shares Liz Benditt’s Love / Hate Relationship with Pink October
Last year at the start of Breast Cancer Awareness Month I was eagerly hopping on the bandwagon trying to figure out what I could do to ensure we at HappyPause™ were visibly supporting breast cancer awareness because so many of our loyal customers have lived through breast cancer. Then I came across Liz Benditt from The Balm Box ‘s blog. This blog changed everything for me. I’m saving my pink to heighten awareness on other days throughout the year. And I’ve been waiting with baited breath for an entire year to ask Liz to takeover our HappyPause Blog Page at the start of October. I’m so happy she said yes.
The wait is over and with no further adieu, let’s go back to the state of my birth, Kansas in the USA where Liz is based to help her message take on a global ripple effect:
My Love / Hate Relationship with Pink October, by Liz Benditt
We are entering PINK OCTOBER… a tricky tricky month for breast cancer patients and survivors alike. Local fountains will spew pink water, landmarks will be draped in pink banners, and sports teams will swap out standard jerseys with hot pink t-shirts. The message is loud and clear: October = BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH.
Certainly if all this pink stuff helps women remember to schedule their annual mammograms and pink décor and t-shirts save lives, I’m ALL IN.
But – at least for me, as a breast cancer survivor – Pink October is a rough month. I don’t actively LIKE being reminded of the misery of my treatments, and in some weird way, all the pink-ness throws a lot of pressure on us breast cancer survivors to show up and be spunky. We’re expected to grin and brag about how cancer can’t keep us down, we’re FIGHTERS. And while that is absolutely true – we ARE warriors – the expectation to perform the role of PINK SURVIVOR can be a lot.
It’s one of the reasons I’m not a fan of “kicking cancer” tote bags and coffee mugs. They might be good for folks once they are DONE with their treatments and on the road to recovery. But they can be hugely problematic for patients in the middle of treatment, hurting, exhausted, and mentally drained.
Those t-shirts and tote bags are not always inspirational. In fact, they can be the opposite – like pressure filled pointer fingers, making patients feel the need to appear sunny and cheerful when they feel anything but. They imply a sort of expectation for patients to be a picture perfect rockstar spouting motivational quotes and dancing to tic tok videos. Sure, there will certainly be a small portion of patients who love that stuff and genuinely find it meaningful – but be careful – most of us do not. How do I know? We ASKED patients about this exact dynamic in our 2020 market research and the results were loud and clear – the vast majority of cancer patients do NOT want or like cancer themed motivational gear.
If you are a breast cancer patient or survivor this Pink October – hang tight – it’s 31 days long. But the good news is that you’re rewarded with miniature Hershey bars and candy corn on the last day of the month! 
And if you are an adjacent member of the club (friends and family members of breast cancer patients) – maybe think twice before outfitting yourself head to toe in pink this month. There are far better ways to support cancer patients – of course our favorite is to buy them a Balm Box! But, cards, messages, meals, cleaning the kitchen, running a load of laundry, and making grocery runs are going to be far more meaningful and appreciated than pink t-shirts and tote bags.
Happy Pink October everyone – we can do this!
By Liz Benditt
Gifting Cancer Hampers in America
For our American readers, be sure to check out Liz’s thoughtful and thorough range of cancer care gifts at Balm Box.
Gifting Cancer Hampers in Australia
And in Australia, HappyPause™ trialled a range of curated hampers. Sonya Lovell, you made me cry when you had me on as a guest on your Dear Menopause podcast and mentioned how much receiving a hamper like our HappyPause Chemo Care or Cancer Recovery hampers would have meant to you! I appreciate all the time the COUCH (Cairns Organisation United for Cancer Health) Wellness Centre team spent providing feedback and improving our hampers. Not to mention the incredible Justine Martin with your addition of Fruit Tingles– AMAZING!!!!!
Wherever you are on the globe reading Liz’s message today, if you have a girlfriend who is struggling with medical treatment, simply be there for her. Give her the peace, the hug, the distraction or the space she needs.
