Think Pink

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This is an annual campaign to increase awareness for this disease. Every year hundreds to thousands of women die from breast cancer. Although many people wear the pink ribbon for support, they do not quite understand or are aware of what happens to the women who fight this disease. Even though its hard, many women end up surviving. Within Chadron High School there are a few students that have survivors as mothers.

As a child it is hard to see your mother go through the pain and suffering of chemo and the other difficulties and hardships of dealing with breast cancer. You watch them undergo surgery, losing their hair, regular check ups, and also trying to keep up with their motherly duties. “It’s not only heart breaking, but it makes you realize how tough your mom really is,” said Kaitlyn Haug, whose mother went through breast cancer 4 years ago.  

Tyler Westlake, whose mom just fought the disease a year ago, said, “It was both emotionally and physically tough for me when my mom had breast cancer.” 

This disease is not only difficult on the women that undergo this disease but also their friends and loved ones.  When Kaitlyn found out her mother had breast cancer she was not only shocked , but also scared, worried, and didn’t quite understand. When Tyler was told the news he said, “It was hard to believe at first, but it got better, and I understood more later on.” He also said, ” I am not worried about the cancer coming back because they caught my mom's early.” 

Kaitlyn said, “I realized that life is much shorter than it seems, and this experience has made me realize I need to have a better relationship with my mom.” Although Tyler said that this has not changed his relationship with his mom.  

October is the month to think pink and realize that when life kicks you, let it kick you forward. This is the month to not only support, but raise awareness for the survivors, non-survivors, and the diagnosed.