Pink- I must confess was never a color I cared that much for. I grew up a semi Tomboy, as much of a Tomboy that I could be with my Mexican mother dressing me in overly frilly dresses. I loved to play with my brother and his friends, digging in the mud, climbing trees, and playing shooting war games. Pink was not on my radar. I was one of those mothers that was anti pink for my daughter when she was a baby. Trying hard to steer her away from the stereotype of pink for girls and blue for boys. It was my daughter that taught me my first lesson in pink when she chose to have a pink pepto bismol colored bedroom. Sometimes pink is a choice and not a stereotype.
I have recently discovered the symbolism of color. Hillary Clinton’s wearing white for signifying women’s suffrage, red on politians for power. And now I have found power in pink. I was recently, diagnosed with breast cancer. A diagnosis that completely took me by surprise. It was caught on a screening mammogram and not palpable – even after I knew exactly where the tumor was. As I struggled to make sense of my soon to be new world I became drawn to the color of pink. Pink from the woman’s march, pink for the breast cancer color. I began one morning of particular despair chanting “Pink power pink power” and found strength in that chant. I realized the power of pink. This is my journey with breast cancer. It is just beginning. Surgery is my first hurdle. I have decided to use my new found power to create this website. I will be filling it with information I know and also that I discover. Hopefully, my words and information here can help ease the path for others. My prognosis is good but my journey is long. I feel I am already a little stronger with the power of pink- my new best friend.