Normally, I would acknowledge it was such and such month and move on. But this year, it was different.
Recently, I purchased a yellow car. When purchasing the car, I wasn't sold on the color, but really had no other choice. It was a great car and I was starting to like the noticeable yellow. But everyone was making dumb jokes about it.. "how much is the cab fare?".
A friend was promoting Childhood Cancer awareness coming up in September and mentioned that Yellow is CC's color. I figured, why not embrace the yellow. I took a window marker and wrote "Childhood Cancer Awareness Month" on the back window of my yellow car & "the cure starts now.com" on the side back windows. At first people I knew and regularly saw, thought it was cool.
About two weeks into sharing the awareness I was sitting in the bank drive through waiting to deposit my money with my window down. A lady in the other lane rolled down her window and said "Thank you! I am a surviver! Thank you for your awareness" I was speechless. I sat there staring at her, not a word coming to mind. Never did it occur to me someone I didn't know would comment on it.
A few days later I was driving back from EIU when I pulled into a gas station to refuel. While standing there waiting, a man pulled up beside me and asked "can you donate at that website?" pointing to my window. I nodded my head yes and smiled.
Once back at Woodstock I went over to a friends house to babysit her kiddos. She went through the regular, "that one has eaten, that one hasn't. He has computer time, that one needs to read his book".. on and on. Then she said "I'll just be in the neighborhood, I'm hanging teal ribbon" she said good-bye and was off. While playing with the kids, it dawned on me why she was hanging ribbon. Teal is the color of Ovarian cancer. In the days to follow I noticed teal ribbon around trees or post all over town. Every time I saw one, I smiled.
Cancer is an awful thing. It takes the lives of thousands of people, and it forever changes those it doesn't take. At this point a cure has not been found for several types. I may not be some world changing scientist that one day will find the cure, but I am a somebody who can do one small thing to spread the awareness, in hopes that my awareness will reach another person, who's awareness will reach another, and on and on until that world changing scientist is made aware, and forever changes our lives. And if that day never comes, then at least my awareness can offer a little support for those who have been affected by it.
Always Have Hope.
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