October is PINK MONTH

 October 9,2025 

OCTOBER is PINK MONTH

Or more formally, Breast Cancer Awareness month. 

Designated so in 1985 in the USA by the American Cancer Society, with early support from former first lady Betty Ford - A survivor herself. It has evolved into a Global 

For those of us who ever heard the words 'You have breast cancer' there is no escaping the awareness.  Whether a person has just heard those dreaded words or you are weeks, years or decades past treatment and in remission, there are scars. Physical, mental & emotional scars.  They are seen and felt everyday, and therefore have a love hate relationship with pink month.  

I do, very much, understand and appreciate the need for pinpointed focused awareness - for research, for the community building that happens through walks, and gatherings that celebrate and remember.  It is vitally important to find others who understand and are compassionate, to join the journey towards understanding & better health. 

Here are a few things PINK OCTOBER should make you aware of:

Your own body! 

• Learn how to do a self exam. 
• Do an exam regularly - Pick one day  and do your exam on that day EVERY week
• Make the time - it could save your life. 
• Get comfortable with your body.        
• Look at yourself in the mirror - take notice of what you see.       
• The more aware you are of your body, the quicker you will recognize changes sooner. 

Know the warning Signs

• Any lump, bump, area hardness in the breast area. Remember breast tissue extends to the armpit area
• Tenderness, swelling, warmth, or redness on or around the area
•  Changes in skin consistency
•  Itchy, scaly, or rashy area around the nipple 
•  Any pain in a single spot that does not go away over time, or intensifies 

If you notice any of the above, please make an appointment with your Doctor.  Early detection is key.

The best way to detect breast cancer early is to get regular mammograms.  Use PINK OCTOBER as your reminder to book your mammogram.  A mammogram can detect a lump as small as 2mm - about the size of a head of a pin vs 22mm - the size of a small grape. The average size lump you might find doing a self exam. 

No one will advocate for you better than  you!

• Be Strong
• Be vigilant 
• Ask questions
• Speak up for yourself
  

Be aware this PINK OCTOBER.

I am ONE of the 1in 8 - it is hard to escape, if you are not one of the 1 in 8 then more than likely you know one or more of the 1 in 8.  We are stronger together.  When we rise to support and listen!  In the next few days I will be sharing the story of my journey.  

🎗Di

  

 

 

No excuses.... no looking back..... just going to post.

It is said that with good friends, you can simply pick up where you left off and go from there. No questions, no excuses, no regrets, no worries, no guilt.   Well that is how I am feeling about my blog, I am just going to pick up and go forward, no should have, could have, or would haves.  (well maybe just a tiny bit of guilt - but I can deal with that).  It is time to sit down with a good cup of java and write on.
 
This morning while sipping my coffee I was truly moved to tears for the 3rd blog entry in a row, by this....

It is so worth the time to read...

http://hopefullearning.wordpress.com/2013/07/23/mom-and-daughter-speak-for-the-first-time-beyond-hello-day-3/

Who says that ONE person or ONE group can not change the world?  It is possible, and it is happening in one of the reportedly worst neighbourhoods in Canada.  Listen to your heart.  How are YOU going to change the world? (How am I? - Know that anytime I ask those sorts of questions I ask them of myself too.)

ONE amazing story. ONE woman following her passion .  ONE Down Town East Side (DTES) resident's world has been changed FOREVER.  ONE daughter many, many, many kilometers away has had her world changed too.  Kristi - the blog writer touches the deep corners of my very core and rises to the surface memories of days gone by.

This story resonates with me deeply and I am transported back.... 

ONE day many, many, many days gone by.
ONE little girl sits on her dad's knee looking at family photos. 
ONE finger pointed
ONE face she did not recognize.
ONE question; WHO is that?
ONE Father struggling with an answer
ONE old wound opened
ONE  journey that led to the DTES
ONE long lost father reunited with his son
ONE grandfather meets 2 of his granddaughters for the first time
ONE meal shared
ONE memory made
ONE old wound starts to heal....   ONE is a good place to start!

There is power in ONE! So much power. . . . I know that it did for my grandpa, for my dad, for me!  For Cindy, and it can for YOU too!

Something worth thinking about.

In light of my last post, this photo really pulled at my heart strings.

I have looked at this photo for a very long time this is what strikes me.

The first being, I can not even begin to imagine this life.  My life in North America is so very different.  I realize that my observations come from a very naive and inexperienced place. A place that however naive is compassionate to the plight of this group of people. I believe that such photos raise awareness, and when we are more aware, we are better able to adjust our way  thinking and be people of action and advocacy.
 
It looks hotter than hot.

This well is HUGE.  ( Has anyone ever fallen in????)

I guesstimate that there are close to 200 people in the photo ( I tried to count, but my eyes are not that good)

There appears to be at least 2 or 3  pots / containers per person.

I look and I wonder how many people come to this well each day?

How big are their families?

I wonder how far they have to walk?

I find it interesting that both men and women gather at the well.

I wonder how long this well has been active and how long before it runs dry.

Just a few of the things that popped into my head...

What do you see? What strikes you? 

I hope in the very least it makes you thankful for the running water in your home.


On a side note I would love to give credit to the person who took the photo, but could not find the original source.  I will continue to look, and when I do will happily  post proper credits.

World H2O day.....

Awareness is key. 

Thinking about a world - or area of the world - with out water is difficult for many.  Especially those of us who live and grew up on the "wet" coast.  In a city where the annual rainfall is1117.2 mm per year finding water is not a problem.  It's simple, we turn a tap and voila safe, affordable, clean water for anything we need.  24 hours a day, 7 days a week, it is available.  On the rare occasion the water main is turned off for maintenance, we think we suffer.  We get notice of when that suffering is  o happen and are given an approximate time line.   We "prepare for the disaster"by filling pots & containers, refrigerating, and if it is going to be a really long time we fill our bathtubs  "Just in case".  We think we suffer. HA, we do not know the meaning of the word.  In my small home alone there are 8 sources where water comes into my home or yard.  Water is available in a wide variety of locations.  From my home I can drive for less than 1/2 an hour in several directions and end up at the ocean or at a fresh water lake, where I can swim, and enjoy many recreational activities.  Water is certainly NOT scarce. We are most fortunate, we should not take this life giving resource for granted.

"Water" source ... notice the garbage and the goats

However, that is not the reality for 100' of 1000's of people who live in climates where they see under 20mm rainfall per year.  If that rain comes in "HOT" season, the water often evaporates BEFORE it even hits the ground.  Then imagine not having a tap, imagine having to walk for  2 kms or more to fetch water only to have to CARRY it back home, on your back, on your head, in buckets by hand.  Only to have to repeat this task again the next day and the next and the next, every day of your life when you require water.  This is how you obtain the water you will use for EVERYTHING, drinking, cooking, gardening, feeding animals, bathing - E*V*E*R*Y*T*H*I*N*G.  In many cases the water source is small, stagnant, polluted, shared with animals, used for bathing and laundry,as well as 100's of people who also walk several kilometers there and back daily just for water. Scenarios like this are ones we in North America can not even begin to fathom. Yet this is REALITY for millions in this world.  Water, the most basic of human need clean drinking water is not something they ever take for granted by these people.

"drinking" water in a market stall in Niamey

Women gather at the well for water

As with most things, unless you have experienced this first hand you can not fathom the issue.  Awareness and education are KEY.  That is why we need world water day.

Here is a little history of World Water Day. 

If you are looking to be able to help,  here is  a link to the Alliance Compassion Catalog  see page 4 on wells and helping get them built.  Page 22 is the form to fill out in order to give. 

This is my friend Adam, a village leader, drawing water from one of the wells built as an Alliance Compassion project. The well is just a few 100 meters from the center of his village.  It provides fresh, clean, safe water for his village of about 1000 people.  Saving them 1000's hours of "water walking" annually.  Adam has also said that the health of his village has improved since the well was constructed.  That is an invaluable gift.  It is the gift of life, of health and most of all the gift of HOPE for the people in Teppe.  It is Water.....it is life!