As you may have read below, I am a fan of Maya Thompson’s blog. While reading one of her posts I found one that really struck me. She explained how she used to like the show The Real Housewives (A show I am guilty of watching as well. Those New Jersey women are crazy!) and after watching an episode she felt sick to her stomach. She couldn’t believe how these woman were fighting and gossiping about little petty things while her son was dying right before her eyes.
In that moment, I became really pissed off
because she is right.
Not only did she open my eyes to how petty these reality stars and celebrities were, but that I happen to live around some people who are the exact same way.
I decided to experiment.
I uploaded an image from my blog on Instagram along with tags such as…
#breastcancer,
#awareness,
#prevention.
I received eight “likes”, five of which were from my family (that felt nice). Now, same day one person I follow uploaded a picture of her frozen yogurt, she received FORTY-FIVE “likes”.
REALLY?!
Something is majorly wrong with this picture (And I’m not talking about the FroYo because it DID look delicious), but the fact that more people cared about the frozen yogurt than breast cancer prevention. I felt robbed and sad because this is part of the problem. It makes me laugh because I let myself get worked up, but I just want to shake these people and show them the realization of cancer.
Not gonna lie, at one point of my life I probably would have pressed that like button hard for that yummy FroYo picture over a breast cancer prevention photo. But until, I was hit with the bombshell of my mom’s diagnoses I realized that FroYo will never cure cancer. I realized that early detection is what cures cancer and I wouldn’t allow myself, my family, my friends, or even my little Instagram followers to be unaware like I was.
I watch these young women, like myself, comment on their friends photos from a party with things like, “Have fun pretty girl!” or “Miss you love!” And I am embarrassed to be a part of that category of 20-something women because we should be helping each other learn and understand the importance of our health.
I am twenty-five years old and I have never had a mammogram. I have never had breast cancer, I have never been through chemotherapy, and I still have both of my breasts.
But I refuse to go through what my mom did. I refuse to watch another person I love fight for their life. I refuse to not speak up as a young woman and try to open other young women’s eyes to what could happen,
so it never does.
I hope that in the future being smart about health and education of diseases becomes a part of our generation. My hopes for young women is that we choose to be better than little petty things because I know we are.
Learn, listen, and spread the word,
So that less women will go through the horrible experience of breast cancer, including yourself.
Because cancer doesn’t care if you are popular on Instagram, pretty girl…
it can get you too.
Hold The Ribbon 
I’ve read Maya’s blog for a long time. But I’ve become pretty turned off by her tirades against breast cancer awareness. I could understand it to a degree and I understand that she is grieving, but she is taking it to far. Women’s lives are just as important as children’s lives. That should be the point, they both deserve our attention.
Three women in my family have died of breast cancer. My great aunt died at 42 leaving her daughter and son absolutely devastated and in the care of by their alcoholic father. Breast cancer devastates children’s lives also. Let’s not forget that.
I am so sorry for the loss in your family. I definitely agree with you about breast cancer devastating children’s lives as well. Although I am lucky to still have my mom, my siblings and I were devastated at one point just from the news of her diagnoses so I can only imagine having to lose someone completely. Women’s lives are absolutely just as important, I couldn’t agree more.