What Breast Cancer Awareness Month Can Teach Us

October is coming to a close, and that means Breast Cancer Awareness Month is ending.

I've always had a funny relationship with Breast Cancer Awareness Month, or "Pinktober" as it is sometimes called. On the one hand, I really hate all of the pink that comes with it. My kids' old school did a "Pink Day,"and my town painted one of its police cars pink. Plus there are all of the pink-wrapped products at the grocery store.

Part of it is jealousy. I'd love it people cared about Lymphoma as much as they seem to care about Breast Cancer.

But I also recognize that there is some good that comes with "awareness."

I wrote about this is a piece I had published on The Mighty a few days ago. It's called "What the Rest of Us (Cancer Patients and Survivors) Can Learn from Pinktober." I invite you to take a few minutes to read it.

Ultimately, the lesson for all of us is that if we want others to be "aware" of our cancer, then we have to be the ones to make it happen. And that means being open about what we experience, encouraging people to do things to prevent cancer, to get themselves tested (and to do self-exams), and, if they are unfortunate enough to get a cancer diagnosis, to educate themselves about their disease.

So if you are like me, and you got a little frustrated at all of the pink from the last month, try to see some good in it. There are absolutely people who exploit Pinktober for their own gain, and that's a shame. But -- big picture -- talking about cancer is better than not talking about it.

I'm looking forward to another month of learning and writing.