More Thoughts on "The Race"

What, exactly, does awareness mean?

As I already mentioned in an earlier post, it appeared to me that the vast majority of participants in last weekends race were not breast cancer survivors. Maybe they were, but just didn't want to wear the pink survivor shirt or the gay truck driver cap. (The hat was so ugly that I just threw mine in the trash can last year).

So, if the majority of participants are family members, friends, co-workers, etc. of someone who had been diagnosed with breast cancer, then aren't these people already aware of it? Who are they bringing awareness to, themselves?

Are they hoping to bring awareness through the media? The media only takes and publishes pretty pictures.

Do they think they will raise awareness by wearing a pink blob bob wig or a pink mohawk?

Or that pink bicycles will bring about a cure?

Maybe they think that wearing pink seashells will raise awareness of the disease

One thing was certain. This definitely raised awareness.

I thought I would approach her and ask her to pose for a photo, but some guy beat me to it. Good thing he did. It made me all that more aware of the actual issue here, boobs. All I heard from his mouth was, "that's awesome. that is so awesome." And he wasn't some college kid wearing an I Heart Bobbies t-shirt, either.