Every year as fall begins, October rolls around and with it comes the color pink. For 31 days many organizations are involved in breast cancer awareness and promoting pink products for purchase. Prior to my current role at Gifts of Hope, a nonprofit that assists cancer patients in the Permian Basin, I thought breast cancer awareness was a push to be make everyone aware that breast cancer exists. It seemed absurd to me that this message would need to be expressed for an entire month, every year. Thankfully, some very patient ladies from our “Young & the Breastless” breast cancer support group provided me with a better understanding of what breast cancer awareness is trying to achieve.

If you are female, you need to be aware that there is a one in eight chance of being diagnosed with breast cancer in your lifetime, but a cancer diagnosis is not a death sentence. There are some factors that increase survival. Early detection is the most important because the earlier cancer is identified, the greater the chances for survival. MD Anderson Cancer Center recommends women receive a clinical breast exam every one to three years from age 25 until 40, when annual mammograms should begin. One of our support group members told me that she was in denial about the lump she found because she didn’t have a family history of breast cancer. She was informed by her doctor that it was cancer and that genetics and family history don’t exclude someone from being diagnosed with cancer.

If you have received a positive diagnosis, you need to be aware that you are not alone in this fight. Many cancer patients struggle to share their thoughts and feelings with family and friends, which leads to a sense of isolation. Having relationships with others provides the mental and emotional support needed to fight cancer. The “Young & the Breastless” was the first support group I met on my first day at Gifts of Hope. From that first day these women have shown me the importance of community. Their community with one another provides space for sharing each other’s burdens and successes.

If you think support groups aren’t for you, let me encourage you to try it once and find out for sure. One of the members said she thought support group would be really depressing and sad, so she was initially resistant. She finally checked it out and there were some tears shed, but overall, she felt understood and left feeling stronger. These women have shown me that fighting cancer can create a deeper sense of strength and joy. This is a big reason why Gifts of Hope has the Pink in the Park event every year. We want the community to be aware of all the strong breast cancer survivors in our community and the joy they possess. If you join us on Oct. 15 at Centennial Park, you will experience the strength and joy of our guest speaker, Sheila Simmons. It will be seen by the survivors doing a victory lap and our six survivor fashion models strutting their stuff on the catwalk. There will be joy in the food being served by one of the best food trucks in Midland, Big E’s Xpress. Joy will also be served one scoop at a time by our friends from Marble Slab Creamery.

If you are someone that knows someone who was diagnosed, there are things to be aware of to help. The smallest things can make the biggest impacts. A gift of their favorite candy, a note of encouragement, a phone call to just chat, or even taking them to lunch can help them keep fighting. Cancer patient caregivers should be aware that they have their own trauma to work through. Many caregivers do not take time to process their thoughts and feelings. Gifts of Hope wants you to be aware that you are not alone and we are here to provide support for you too.

Doing the research to answer my own question, “is breast cancer awareness still necessary,” has opened my eyes to the increased need for awareness of breast cancer. I want to be aware of all the different issues should my wife, daughter or even my neighbor ever face a breast cancer diagnosis. Everyone needs to be aware in order to provide support, hope, and love to those that need it.

For more information about our support groups, go to www.giftsofhopetx.org

10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 15

Open to the public and free to attend

Clinton Dickson is the Gifts of Hope executive director