my breast cancer reader

my body remembers at this time of year & I'm taking October off

Since 2020, I have chosen to spend October’s mostly offline. All of the breast cancer awareness content and conversations are a bit triggering. Not because I don’t believe in the importance of awareness or teaching people how to do self-breast exams or in the power of sharing breast cancer experiences, but because I find (or at least have found in the past) that the corporate pink ribbon machine pisses me off. I have been upset by brands breast cancer awareness campaigns that don’t actually include breast cancer patients or survivors. I have been pissed off by what people who are not patients or survivors or caregivers say in their breast cancer awareness content. And so I decided that to protect my peace, during October’s, I will be offline.

I live with an ever present awareness of breast cancer. I do not need to be reminded of it.

But, one thing I do in this space is write about my experience of and relationship to breast cancer and that writing is important because it helps me process my experience, allows other breast cancer patients and survivors to be seen and reflect on their experience of/relationship to breast cancer, and increases awareness for those who are not patients, survivors, or caregivers.

I want more breast cancer awareness material from breast cancer patients, survivors, and caregivers.

So while I will not be online in October (which means I won’t be on social media or publishing in this space), as someone who for better or worse fits the bill of who I want to hear from in October, of who I believe should be centered in October, as a breast cancer survivor I thought it important to collate my writing on the subject here for anyone interested.

The links move from most to least recent.

As always, check your tits and center patients, survivors, and caregivers. Breast cancer is a disease that impacts real people who can and do speak about their own experiences. Let’s all remember to lift them up first and foremost this month.

My remission anniversary (4 years!!!) is October 28th, so I might have something to share here on October 30th (always sticking to that Wednesday publishing date), but if not, I’ll be back in November.

more soon,
Gabrielle

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My Breast Cancer Reader