PINK TOMORROW

Dear Dubai,

Sending you America’s refreshing Autumn breeze! 

Hope the past summer wasn’t that rough and you’re ready to embrace the much-needed season change.

As the temperature and humidity levels become kinder, not to mention the sense of normalcy after the pandemic’s erratic peaks and troughs, let’s keep our conscious effort to stay safe. And as we usher in Breast Cancer Awareness month this October, what better way to kick it off than revisiting the global advocacy and where it’s landed over the years?

The ‘Big C’ has been notoriously the cause of a lot of heartaches and heartbreaks since those who directly and indirectly suffered from it felt overly vulnerable as they don’t have any control over all potential outcomes. Worst, despite the advancement in science and medicine, there remains no definitive cure to end the disease. 

Based on personal and closer to home experience, my mother-in-law, sister-in-law, uncle, and aunt experienced having cancer in varying forms and degrees. One had it twice, the first instance was painful as she had to undergo the challenges of aggressive chemotherapy leading to vomiting, weight loss, hair loss and emotional distress. After a successful treatment, she was declared ‘cancer-free’ for a decade, yet another form was detected, fortunately at its early stage which led to her undergoing the same process again, but in a less aggressive oral treatment method. 

As advised by their doctors, a couple of family members had their breasts surgically removed to stop a potential full-blown cancer after they’ve felt a lump which medically was read as a pea-sized cyst. Similar to Angelina Jolie’s story and advocacy for preventive surgery where she had undergone double mastectomy and removal of ovaries and fallopian tubes, such advancement while not removing the possibility altogether reduced the risk of developing breast cancer.   

In recent news, I was so pleased to hear President Joe Biden’s speech here in Boston, where he declared a bold vision of ending cancer – a move that will aim to change people’s lives for the better, improve their health, and decrease the burden of the disease. Sixty years ago, a similar vision was delivered by the then US President, John F. Kennedy which centered around putting a man on the moon and bringing him back – and true enough, such big hairy audacious goal came to life. I am optimistic and hopeful that this profound and immense mission to end cancer will be realized by this generation and expand its benefit across the world.

While we wait for this sweet and pleasant ‘pink tomorrow’ where everyone’s health and wellness are at the very least within satisfactory levels, let’s continue to do our part by leading healthy lives every second of the day and being each other’s advocates or cheerleaders in our journey toward achieving true wellness across all aspects of life.

More than ever, we’ve proven over the last couple of years that everything is hinged on a healthy global citizenry – in a snap of a finger, a single virus can make the world stop! Let’s keep this to mind and always carry the learning to heart as we do what we can to take care of each other.

Life is short, but we can make it good. Enjoy your journey to making yours and around you a great one!

Always inspiring,

Joseph