The month formerly known as October

October is fast approaching bringing with it an array of different emotions, for me at least. Autumn has always been my favourite season. I still seek out piles of fallen leaves to crunch through just as I did as a child and I love watching the changing colours of the scenery. I don't even mind saying goodbye to the swallows that congregate at the back of my house before they start their journey back to warmer places, they will be back next year.
But October means something very different now, not only is it the anniversary of my own diagnosis, it is of course Breast Cancer Awareness month with retailers and manufacturers clamouring to show off their pink credentials. Almost every store you walk in to next month will have some kind of pink product on sale from T-shirts to washing powder and on October 28th your hairdresser will more than likely be dressed from head to toe in pink cheerfully telling you it is to promote breast cancer awareness. We are told that the pink campaign is incredibly successful but I am still losing friends to this cruel disease. There is nothing pretty about breast cancer.

"Debenhams is proud to be the retailer for the official Wear it Pink T-shirt and £4 from each one sold goes to charity. We've also got the official ribbon designed by Jasper Conran and plenty of gifts, accessories and beauty products to choose from"

I think I'm supposed to be grateful but I don't believe for one minute that these companies are in it for anything other than financial gain. You can buy a completely gorgeous Ted Baker fuchsia bra for £28.50 with just the 50p going to Breast Cancer Campaign. I would love one but the reality is that once you've had a lumpectomy or a mastectomy you aren't ever going to feel completely at ease wearing sexy underwear. These things are not for women who have breast cancer.
So where is all this money going? This "incredibly successful" pink campaign raises millions of pounds every year but still there is no cure for breast cancer, there probably never will be.
My wish for this pinktober is that the money raised is directed at prevention of reccurance and treatment, and I wish that I could get October back.