Dig Pink has impacted me by solidifying what I want to do with my life. I want to be a social worker to help people through their most difficult trials. I chose to interview five breast cancer survivors and one caregiver for my educational hours. Through these conversations, I discovered that breast cancer patients are strong and courageous people. I always knew this cancer was intense, but I never knew how emotionally daunting this was on the whole family and community of the patient.
Dig Pink has given me a voice. I am a quiet person around people I do not know, but organizing an entire event twice forced me out of my comfort zone. During both events, I made a speech to thank everyone for their donations and to honor the breast cancer survivors that attended my events.
Speaking in front of hundreds of people was extremely hard for me, but after my educational hours, that fear seemed small compared to the fear that cancer patients and their families deal with on a daily basis. One of the women I interviewed discussed with me that even though she is in remission, every time she gets a cold or even a cough now, her children get nervous because they do not want their mommy to get sick again. These fears will stick with this family for the rest of their lives.
I was not surprised to learn that most women affected by breast cancer did not want to ask for help, but they all admitted that they had to learn to accept help at some point. Another woman I interviewed stated that she had many people ask her what she wanted them to do for her, and this felt like they were putting the responsibility back on her. This was just one more burden for her to carry. She said she would rather have someone just offer to assist in a specific way. One woman’s family actually made her feel guilty for not including them, so she spent much of her energy finding jobs for them to do. This made me reflect on how many times we absentmindedly offer help just to make ourselves feel better when we should be trying to understand the real needs of someone else.
I discovered that not all cancer centers treat the whole patient; some just treat cancer. A couple of the women talked about how lonely it was when they were receiving their chemotherapy because no one was able to sit with them.
Cancer patients also shared with me that there were different things they used to comfort themselves during treatment, such as reading books or cuddling with a special blanket. I realized that I do not have to have a social work degree to just sit with them while they endure the chemotherapy process, or to put together a meaningful care basket.
Caregivers have a very difficult job because they are there through the entire process, but they are not allowed to show their emotions for fear they will hurt the patient. Sometimes they just emotionally need a break and need to talk to someone. I can be a listening ear and help them find appropriate support groups.
The hardest thing for some people was explaining their illness to their children. One of the women I interviewed shared that she was able to educate her children by using children’s books to explain to them easily and in terms they were able to understand. These books were given to her by a friend. She was generous enough to share the titles with me. I plan to add these books to my personal library so that I have them to offer if ever the need arises. This is a simple way I can pass on the knowledge I have gained.
Dig Pink and my educational hours made me feel emotional, but most importantly they helped me realize that I can help others even before I earn my degree. Since my interviews with these very kind and gracious women, I have found myself sharing the insights I have gained.
Not only have I learned how to be more supportive of those who are fighting breast cancer, but I also learned how to be more sensitive to the needs of people in a difficult situation. Now that I have found my voice, I will continue to share what I have learned and speak out for those who may not have learned how to do so yet.
Dig Pink has given me a voice. I am a quiet person around people I do not know, but organizing an entire event twice forced me out of my comfort zone. During both events, I made a speech to thank everyone for their donations and to honor the breast cancer survivors that attended my events.
