It started with a simple idea to create a way for Canadian women to show their support for other Canadian Women. Women who are suffering the emotional fallout from cancer and its treatment – the Cancer blues. it’s a simple gesture with a powerful message. All it requires is a bit of blue eye shadow and the desire to help.
Chances are that cancer has affected the life someone you know (or perhaps even yourself). I am personally invested in supporting cancer research and in helping raise funds for cancer research. Years ago, I lost someone very dear to me. My aunt lost her battle with ovarian cancer. Since then, I’ve had a surprising number of friends who have had breast cancer.
I remember having tea with a girlfriend a few years ago. This was after she “kicked cancer’s butt”. Her words are forever ingrained in my memory. She said she knew she should be happy to be alive and to be cancer-free, but during her treatment and in the interim, she was deeply depressed. Not only did she grapple with her fears and uncertainty, she also said she felt like no one understood what she was going through. Our friends and I would be there for her, but she felt we didn’t understand. The thought of people having pity on her (even though it may not have been intentional) was something that upset her. I’m glad she felt she could voice her feelings, because if she hadn’t, no one would have ever known.
She said that she didn’t like looking in the mirror to see someone she didn’t know looking back at her. That person had no hair, no eyebrows and no eyelashes. That person looked like the shell of the person she once was. I felt terribly that I had no clue that this was going on in her heart. I kept talking about how amazing it was that she was alive and here with us. I really had no clue that she was suffering from the cancer blues.
What is The Cancer Blues?
“The Cancer Blues is the emotional fallout from cancer and its treatment. For the majority of women, a cancer diagnosis unleashes as many emotional symptoms as physical ones. And although there are constant and steady advances in the way the medical system understands and treats the disease, studies show that The Cancer Blues is often ignored and therefore rarely addressed by a system that lacks any consistent recognition of the condition. Researchers found 75% of cancer patients reporting depressive symptoms were not receiving treatment, partly because they did not consider seeking help and professionals did not pick up on their illness (Mundasad, 2014). Researchers also found that only 51% of the organizations offering clinical care conduct routine psychosocial screening for new cancer patients (Deshields, Zebrack & Kennedy, 2013).”
Want to know a bit more about #WinkDay? Check out this great video from Beauty Gives Back!
Here’s how to join in!
Wink if you’re with us! See you on June 18th! #WinkDay
For more info, visit Beauty Gives Back at www.beautygivesback.ca.
TWITTER PARTY ALERT!
Join us for the #winkday Twitter party June 15 to help women suffering from the #cancerblues.
New to Twitter parties? Follow along easily using Twubs: http://twubs.com/winkday
This is a touching idea. A simple act. And it does have a big impact. At least to me it does. Having had breast cancer and being not a survivor but a cancer butt kicker, I appreciate this. I had those feelings you mentioned that your friend had. It is hard
Words cannot describe.
I mentioned this to friends after I heard about wink day and some asked how can putting blue eye make-up help? I think they didn’t see the point. But having so many people do this.. it’s heartwarming. It’s the idea and the supporting that mean so much. Kind of like when you shaved your head. You raised a lot of funds for cancer research
I appreciate any and all of the campaigns for cancer and for showing support to those who have and who have had cancer. Sorry for such a long comment but wink day has me emotional..
Thanks so much, Janie. That means a lot 🙂