On Wild Pink Yonder, community, cure and cause...

I don't know a lot about the organization, except that it involves a wagon train, horses and the pink ribbon breast cancer campaign, but last year I became aware of Wild Pink Yonder for the first time, when their route took them through my home town of Rimbey. Folks really got involved: town council made promises, residents rolled up their sleeves, businesses poured out their civic pride for all to see,

I've always been really proud of my home town and I cherish my history there, but as flower pots, store fronts, lawn ornaments and curbs began to bloom pink, I did begin to wonder where it would end. I mean, really!  Three mega-sized pink ribbons painted onto the full east wall of the local feed store?  The massive gates to the rodeo grounds, painted pink?  

This year, another small town has picked up the torch. Breton, about forty miles north of Rimbey, has turned pink. Now, I have never lived in Breton, but I go there occasionally. My overwhelming impression of this fine little town has always been the friendliness of the people.  It may be a town by-law that you must make eye contact and smile at everyone you meet, you must discuss the freshness of the grocery produce in the local supermarket with complete strangers, because really, who is a stranger?  

So it can really be no surprise that Breton has turned pink. Pink plastic wraps the power poles, pink painted ribbons adorn the streets, pink banners festoon the store fronts, one family has painted their antique walking plow...pink. And that is just the beginning. Pink petunias, pink tissue, pink, pink. And the most massive pink bra on a vacant lot, made from hay bales and PVC pipe!

As a breast cancer patient (just waiting for the chance to use the word survivor), I am strangely touched by this spectacular demonstration. It is a mixture of thoughts:  does someone in the organization have the pink paint concession? The focus on early detection and improved treatment has likely made the best kind of difference for me.  Fond admiration for the work my friend Liza does to try to raise a similar profile for ovarian cancer (I would just love to see that depicted with hay bales and PVC pipe). The enhancement of an incredible sense of community in towns where that sense is pretty incredible, already. The sense of fun that surrounds the Wild Pink Yonder's project. The feeling of connectedness with others afflicted with breast cancer.  And gratitude. 

But now, here comes my soap box -- paint it pink if you wish.  If we can run for the cure, paint a curb for the cure, plant a peony for the cure with this kind of impact, what are we doing about the cause?  Where is the medical priority, the community will, and the government  support for identifying and dealing with the causes of cancer?  All the causes, for all kinds of cancer. Because frankly, my friends, even though it could have been a lot worse, I would not wish this year of "curing" on even the worst of you.