Hello everyone!
October is breast cancer awareness month and on 1st September I shared a call out for submissions to the blog from young women who have/had breast cancer. (A copy of this is below).
Thank you so much to everyone who has sent in blog posts for October so far - there have been 21 already. I have been absolutely blown away reading them. I've laughed, cried, felt angry at cancer, and felt incredibly inspired by the young women dealing with breast cancer - the newly diagnosed, those currently going through treatment, those who are living their "new normal" post treatment, and those who are dealing with a secondary diagnosis and treatment. The range of stories and voices of young women facing breast cancer in these posts in so powerful. It's going to be an honour to share them throughout October and help raise awareness of the impact of breast cancer on young women's lives.
We still need more though! I am hoping for at least one post a day during October (and two a day would be fantastic!)
So I am copying below the original call out for submissions. Please, please share this far and wide so we can reach as many people as possible.
Thank you,
Sarah
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October, is breast cancer awareness month. Last year during October I was going through chemo myself, and if I'm honest I found breast cancer awareness month to be at best annoying and at worst upsetting. I saw lots of pink ribbons, lots of cake sales, lots of businesses using breast cancer to make a profit - ranging from the silly to the downright offensive ("Buy our limited edition pink toilet brush and 5% of profit will go to breast cancer awareness!"). Lots of sexy images of glamorous, white, large-breasted women in pink bras "raising awareness". It drove me mad!
This year, during October, I want this blog to do some real breast cancer awareness. I've set a target of at least one new post every day.
So if you are a young woman in the UK who has, or has previously had breast cancer please submit a post for the blog for October. It doesn't matter whether you are an experienced blogger, or if you have never written for a blog in your life. The Young Women's Breast Cancer Blog needs YOU!
I am calling out for posts about anything related to your personal experience of breast cancer (primary and secondary). These might include, but are not limited to, posts about:
- The signs, symptoms and events that led to your diagnosis
- What happened when, and immediately after you were diagnosed
- How breast cancer treatment has affected you
- Anything you know now that you wish you had known before you were diagnosed with breast cancer
- The impact of breast cancer on your life (for example, relationships, work, sex and intimacy, children, hobbies and interests)
- A letter to the newly diagnosed (from women who have completed treatment)
- Things you think it would be helpful for friends, families, colleagues and neighbours of young women with breast cancer to know (eg how they might be able to support/what things never to say/gift ideas)
- The aspects of breast cancer that you don't think are talked about enough, or honestly enough.
- Recognising a relevant family history prior to diagnosis.
- Anything else you would like to share during breast cancer awareness month.
(Additional info added 13 September 2015: There is no word limit, and you can write in any style you wish. For example, tell a story, write a letter, create a list, share a poem... your blog post is your space to express yourself in the way that you want. If you would like to write but have no idea where to start - have a look and see if any of these ideas work for you: http://youngwomensbreastcancerblog.blogspot.co.uk/p/want-to-write-but-dont-know-where-to.html)
If you have any queries, please send them to ywbcblog@yahoo.co.uk.
And please share this post far and wide!
Thank you
Sarah
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