Meet Pat. She’s my good friend Sharon’s aunt, and one of the nicest people I’ve ever had a chance to meet. She was also struck by breast cancer in her 20s, and passed away several years ago. Tragically, that’s not the only person who breast cancer has touched in Sharon’s life — both of her grandmothers died from it as well. So it’s no wonder she’s vowed to do as much as she can to try and fight this disease that affects over 186,000 women each year.

But instead of buying pink M&Ms, Sharon is joining the Breast Cancer 3-Day, a grueling 60 mile walk benefiting the Susan G. Koman for the Cure foundation. And unlike some fund raising events, where costs suck up a bulk of money donated, a whopping 85% of all contributions will go directly towards helping to end breast cancer.

Now, we don’t ask too much of people around here, except to enjoy yourselves and endure a blinkie ad every once in a while. So I’m cashing in the favor chips and asking you to donate to this great cause. Sharon is 29% to her fund raising goal, and if even just a fraction of the folks that visit this website donated $1, she would rocket well past 100%. All money is collected directly through the event website, so you know it will get to the right place.

Come on, Imperfect Parents, make me proud!

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I had my first mammogram yesterday. After it was done, I pondered things that would have been much more pleasant…chewing glass…having a toe amputated…sticking a needle in my eye….eating goose poop. The thoughts flowed through my head as I winced and said, “Ow. Ow. Ow.”

The nurse was nice enough to prep me, she said, “You know a lot of women complain about how painful this test is, but I think you’ll find that it isn’t as bad as everyone says.”

“Thanks a lot,” I thought to myself, “I hadn’t actually heard that, but thanks for making the 45 minute wait that much sweeter.”

First of all, it’s awkward, because you have this woman man-handling your breasts and she pulls them and stretches them every which way. I’ve heard women tell me it’s worse when you have less (pointing out that I have “more”), but then there’s less to squeeze and squish in between those large plastic plates. Now that I’ve done it, I have to disagree.

Seriously, I have red marks above my boobs and I’ve had to take ibuprofen last night and this morning and I’m still in excruciating pain (over 24 hours later). There is no way that can be good for your breast tissue. Screw the dangers of radiation, I feel like the damage to my breasts is enough to facilitate cancer even if there was none to begin with. I hear stories from people all the time, where an injury later developed into cancer in that area. While doctors and scientists poo-poo the idea, I’d like to see more research in the area myself. Bodies are not meant to be damaged. We are fragile beings. My boobies are fragile. Be kind oh, mammogram operator. It just isn’t right!

I even told her when it was done that I didn’t agree with her, the whole thing sucked the big one and I was too young to get it done anyway, “I’m 38,” I boasted. She wasn’t impressed. She told me that the first mammogram should be between the age of 35 and 40 and then it was to be done every 2 years until 50 and then it’s to be done every year.

The only reason I even did it was because my OB-GYN wouldn’t renew my birth control pills without my having it done, so he had me over a barrel. (If you lived with my two boys, you would know what I mean.)

My GYN recommends a mammogram after 40 every year.

This experience has taught me two things a) I need to get a new GYN (one that sticks with traditional protocols) and b) breasts were never meant to be compressed like a stale piece of gum, stuck to a cheap pair of shoes. Mammograms really hurt. Next time, I’m stopping by a bar and having a few before the torture.

As if coming upon 40 weren’t bad enough…

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I’m all for supporting important causes. I regularly donate to my local food bank and I try to give to other charities or causes when I can. But I have to say that it makes me uncomfortable when I see people raising money for a good cause by selling something questionable.

Take, for example, soda sales in schools.?‚? Historically, elementary, middle, and high?‚? schools have commonly used?‚? soda and junk food sales to help boost school revenues. Most people would probably agree?‚? that boosting school revenues is a worthy endeavor, but do we really want to?‚? raise funds by selling?‚? our children?‚? sugary, high-calorie sodas??‚? Are we?‚? that desperate that we’ll push poor?‚? eating habits on our kids?‚? just to raise a few bucks?

Here’s another example. I stopped into a local convenience store over the weekend and was greeted by this display on the counter. It was a hot pink box of specially-wrapped “Breast Cancer Awareness” M&Ms. Proceeds from the sales of these artifically-colored, artificially-flavored, (and, dare I say, potentially cancer-causing?) M&Ms go to support fighting breast cancer.

OK, so there’s no proven link between M&M’s and breast cancer, but there is evidence that obesity and high-fat diets are risk factors for breast cancer. So if that’s true, then?‚? why are we pushing high-fat, high-calorie foods on people in the name of Breast Cancer Awareness? Maybe it’s because?‚? apples and bananas just wouldn’t sell as well as M&Ms? Still, something doesn’t feel right about it to me.

Yet, I?‚? find this to be a tough issue. On the one hand, the proceeds of the sale of these candies will go to a great cause, but on the other hand, selling junk food to fight breast cancer seems to be a conflict of interest.

So, I’m interested in what you all think.?‚? Would you buy M&Ms in the name of breast cancer awareness?

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