October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and no matter where you turn, you will see pink. Pink ribbons. Pink “save the tatas” stickers. Pink pens. Pink shirts. Pink, pink, and more pink.

Although the ribbons and t-shirts and cutesy reminders to check yourself are great conversation starters and a reminder to do a self-exam, there is nothing cute or sexy about breast cancer.

These campaigns are not showing the reality of what breast cancer is or what life is like living with the disease. Breast cancer is more than just saving some tissue on our bodies. It is about saving our lives.

Each week, I will be focusing on a theme and sharing related information and facts daily, along with seven stories of women in the Tri-Cities, Washington community diagnosed with breast cancer.

This project is not a comprehensive list of all things breast cancer, but a mere introduction into the matter created by myself, a patient with metastatic (stage IV) breast cancer.

Breast cancer patients are MORE THAN a pink ribbon.

Click on a photo to connect to its designated Instagram post.