Packing a Punch: the Pink Pugilist

Back in 2006 I hired a boxing trainer and in October of that year I bought these pink Everlast ProStyle training gloves. I felt the bright pink gloves gave me an advantage against even the toughest opponent, since they tended to inspire bemusement back then, not the fighting spirit.

Now, in 2013, I too have joined the ranks of those diagnosed with breast cancer, and Breast Cancer Awareness month has a new meaning for me. I read “The Race is Run One Step at a Time” by Nancy Brinker, sister of Susan Komen, and founder of “The Race for the Cure”, the Susan G. Komen Foundation. They successfully made pink equal breast cancer awareness.

The marketing of cancer in many ways is irritating in and of itself, but it is through such marketing that not only awareness has, but funds for research have, been raised. Unfortunately, not even research has been enough to secure a cure for breast cancer yet, let alone for many other kinds of cancer.

Many who have been fighting this battle for years are tired of the rhetoric, weary from the metaphors of a battle. This war is new to me and I still stand ready to fight. This fight is a natural stance for me, and coloring it pink makes it just silly enough to make me laugh in the face of cancer, at least for now.

After all, wouldn’t it be nice if I could just knock this cancer the fuck out? Hell, yeah!