By Thuothuo Anthony | Boston, MA
We have all seen ladies posting all types of fruits on their Facebook timelines. For some time, both men and some women were a tad bit confused. Then, only men were left bewildered, as women increasingly came together to flood Facebook with fruits, as the ”game” reached its peak.
But let’s pause for a moment and focus on what this was all about.
”It’s that time of year again when we try to raise awareness for breast cancer through a game” [the fruit game]. Reads the opening of a message that has ”secretly” been making rounds in ladies’ inboxes.
First of all, it’s not breast cancer awareness month yet. That should be October if we’re to use the correct global calendar. But it breaks no bone to have it earlier. August is a Summer Sun Safety Month. Close to it would be Lung cancer day on August 1st.
Back to this fruit business. Each fruit meant something; either you’re married if you posted a banana, single for blueberry and etcetera.
Let’s go straight to the point. Did the game raise awareness? It possibly did, because maybe I’d be writing about the White House drama at this moment. But did it really?
Let’s start with basic facts.
1. Awareness is targeted to those who are less aware, and not aware.
2. Men too do get breast cancer, but this was meant to be hidden from them. Why?
3. You can NOT raise awareness for something you’re not mentioning. If you post a fruit, many will think it’s your favorite. Why not say more?
The game would have been a good, successful campaign had it included a pink ribbon in these fruit updates.
Most ladies played the game and totally missed the point. Almost all men missed the point, and that’s why you see they have started their own with alcohol brands. Literary a game without a cause. I won’t go into that, possibly because I’m a Muratina.
An awareness should be effective than an inbox affair. Cancer is a giant, and it can’t be beaten in secret affairs. It should be more than a game.
On Friday, the Governor of Massachusetts Charlie Baker, signed a bill into law that establishes the first week of August as “Ice Bucket Challenge Week” in Massachusetts. The majority of us came to know ALS disease from the challenge. It started as a game, and everyone knew what the cause was all about. What if they did it secretly among those who are highly at risk?
This fruit business is just for fun to many posting about it, and in a couple of days, we will forget everything about it. Causes should speak louder.
If you want to create awareness for anything, give a lead. It’d be fun and helpful.
For now, go get checked for breast cancer, prostate, and any other cancer
?. Get your physicals done regularly and tell your family and friends to do the same. That’s what awareness is.