Today's trending topic is an important one for every woman. Even though it involves a celebrity, it's important to every mother, sister, grandmother, aunt, wife, girlfriend, and best friend. It's important for men, too – for every father, son, grandfather, uncle, husband, boyfriend, and best friend. It can affect any one of us at any time. It's National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, after all, and it's an unfortunate truth that at the same moment Giuliana Rancic made her sad announcement earlier today, many other women were getting diagnosed, discovering their options, telling their loved ones...
Breast cancer awareness isn't just a monthly thing. For many women, it's a lifetime thing. In fact, it should be a lifetime thing for all of us – because if it can happen to a celebrity, a news anchor, a reality star, it's true – more than true – that it can happen to anyone.
Giuliana came out about her problem just today. It turns out that she may never have discovered that she had stage-2 breast cancer if not for the fact that she's been trying to get pregnant.
Giuliana herself said that she thought long and hard about hiding this news, not just from the world but even from the people closest to her. Too many women share this feeling, as if having breast cancer is cause for shame or seclusion. But no one needs to be alone for something like this. It benefits all of us to be open, to be truthful, to talk about not only diagnoses but also breast exams, mammograms, tests, trials, fears, hopes, and dreams.
In these moments, Giuliana Rancic isn't a reporter, a celebrity, or a reality show star. She's simply a woman like you, like me, like our mothers, sisters, girlfriends, and friends, who's going through something terrifying and holding up as best she can. And I know that all our thoughts are with her.
Don't let Breast Cancer Awareness Month end on October 31.
Top Image Source: weheartit.com