Getting into the groove of October means decorating for Halloween, going shopping for fall apparel and of course getting some pink attire for breast cancer awareness month. The color pink now defies and is often associated with strength and perseverance. But what about the color white? The color white represents the strength of those that suffer from Blindness, which is also celebrated in October, which many are unaware due to being shadowed by Breast Cancer. The color pink has become a national associated color. Professional teams including the NBA, NFL, WNBA, and NHL all partake in wearing pink to honor breast cancer, but none partakes in wearing all white or even doing so much as to wear a white ribbon to advocate for blindness awareness. Not to take away from the severity or importance of breast cancer, but too simply add some to the illness itself. World Blindness Awareness Month was designed to raise awareness to the blind illness and to help people understand the everyday struggles and problems that these warriors face on a day to day basis. Each case is different but most individuals that are suffering from blindness cannot function in society without assistance. Rather it be the use of the handicap buttons on doors, brail under signs or on walls or having narrated cross walks that alert civilians when and when not to cross the street. White is known for being affiliated with anything that’s holy, godly, or pure. But why not associate it nationally with something that affects people’s families, colleges and classmates? The world health organization estimated that about 285 million people suffer with full or partial vision impairment worldwide. More than five million people are blind in the US alone. This means that more than 47,000 citizens become and or born blind each year.. With so many being affected directly or indirectly by blindness you would think that there would be more being done to raise awareness nationally, but there isn’t. Something to ponder while wearing pink throughout the month. Don’t forget about the little guy, wear white. The ultimate goal of October should be to raise awareness for both breast cancer and blindness. It’s not all about the pink you know.
