TURBO Encinitas, CA
Written by Melissa Wadley-McGhee
This picture was taken in 2008 at a 3-Day event. I am pregnant with number three. I didn’t know then the impact breast cancer had on me and my young family…read on.
My addiction began in 2002 when myself and some girlfriends walked 60 miles to raise money for breast cancer. Three years later, I walked again with Boobs on the Move® headed by my college roommate and BOTM founder – I had no idea a movement was being born. The events surrounding our team’s efforts had ignited an Anti-cancer fire inside me.
I became a fundraising freight train. Thriving on creative ideas, resourceful planning and stressful executions of amazingly fun, rewarding, community centric breast cancer events; I habitually sacrificed my family, my resources and embarrassing to admit, myself. Occasionally, painful arguments with my husband erupted hours before an event. The very disease I had been fighting against had suddenly driven a wedge between me and those I loved. “Funding a cure” was exhausting, toxic and not at all sustainable! Holy crap, I needed to get ahold of myself fast!
So, I took a step back and discovered something more moving than a fundraising event or glorified self-breast exam. Don’t misunderstand me, self exams are important but I can do so much more (and so can you).
I realized to elude breast cancer I had to be more active in preventing it! I also realized changes I made for myself also applied to my family.
Now my rant:
The connection to breast cancer prevention and our bodies is obvious… our bodies need the “good stuff” to ward off the “bad stuff”.
The good news is the “good stuff” is usually pretty simple and doesn’t come in a box or from a pharmacy. The ‘good stuff’ comes from the earth. But, making the connection, challenging existing behaviors and choosing to change is a complex strategy. Why we shop in the snack isle…it’s so easy.
Frankly, we have a century of bad behavior to unlearn. Getting back to the fundamentals means facing habits, making new choices and thinking differently about naturally occurring resources.
For example: The Sun. Personally, I LOVE THE SUN…maybe why I am a happy person. I use sunscreen on occasion (if we are in the sun for a long period of time) and only if the product meets EWG sunscreen standards. The Sun is GLORIOUS and has amazing healing powers. It’s the best source for natural occurring vitamin D in our bodies. We NEED natural vitamin D – it’s a necessary hormone, good for our bones and recent studies indicate it’s a cancer fighting warrior…even for Melanoma…and it’s FREE! Google® Vitamin D and Breast Cancer and see what you find.
Boobs on the Move® and breast cancer prevention are part of my life. I don’t have breast cancer and I certainly don’t want to get it. And, I don’t want you getting it either. So, I asked the question, how could we move more people in the direction of breast cancer prevention?
Here we are, after two years of working together, my partners and I have re-launched Boobs on the Move® to become a platform for social change in the world of breast cancer and beyond. My aim is to reach individuals through our inventive brands and inspire you to unlearn a few things and take active prevention more seriously. Make little changes for yourself and your family. Start with small ideas – toss out the Teflon® (embrace cast iron) and LOVE the SUN (between 10 am and 1 pm for 10 – 20 minutes…without getting burned and no sunscreen).
As a mom to three little girls, I continue to be motivated by people, business, creative branding and lovely things artisan-made and well finished. I love natural foods and my family – these two things combined = nirvana. Oh and I love Google and camping (not together). I am an expert in nothing. I constantly make mistakes in all areas of my life. I am a living experiment by definition – it’s how my brain works. Join us and Be a Boob! Email me and I will send you a BOTM sticker from my personal stash. And please, teach me something you know about prevention.