Aunt Shirley

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My post for the BLM Girls Go Pink Blog Hop isn’t going to be educational. I’m going to assume that you, my savvy bloggie friends, check your boobies on the regular and head to the doctor if you feel something not quite right. I’m going to assume that you’re taking the best care of you, and, if you’re of a certain age, or have certain risk factors, you’re going to get your boobies squished as you should.

This post is in honor of my Aunt Shirley. She fought long and hard with breast cancer, and eventually lost the battle several years ago. I’ve had many family members pass away, but this loss was the most profound for me because of how much I loved, connected with, and admired my aunt.

She was what I’d now call a “bad bitch.” Though as a kid I just thought she was the coolest. She was so tall and stylish and walked with her head high, you know how some really tall women scrunch themselves up and don’t wear heels? Not her! She’d be towering over dudes and intimidating those mo fos! She had a million wigs for any occasion (like my girl Wendy Williams lol) and would take me out and spoil the hell outta me and my cousins since she had no kids of her own. She introduced me to so much and really opened my young mind up in ways that I didn’t realize until later in life. She fostered my adventurousness and independence…and perhaps a little of my dont give a shitness. Losing her was really hard. And even though it’s been several years, thinking of her now makes the pain seem so fresh. Ugh!

But losing her opened my eyes to what a sonofabitch breast cancer really is. It’s now the only cause I’ll really give my money or time…or hair…to. (Sidebar: One year when I was like 19 I tried raising money for the 3day walk in NYC…I didn’t make enough money and had none to put in to reach the amount so I couldn’t walk LOL…#pathetic)

Most of the aunts on my dad’s side of the family have had a brush with the big C and because of this I’m extra diligent (maybe overly so, if you ask John) about checking my breasts for anything that feels fishy. I try to take care of myself and live a healthy life, and I know that I’ll have to start mammograms earlier than the recommended age for most women due to my family’s history.

Take care of yourselves ladies!! Breast Cancer is no joke, but every day we’re closer to whoopin’ it’s butt for good!

www.nationalbreastcancer.org

ww5.komen.org/

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Don’t forget to participate in the BLM Girls Go Pink Blog Hop!!