Shin Na & Breast Cancer

Another unit through and done with. But what's not over and done with is the stories I have gathered and will remember while researching on my project. The most prominent one that stuck in my head is this blog which opened my eyes to a person's route to looming death. It has me thinking more deeply about cancer, life and loved ones.

I had to do this major assignment about the best media/showcase to find information related to breast cancer. We had a real client this time, which is the Breast Cancer Foundation. The main point here is to find creative yet realistic ways to improve communication means between the publics (in PR, there's no such thing as a single public) and raise awareness about breast cancer.

Before the formulation of a strategy comes research. So while researching on breast cancer online, I came across this blog whose blogger has passed on in this world - http://shinscancerblog.blogspot.com/.

You might have read a recent news article about a TV journalist donating her body to medical research; or seen any one of the documentaries about her called 'Gentle Good-byes' and 'In the Face of Death'. Yes, that's her. Her name is Shin Na, and she was diagnosed with breast cancer in December 2005.

After reading her posts, I was simply amazed at how pragmatic and strong one cancer patient can be, especially like what the documentary's title said, "in the face of death". It is hard not to like her after reading her posts, which circles around her life with her two adorable kids, her husband and her battle with breast cancer. I have not seen any of those documentaries but I'm certain that reading her blog is much more personalized and heartfelt than just watching them.

She looked far, like how she wanted her husband to tell her children of her death; and how her memorial service was going to be. She seemed to have thought about her children's lives without her often. Here's what she said in an unpublished post published by her husband:

"Shin's post (10 Dec 2008).......

People want to leave a mark on this world, leave behind a legacy, be immortalized in history books. That's never seemed important to me. After all, why would I care what people remember or think or say about me after I'd dead and gone? I'll be gone, after all.

The only reason leaving behind any kind of legacy is important to me is for my kids. If they can't have a living mother, at least they can have the memories of a mother who loved them to pieces. That isn't about me being encapsulated in their hearts and minds so that my existence on Earth will not have been for naught; it's about giving the kids something, anything to replace the mother who had to leave them too early. "

Here's a tribute to a brave warrior. I'm dedicating "Anyway" by Martina McBride, one of her favorite songs, in remembrance of her; those who have gone; others who are fighting this illness; and their families and loved ones.



Here, I'll like to make a point for everyone, including guys, to go for early screenings for breast cancer as early detection can cure it. Everyday, there are 3 - 4 diagnosis of breast cancer diagnosed. Please don't be the one to add on to the death statistics.

(These Pink Ribbon pins were given to me at the courtesy of 'Friendship Sponsors'. Left with pink crystals: Joyce, right: Christina. Thanks gals! You can get these pins at the Breast Cancer Foundation for $2 - $5 each, all for charity.)

A note to myself:
1) Cherish my loved ones every second for every single day.
2) Cherish myself & my health (been badly neglected)
3) When the going gets tough, the tough gets going :)