What PINK means to me?

This weekend I watched hundreds of macho men wear pink on the football field in order to support the Canadian Football League’s desire to bring awareness and raise money for cancers that target women. It completely warmed my heart. The CFL was able to get a bunch of their athletes and staff, some who usually would not be caught dead wearing pink, to support a great cause. In the largely male-dominated realm of professional football, it shows us women – some of their biggest fans – that they are still thinking of us. So what does PINK mean to me? For me, PINK symbolizes solidarity and that we are all in this together.

Cancer is a sickness that does not discriminate and can affect anyone regardless of race, class or age. Similar to most people, I have a family member and a friend who has been affected by cancer. Recently, a member of my extended family died from ovarian cancer, the cancer became fatal because she did not realize she had the disease until it was too late. This national campaign #CFLPink brings alertness to cancer and more specifically women’s cancers, and can potentially save lives in our community by reminding us all to go and get checked regularly by a health care professional. Cancer does not always have to be deadly, and you may increase your chances for survival by finding out early. The campaign also reminds us that there are many people who suffer from and are currently living through cancer that we encounter everyday who need our support.

The CFL teams across Canada have chosen a variety of charities to support and to donate the proceeds from the campaign. The Toronto Argonauts have chosen the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation is Canada’s leading community-driven breast cancer charity dedicated to funding relevant, innovative research, and supporting and advocating for the breast cancer community. Your CFL Pink Ambassadors from the Toronto Argonauts are Jason Barnes (Slotback), Kevin Huntley (Defensive Tackle), and Brandon Isaac (Linebacker).

Argos Admiral 

Amanda A. Burnett