When people I meet cannot remember the name of The Sacred Heart Messenger they call it simply The Little Red Book. In all the 121 years of its existence The Messenger has always had a red cover but this October 2009 issue is the first to have another colour. We did not change the colour for this issue lightly; pink is the distinctive colour chosen by Action Breast Cancer, and in adopting it for this issue we wanted to signal our concern and show our readiness to help. Through this collaboration we intend to raise awareness of the inexhaustible work and support that they offer, combined with our assurance of a financial contribution to their ongoing research which will hopefully help so many affected by this illness.
When I was thinking about this venture I happened to see Ronan Keating being interviewed about his faith by Gay Byrne. He spoke of how the death of his mother, while he was still quite young, marked his life and out of this grew their family involvement in breast cancer awareness and prevention. Suddenly, almost everyone I spoke with seemed to have a story of yet another young woman, happily married with a young family, being diagnosed with breast cancer, facing a long period of treatment and uncertainty, and maybe a painful death. The women’s own suffering is compounded by the suffering she knows her husband and children must also share.
The statistics indicate the scope of this problem: one in twelve women is at risk, although some 15 men also develop the disease annually. The occurrence is greater for those who are over 50. Appalling as these figures are, they are abstractions which cannot begin to convey the fear of the many who have been referred for tests, and wait with loved ones for the results. They fail miserably to convey the courage and human dignity with which treatment is endured, in the hope of a cure. Mercifully I have also heard of scenes of delirious, tearful joy as a mother or wife, sibling or friend, tells loved ones of an all clear diagnosis. When the battle with this cancer is lost, the results are almost too painful to contemplate.
We can pray, but we can also listen to Christ’s words: seek and you shall find. These words apply also to the medical research which seeks for cures aided by the Holy Spirit. It is part of what we might call the Resurrection dividend. We know how much has already been achieved in the areas of prevention, detection and treatment. A cure will be found, with the help of God. We can pray, we can support the search, we can move mountains.
For details on our financial contribution to Action Breast Cancer please see our News & Events page.