Till the sultry Angelina Jolie looked at the world in its eye and revealed she had just undergone double mastectomy to reduce her chances with developing cancer, discussions about the killer disease were more done in apologetic tones. With her surgery, and the subsequent revelation of it, Angie hit home for many and made women everywhere open their eyes a bit more and pay attention to cancer. I mean, tell us, can the drop dead gorgeous women be at risk for breast cancer too? Even someone as perfect as Laura - The Tomb Raider? Yes! Her curves are as susceptible to cancer as any other person's!
Till such time, cancer awareness was more or less a story that spoke in multitudes of positivity, praying, meditation, medication, family support, etc. People formed support groups on the net, and held each other's hands while celebrities huddled in five star hospitals to do away with cancer. Both cases, cancer couldn't care less.
The word 'killer' is really a double edged sword. Swing it across someone and the blood doesn't spurt; it gushes! Cancer has a similar effect on our lives. Those who have survived it, those who have cared for cancer patients know it cuts both ways. This world can certainly do with more awareness on cancer. But, have you noticed how threatening or 'un-engaging' the cancer ads are? With many of the walk ads running together in such perfect unison that people now....walk past them more than participate?
When you see cancer inching while people still continue to laugh and drink, it's time to package this awareness in a different garb. Make it interesting.
If you need a guy to pay attention to breast cancer, you gotta tell us in our 'native' language. Social responsibility can come a bit later. And please, stop generating fear psychosis and show how one can still celebrate life despite the cancer!
Adding a touch of sensuality and a hint of glamour to cancer awareness campaigns has a potential to get more eyeballs. This can make a fundraising more eventful and promise good returns, with different ingredients of enticement.
In one such attempt to glamorize the cancer awareness, more particularly the breast cancer, Australia based online store SweetPins Hosiery aims to encourage women across the country to join the celebration by slipping into something beautiful and feminine like stockings instead of their usual choice of leg wear for one day. In the Breast Cancer Awareness month "National Stockings Day" will be held on Friday, October 18th 2013.
London-educated Fashion expert Lidia Scotto Di Vetta, founder of SweetPins feels it is time we treated cancer with life, than with fear. Her inspiration was the National Stockings Day event that has been hugely popular in the UK since the past six years. Lidia strongly feels Australia will surely grab this opportunity with both hands. "I look forward to seeing the women in Australia come out wearing their Sweet Pins stockings feeling confident and beautiful while supporting a great cause," she says.
It has been a long haul for the medical fraternity to have handled cancer awareness single handedly. Even medical experts are of the opinion that cancer, if anything, can be fought with medication and loads of positivity. And, it is not an easy balance to achieve.
Turning around a concept such as fundraising - often considered a boring, monotonous drudgery that fails to attract people - can really shake things up.
So, it's that message that needs to go out on National Stockings Day -- that women can indulge in something pretty and out of the ordinary, knowing that not only it will help them -- in feeling sexier, more feminine, more adventurous, AND that they are also supporting a great cause in the meantime.
"Breast cancer is something that we can all relate to and I strongly believe that we should all do our part in fighting this terrible disease. With this initiative we are trying to inject a bit of glamour into fund-raising as well as in women's lives. It's like lighting two candles with one flame," says Lidia.
For once, cancer awareness will be celebrated across cities. Models, dancers and burlesque artists around Sydney and Melbourne will participate to promote the event in order to keep the messaging alive and robust!