Friday, September 14, 2012

Breast Cancer Awareness Month


What does a box and transportation firm have to do with reminding people that October is
Breast Cancer Awareness Month?   Not much, but today, as they say, anything goes and
Box Brothers is proud to announce that, in recognition of those who have been assaulted
by this terrible disease and for the countless survivors who have fought the good fight to be able
to tell all of us--that with help, assistance and support, as well as determination, beating
back breast cancer (and other cancers too) is now not only possible, but probable.

But the fight is not over, not by a long shot, and we still need to make sure the message of
how difficult and how trying, this battle actually is, still needs everyones recognition and efforts to
eradicate it and make it a long ago memory, as we did with the terrible polio disease, when I was
a child.

I still remember, my late immigrant mother (she was a survivor of the Holocaust in Europe), she was
not only devoted to her family, but she retained some of her old ways, including some interesting
superstitious acts, that I will never ever forget.

One of those was if someone mentioned that they knew someone who had cancer, she would turn
away and act like she spat two or three times.  Almost like she would be mouth spitting, but not
actually doing it.   In her day, cancer was a death sentence, no one thought it could be overcome
or that one could get treatment for it and survive.

I recall my father having a bad pain in his neck and shoulder and I asked why he did not go to the doctor
and my mother told me he was afraid it might be cancer.   So when he went to the doctor later that day,
he did not have cancer, he was having a myocardial infarction (heart attack).  This just illustrates the
long term fear they had of having cancer.

I also remember as a young child, my mother taking me to get my polio vaccine.  The sugar cube.
They had friends, a next door neighbor, whose son was afflicted.   I heard stories of iron lungs and
how this friend of my brother's lived in one until he passed, as age 14.  I heard the stories of how they
heard his mother cry and sob all night about her son getting afflicted with this terrible deadly disease.

I personally have not had anyone in my immediate family who has had breast cancer, but I understand
how difficult and debilitating the treatment process is.   So as a company, we at Box Brothers, decided,
to do our part.

From today on, and until the end of October, we have changed the imprint on the three main moving
boxes from our blue print to pink print, and we have put a pint ribbon on each and everyone of these
moving boxes, so that we can bring more and more awareness to this cause.

One thing I can tell you for sure, that our moving boxes go all over the place, just like our customers,
to all parts of America, to all parts of Europe, Asia and in garages everywhere.  We are more than happy
to do this, as this message of caring, and of hope, is a message we are proud to be a part of this very
important and serious cause.   After all, the victims of this terrible disease and the future victims, deserve

Please join with us and do your part, whatever that is, in the ongoing battle to overcome cancer.   I know both of my parents would be proud that we have changed the outcome from impossible to promising, in one
generation.   And we will not rest until there is only a story to tell, just like in cases of polio.  We shall overcome.


1 comment:

  1. I can definitely relate because I just lost my mom to breast cancer last January 2013; she was only 78. You must be around my age because I still remember the kids lining up in school while the polio sugar cubes were being administered. Breast cancer awareness has really opened my eyes especially since it took my mother's life. Thanks for sharing this.

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