Keep calm and think pink

By Darshini Pillai

A sea of pink flooded the lecture halls on Monday as most NUMED-ians turned up in pink outfits, hardly a coincidence. In full support of Breast Cancer Awareness Day, NUMED-ians flaunted their pink side with an array of creative outfit picks. 

   The ladies pulled off elegant pink blouses, layered skirts and paid more attention to details by accessorising with pink jewelry, and shoes to match the infamous pink ribbon. 

   Not wanting to feel left out, the guys made bold statements by wearing pink ties and pink shirts and did not shy away from the colour. Real men wear pink. Well done guys! The excitement escalated during lunch hour when more NUMED-ians thronged the photo booth set up at the ground level of the LRC. With a variety of pop up arts to pick from, NUMED-ians struck poses, holding up catchy phrases like ‘pink is the new black’ and ‘feel your boobies’. 

  They say, a picture speaks a thousand words and in the numerous photos taken, hopefully the message did get across. A tree of ‘hope’ was also placed beside the photo booth for personal messages to be hung upon. 

   Words to raise awareness, offer support and in remembrance of cancer victims and survivors alike were written on pink paper leaves strewn across the tree. 

   By the end of the day, the tree looked ready to usher in spring with tons of pink leaves. The sea of pink on campus gradually drifted away as Breast Cancer Awareness Day came to a close. 

However, the awareness on breast cancer should not be limited to a single day. Cancer certainly does not come with a warning and it could happen to anyone at anytime. 

   The colour pink, not only signifies the courage of women who have fought and won battles against breast cancer but also serves as a candle to all those who succumbed and as a reminder to all the women in our lives to be responsible for their health.  

   In line with the 2013 budget report, our Prime Minister,  Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak, recently announced free mammogram screening for all women aged 40 and above in Malaysia. 

    The program focuses exclusively on women aged 40 to 70 years old who are considered to be in the high risk group of breast cancer. It is however, never too early to undergo a mammogram screening as annual screenings could lead to an early detection, hence minimising the onset of cancer. 

   As women, we take on different roles as we grow, be it daughter, niece, wife, girlfriend, mother, grandmother, and granddaughter. So, remember ladies, you are always precious to someone but most importantly, you owe it to yourselves to live healthily and happily. On that note, Think Pink and keep those twins safe! 

Posted in: Campus