I was diagnosed with breast cancer a year ago. Please stop calling me a fighter.
Breast cancer changed my life. I wish people would stop trying to make it inspirational.
A year has passed since the author was diagnosed with breast cancer, and she is growing increasingly frustrated with the labels and branding surrounding the disease. The author rejects the terms "fighter" and "warrior" as forced and insincere, feeling that they minimize the challenging reality of her experience. While she appreciates the efforts of those who offer support and encouragement, she is tired of the "pinkwashing" that trivializes her illness and reduces it to a marketing campaign.
The author prefers to acknowledge the difficult emotions she feels, such as anger and fear, rather than forcing a positive outlook. She does not want her identity defined by her cancer journey, and hopes that others will respect her right to express her feelings without expectation to inspire or find meaning in her experience. In her view, simply being grateful for the medical care she received is sufficient.
Written by urgent.news from Business Insider's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.