Charities and Cancer

I walked into the bank and it was pink. Inwardly, I groaned. I thought the bank had done their Run for the Cure and that for the time being, we were to have a break. I object to being harassed for money everywhere I go. At the pharmacy, at the fast food store, at the bank, on the street corner, and at work, everyone wants money. And when you don't feel like giving to yet another cause you have no interest in, they put you on a guilt trip. The guilt trip is part of the training given by charity organizations. Charity is a business.

Many of the employees have no interest in pushing the cause that their respective organization has chosen to support. I am a recent forced recruit for my work's charity campaign. At the training meeting, the presenters were operating under the assumption that we all wanted to be there. The skeptical questions being asked quickly revealed the opposite. We believe in the theory of charity, we just object to the way that it's being implemented.

Yet as I stood in line at the bank, a small pink bear with the pink ribbon embroidered on its chest caught my eye. I started humming and hawing. My gut feeling was that few of the dollars of purchasing the bear would find its way into research. However, at that moment in time, I was feeling the need to strike a blow against cancer - no matter the form. In the past two weeks, I have lost a co-worker, and a family friend to cancer. My grandmother is recovering from breast cancer. There wasn't and there isn't much I could and can do. Cancer always makes me feel so helpless. It seemed that buying the bear would be a small way of doing something.

Like most jaded clerks who are being forced to push something against their will, the cashier didn't ask me if I wanted to contribute to the campaign. She seemed surprised when I asked how much the bears were and then taken back when I forked over the cash. It was refreshing that she hadn't tried to sell me the bear.

The bear now sits in my office. It is a small reminder to me of all those I have lost to cancer over the years. It reminds me that as much as I dislike charities there are causes that are worth fighting for and things that we need to fight against. Right now, cancer is my number one enemy. I'm keeping my eye out for ways to make it feel less welcome. Next time, I'll give the cash and let them keep the bear. Now that I have a reminder, I have no need of another. I will be charitable and give freely. I have a personal interest in the cause.