The TEAL ribbon symbolizes many causes including ovarian cancer and child abuse. I have walked the path of ovarian cancer for 11 years and I wear the Teal ribbon to help bring awareness.
The breast cancer community has done an excellent job bringing awareness and funding to the forefront. The pink ribbon is often mistaken to represent all cancers.
Here is a fact that is not well known by most women, including those with breast or ovarian cancers. THOSE WHO HAVE HAD BREAST CANCER ARE AT GREATER RISK FOR GETTING OVARIAN CANCER and THOSE WHO HAVE HAD OVARIAN CANCER ARE AT GREATER RISK FOR GETTING BREAST CANCER. Please, do your self-breast exams and get an annual mammogram AND get a pelvic and rectal exam every year. Remember: PAP smears do ONLY detect cervical cancer.
I was sexually abused in my early teens by my stepfather as were my two sisters. I am a survivor of the abuse and advocate for awareness, programs, and funding.
In 2017, there were reported 3,051,000 cases of child abuse (americanspcc.org/child-abuse-statistics). The CDC states that in 2018, 1 in every 7 children had been abused.
Many of these cases come from homes where there is alcoholism, drug addiction, poverty, or parents were victims of abuse themselves. Whether the abuse is emotional, physical, or sexual…ABUSE IS ABUSE.
There are numerous health issues related to abuse: diabetes, malnutrition, vision problems, heart disease, arthritis, physical mobility, high blood pressure, and brain damage. The earlier the abuse starts the greater the damage to that person’s health. The sooner it can be stopped, the better. (https://childwelfare.gov/pub/factsheets/long-term-consequences.)
Author, Christina Winds wrote a short but powerful book about abuse, titled Monsters. She states in her author page She prays that it brings strength and hope to anyone living with monsters. Her book focuses on emotional abuse and it was inspired by true stories from abuse victims.
ANY ABUSE OF ANY KIND IS UNACCEPTABLE, HAS LONG LASTING PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, AND SPIRITUAL SCARS, AND THIS AUTHOR BELIEVES THAT ALL PERPETRATORS MUST BE PUNISHED AND REHABILITATED. WE AS A SOCIETY HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO REPORT ANY ABUSE AND DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PROTECT CHILDREN AND VULNERABLE ADULTS.
Thank you for taking the time to read this blog about two important issues. It is my hope that you will be advocates for awareness and funding for both these causes. I do not know when cancer or abuse will end, but each time a woman is proactive with her health and each time we teach about child abuse we are one step closer to ending both of these issues.
KAREN INGALLS, AUTHOR, BLOGGER & SURVIVOR 