This post is part of a blog hop by the amazing women of Midlife Boulevard. A blog hop is when a group of bloggers write on the same topic. This month’s topic is What I’m Thankful For. You can find the link to the other blogs at the end of this story.
I think of my life as a creative journey and I recently came upon an intersection that I had not foreseen. October was breast cancer awareness month. I’m keenly aware of this because it’s my job to help promote it. I work for a woman’s specialty hospital in marketing.
While working on an ad campaign for mammography, a lump was found during my annual mammogram. I’m also working on the Cancer Annual Report and this year’s focus is breast cancer. I became the patient I was creating ads for and a possible statistic in the technical report that I help to design. When I got a call after my mammogram from the head of Imaging, I knew that she wasn’t calling me about advertising.
This year’s Thanksgiving card. Woman’s is one of the largest OB hospitals in the country and is known locally as the Birthplace of Baton Rouge.
November is a month when we give thanks. While designing Woman’s Thanksgiving card, I didn’t yet know that I would be so personally thankful for the organization I work for. From the beginning, I was told that there was a 90% chance the lump was benign. I listened to the experts and had the biopsy to prove that I wasn’t in the 10% category. Because of their kind and professional assurances, I knew that I was going to be OK. This is why you get those yearly mammograms, to stop cancer early.
The only thing I remember coming out of the fog of anesthesia was the direction to not do any housework and no heavy lifting. I also remember telling my nurse/friend that we needed to go out for bloody marys. I’m sticking with the no housework rule and still need to get that drink with my friend.
I’m fine, no cancer.
During this time, I worked on the ad campaign to tell the public about the new 3D mammography technology that Woman’s now has. Just as I was told to do no heavy lifting, the marketing team worked together and the creative effort was shared. No one had to do the heavy lifting alone. This campaign actually launched an explosion of creative energy within the team. This team has all been touched in some way by breast cancer and I’m not the only one in the group who has had a biopsy. There was a sincere enthusiasm on how best to tell the public about the new technology.
The creative approach we chose to use to explain 3D mammography is origami. Traditional mammograms give a 2D image, like a flat piece of paper. The 3D technology is dimensional. It is like the folded origami. We chose to use the crane as our model, this origami bird is also the symbol of good luck. The campaign launches during this month of Thanksgiving.
Campaign billboard
Campaign print ad
Campaign web banner
I say a daily prayer to be given the wisdom to see the gifts the universe sends me. I was given the gift of living Woman’s mission: to improve the health of women and infants. That mission includes my own health.
To all the women and men I work with day after day and to the community we serve, I am thankful.
Shout out to the marketing team: Lynne, Bridget, Margaret, Rachel, Laurel, Tracie, Brian, Amiee and Dana. And to my sweetie, Steve, who held my hand and took care of me during it all.
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Click here to read to the other stories in the blog hop.
My dear friend, I am so glad you are OK and I love this ad campaign…I see parts of your journey in there!
Thanks Melinda. My journey needs to take me to Mobile. We are overdue some cackle time.
Your story touched my heart. What an important job you have in bringing awareness about and so glad that everything worked out for you.
Thanks Mary, I love my job and I am have a most thankful November.
Thank goodness you are ok. I used to be the editor of the American Breast Cancer Guide and I’m familiar with the type of mammography test you describe.
I am feeling very blessed this holiday season. The 3D technology is really amazing. Thanks for commenting.
I’m so happy to hear you are ok. Thanks for sharing this post!
Thanks Nancy, I appreciate you stopping by.
Hooray for all the great diagnostic tools available today. My maternal grandmother’s breast cancer spread before she even knew she had a lump. I had kids after 30, so I get screened regularly and had an adanoma removed two decades ago. I remember the anxiety of waiting for the labs to come back. Hugs to all those women who had to get lumpectomies and then chemo / radiation. Hugs, hugs, hugs.
Thanks. My lump only showed up on a mammogram, it was that small. Technology is saving lives. Hugs back to you!
I’m happy you are okay and I love the Origami crane! Stopping by to say Hi from M.L.B. thankful linky.
Thanks Linda, I love blog hop days. It’s always so interesting to read everyone’s take on the same subject. We all have much to be thankful for.
And I am thankful that my dear friend is okay! I can’t imagine how scary this was and I am grateful you had such support at Woman’s Hospital. What a great — if not ironic– testimony. Great job on the campaign, too.
Thanks Lisa. The irony of it all has not been lost on me!
Glad it was just benign. You of course with doing the marketing know all the stats of breast cancer and it does happen to many of us. I like the campaign. 3D mammography is the wave of the future.
Haralee, I knew that if I had a worst case scenario that I would be OK, because it would have been caught at it’s early and most curable stage. And of course I’m so relieved that it was benign. Thanks for you comment and have a wonderful holiday.
What a great story Connie! I too have had that breast biopsy and know how scary it is. I am so glad you are healthy and that it gave the greatest perspective of all for your marketing campaign! I wish for you continued health and many, many successes!
Thanks Rena, It is scary and no matter how much you know that you’ll be OK, there’s that worry that stays with you. And I wish you continued health and success too!
I was in the same position a few years ago, minus working for such an organization. So this post resonates with me. Especially this: “No one had to do the heavy lifting alone.”
Continued blessings to you, Connie.
Lori, thanks for letting me know that my words resonated with you. When I considered whether or not to share my story, I realized that it might move someone to get their mammogram. Then it was easy to share. Hove a wonderful holiday!
Hi Connie! Yay! I’m thankful for your good news too. I think when things like that happen it is such a powerful reminder to remember all the things we routinely enjoy but often forget. And good for you for sharing such a powerful message with other women and helping spread awareness. It will definitely be a great Thanksgiving at your house! ~Kathy
Yes Kathy, it will be a great Thanksgiving. I am feeling grateful and blessed!
So glad the you got a clean bill of health. Great add campaign. I have know so many women who have battled breast cancer. In Switzerland, a yearly mammogram is almost fully funded by the government for any woman over the age of 50. But that said, I have a colleague, only 34 years old, who is battling breast cancer, so we all need to be aware. Thank you for this important reminder and I am so happy to know that you are okay.
Thanks Pat. Every (woman) employee gets a free mammogram at Woman’s. I have great benefits and I’m grateful. I wish everyone had those same benefits. I’m glad you live in a country that provides coverage. It’s yet another reason to love Switzerland.
Wonderful news, Connie. Thank you for all you do to help educate women on this important health issue.
Everytime I see an ad or pass a billboard that I helped create, it reminds me to be grateful.