Are You Tough Enough?

Hello Everyone!

 

Welcome back to my blog! I’m glad to see you here again. Last week, I informed you about the current outbreaks of EHV-1. Check it out if you want more information on this troublesome infection. This week, I’m going to be talking to you about a foundation very dear to my heart.

“Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyways.”      --John Wayne

 

 

 

I think that this John Wayne quote can be applied to so many different situations in life, whether it be starting college or fighting cancer. Life takes courage. Terry Wheatley gathered her courage and took a chance to start a campaign for a cause she believed in. Tough Enough to Wear Pink is a national campaign promoting awareness of breast cancer and raising money to find a cure.

 

 

 

Breast cancer affected so many different parts of Terry Wheatley’s life. Her mother had a double mastectomy, her daughter had two surgical biopsies before she turned 20, and she lost her grandmother to the disease. Terry underwent breast cancer surgery herself in 2004 prior to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. She realized from her experiences that “early diagnosis and treatment was key to a successful outcome” and was compelled to make a difference (“About,”Toughenoughtowearpink.com).

 

 

 

 

With the help of Wrangler and PRCA commissioner Karl Stressman, Wheatley was able to have the first Tough Enough to Wear Pink night at the 2004 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. Nobody was quite sure if all of the big, tough cowboys could be convinced to sport the color pink on such a big stage. But they did and “that really tells the true character of what cowboys and cowgirls are made of.” (Wheatley, 2014)

 

 

 

 

Whether it’s your mother, your sister, your cousin, or your neighbor down the street, most people know someone who has been affected by breast cancer. Rodeo communities across the country have rallied around this cause and Tough Enough to Wear Pink events have raised over $17 million dollars to date (Wheatley, 2014). In fact, one of the top 5 fundraisers is the Minot Y’s Men’s PRCA rodeo. Minot, ND hosts this event as the Badland’s Circuit Finals every October and they have raised over half a million dollars in the past six years ("Tough Enough to Wear Pink," Minotysmensrodeo.com).

 

 

If you are interested in finding a Tough Enough to Wear Pink event close to you, or if you're looking for more information about the campaign, go to www.toughenoughtowearpink.com.

 

Are you tough enough?

 

See you next time!

Emily Engelhard