Response to ABC's The View 'Warrior In Pink' Nominations

Where do I begin to write about a woman who has been a Warrior in Pink my whole life? My earliest memory was when I was five-years-old. I remember my dad having to take care of my brother (then 7) and me because my mom was “on vacation.” He would allow us to pick out our clothes for school, and I could even comb and style my own hair. We had so much fun; I remember thinking, “Mom should go on vacation more often!”

When we finally got a chance to visit her, I soon came to realize that her “vacation” was at the hospital. At first, I thought it was an odd place to pick to take a vacation, but that thought soon passed because by that time, I missed my mom so much, I was just happy to be able to see her, it didn’t matter where she was. As we walked down the white hallways, I noticed that my father’s playful demeanor was replaced with quietness. My brother and I followed suite, whispering to each other as we passed rooms filled with people laying in beds. I began to think this was the place people came to sleep with no disturbances.

Soon we arrived to the room where my mom was laying in a bed of her own. I remember thinking, “wow mom must really be sleepy.” She could barely lift her head. And when I went to go jump on her to give her a hug, my father grabbed me and I was hurt and confused. I started to think it was our fault for making her so tired. Then I noticed that she had a band-aid on her finger and I asked what it was for. Noticing the fear in my eyes, she somehow personified the playful demeanor that my dad had lost a little while ago. With her usual morbid sense of humor, my mom whispered that the nurses had cut her finger off and that the band-aid was holding it together. Then she smiled and tickled me with it, and we both began to laugh.

Today, my mom is 19 year breast cancer survivor and she is a Warrior in Pink because she has taught me that laughter is the best medicine. Most people don’t realize how much the family of the person who has breast cancer is affected by this disease, but I can honestly say that I never really knew that my mom was sick because in my mind she wasn’t. She has always kept a smile on her face, finding a way to laugh in any situation. My mom, Denise Roberts is a Warrior who Tickles me Pink with her laughter, which indirectly gives me strength. I hope you select my mom to be honored because not only has she helped our family stay strong through this trail, but she has also helped so many other families, who have lost their matriarch to breast cancer, keep smiling.