Something Pink
Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue … something pink?
Yup … something pink.
Today I appeared on the set of Good Morning America to donate my wedding dress to the Making Memories Breast Cancer Foundation.
I posted about this event when I first heard about it. At the time, I wasn’t sure I was going to head to NYC for the show. Heck, I wasn’t sure I was going to head to NYC for the show last night. But as time ticked away, and the train to Manhattan’s departure grew closer I had the overwhelming feeling that if I didn’t go, I’d regret it.
And once you become a survivor, you want to live life without regrets.
So my husband dropped me off at the station and off I went. I slept on and off, waking time and again, often for no reason, once to shake off the anxiety dream I had that the dress in the box that I’d schlepped to NYC was actually a purple prom dress. (A purple prom dress, I thought, are you kidding me?) Anyway, I woke before dawn in a beautiful apartment on the lower west side with a beautiful view.
While waiting outside the GMA studio I met some wonderfully philanthropic women – several had only recently gotten married, others were there just to ‘hold’ the dresses of women who’d had their dresses shipped to the event, and only one was a survivor like myself.
But the thoughtfulness of these people touched my heart. I mean, to give away a gown that holds so much emotional power in your life … that’s generous.
One young girl gave away a dress she’d bought at this event last year; she’d paid maybe $600 for it, wore it two months ago, and was giving it back for another young bride to discover this year. Who would imagine that one dress would yield such money for a charity event?
I really hope the dress I donated serves the cause well.
The highlight of my trip to the set for me — other than enjoying my children’s giddiness over the fact that they saw Mommy on television –- was meeting Robin Roberts. Holding her hand. Kissing her cheek. Telling her she inspires. Welcoming her to the club, the sisterhood that bonds us all together. While I love that my family recorded the segments I appeared on television, I wish that conversation with Robin was filmed because that to me is a memory I want to keep.
For the record:
- My something old: The wedding dress I wore in 1991
- My something new: The fabulous ‘something pink’ t-shirt Brides Magazine handed out to all the attendees
- My something borrowed: The NYC apartment I stayed in last night so that I could appear on the set at (gulp) 6:15 am this morning
- My something blue: The tanzanite stone that still dazzles my eye each time I look at my engagement ring
- My something pink: The (count ‘em) eight pink ribbons that don the jewelry I wore today
October 4th, 2007 at 5:37 pm
What an incredible experience Karen!! I wish I had known so I could have seen you on the show!
I hear exactly what you are saying about not being sure you were going to go but you didn’t want to have regrets!!
Your generosity in donating your dress is more than paying-it-forward and the chance to meet Robin Roberts, to touch her hand, kiss her cheek, that will stay with you (and her!) forever. There are no barriers in this sisterhood and I am so pleased that you were able to do this.
October 9th, 2007 at 2:08 pm
Dear Karen,
I am the recently married Bride who had the pleasure of meeting you and donating with you at the {Something}Pink GMA/Brides Magazine Event.
I cannot find the appropriate words to tell you how incredible it was to watch my dear friend Kitty speak with you about being a survivor. Kitty is a very private person and seldom speaks of her battle with breast cancer. It was amazing to watch her face light up as she shared stories with you about the treatments and the emotional journey you both endured while on the road to surviving breast cancer. That alone made the journey to NYC worth it.
The sisterhood of self-less acts of kindness, listening to each other’s reason for donating and exchanging wedding stories was exactly what we all needed to understand why being there, at that place & time, was and is so important.
We may have made the world a bit better by being Brides Against Breast Cancer, but I am a better person having met you, Karen.
Thank you for making that day be a phenomenal experience for my husband, my dear friend, my sister and me.
Sincerely,
Carol Ann
October 9th, 2007 at 9:57 pm
Carol Ann, what a pleasure to see you here!
Kitty is sweet as all be, it was a pleasure to meet her, and you all. I thought of you often that day, especially as I traveled home in the quiet on the train.
I’m not sure there were many survivors present other than Kitty and myself. I can’t speak for her, but I can honestly say that as a survivor, when people are generous with their time and money (and possessions) to raise money and awareness for breast cancer issues, I feel both loved and supported and worthy. So I thank you, for that.