Breast Cancer Awareness Month is admirable – but a total drag

In case you by some miracle hadn't noticed, Breast Cancer Awareness Month is drawing to a close. Admirable as this yearly festival of fundraising is, I'm afraid that with my personal breast cancer awareness at an all-time high, it's been a total drag. I've been wandering about thinking, "Tra-la-la, what a lovely day – I haven't a care in the world," only to walk past a poster, turn on the radio, or pick up a magazine to be forcefully reminded, that in fact, I do have a care in the world. Frankly all that awareness has been the most God-awful strain . Meanwhile, my intention to adopt the hijab in case of hair loss – which as yet has not come to pass – has nevertheless inspired some competitive spirit. The League of Jewish Women have sent a kind letter wishing me a speedy recovery, for which I am grateful, as well as a fetching green headscarf so that I can dress up and pretend to be a Jewish woman rather than a Muslim woman if needs must. I do hope they are being as even-handed with recent Muslim convert Lauren Booth. She speaks of converting after a shot of "spiritual morphine", which served to remind me of the unpleasant shots of actual morphine I received after surgery, and of her delight in wearing the hijab. Unfortunately, Booth makes conversion to Islam sound awfully similar to my experience of being seriously ill.