To Raise Awareness

I just cannot stand this phrase! Why? It doesn't do the cause justice.

Think about it.

You are a speaker at a Light the Night Walk, a fund raiser for leukemia & lymphoma research. You've just come down from the stage after a heart-wrenching message to families and friends of survivors about your personal experience with the bastard that is blood cancer. The audience has been touched by hearing about the people lost to this evil. They have been moved to come to this event in memory or honor of a loved one and have pledged to do and give more to fight cancer.

As you descend from the stage, a reporter approaches you with microphone in hand and asks you why this event is important. And your response is, "Oh, we just want to raise awareness about leukemia and lymphoma.

Bull Crap!

Raising awareness just means more people know about your cause. You don't just want more people to KNOW about blood cancers, you want people to get pissed off that this diabolical disease can kill loved ones. You want folks to get off the couch and donate to local, state, and federal research organizations. You want medical professionals to discover symptoms that can be detected early for disease prevention.

You don't want wives to ask husbands, "Honey, are you aware of lymphoma?". You want neighbors to band together and raise money for the Light the Night Walk and participate in this sometimes life-changing event!

Please, if asked to give a quick interview on your event, don't cheapen all of the hard work, dedication and effort you and your team put into it by copping out with, "Oh we just want to raise awareness".

Let's just be honest, you don't want to raise awareness, you want to raise money. There is nothing wrong with wanting to raise money!

Just be honest and advance your cause.