I received some interesting feedback after a recent presentation, an anonymous comment that read, “Enough about breast cancer – everyone knows about breast cancer. Why not focus on something different?”
The comment made me think about how we determine the worthiness of a cause, and how it can vary so greatly from one person to another.
What does make a cause worthy? Well, it really depends on what’s important to you. It could be education, healthcare, the arts, or a plethora of other social issues. It may change every year. Maybe you or a loved one has had a recent experience that has left you inspired to do something, to take action by donating time or money.
Breast cancer issues are obviously a passion of mine. But I became more aware of multiple sclerosis after an aunt was diagnosed 15 years ago, prompting my participation in several MS Society events. And I never really thought about the March of Dimes or its mission until my first child was born prematurely. The list of causes that resonate with me goes on and on, and at one point I found myself contributing to a dozen organizations with different missions. A few years ago (as I was preparing my tax return) I began to wonder how effective my contributions were. I ended up making the decision to narrow the list down to a few, and have focused my efforts on those.
I still have a number of causes that I keep an eye on, following twitter feeds and Facebook updates, and attending annual events to stay current on their work. This allows me to support them in a small way and share their information with friends and colleagues who might be inclined to give more.
But what’s most important to me right now is making sure people have access to the breast health resources they need, so that breast cancer can be caught at the earliest possible moment. That’s my worthy cause.
What makes a cause worthy to you?
