At the Norge office, we go pink every Friday in October in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. We wear pink, have pink pumpkins signed by our breast cancer survivors, we even have our aide in a pink tutu! (She rocks the tutu, by the way!) In some circles, there’s been a backlash against the over-“pinkification” of October, with the typical argument being that it doesn’t really do anything, and that it’s just a marketing gimmick. There’s pink stuff sold everywhere from high end stores to WalMart, and nothing goes to any cause related to breast cancer research or survivors. There are cute slogans in the name of awareness, but awareness without action of some sort doesn’t 
accomplish much.
So why do we pink out at Norge? Well, because one of our specialty programs is specifically designed for breast cancer survivors! We see it as an opportunity to honor them and to celebrate the positive change that we can bring to their lives. Many women have difficulty after breast cancer surgery in regaining their normal mobility and strength to get back to leading the lives they want to live. They may have shoulder stiffness, limited rib mobility, muscle and soft tissue tightness– all things that PT can help with. We do lots of education, manual therapy and appropriate exercise progression. They usually know that they are at risk for developing lymphedema, which is a swelling disorder common in women who have had lymph nodes removed as part of cancer treatment. This fear can be severe in some women, so we aim to alleviate that fear and guide them back to safely enjoying the life they want. Have a survivor in your life that needs help in rediscovering their new normal? Send them our way!
We aren’t the ones saving their lives, but we can be an integral part of giving them the lives back that they want to live. So we’re honored to be able to support them, honor them, and celebrate them. Going pink is our way of doing that, and it’s our way of spreading the word that survivors can live an active life.
Many of the physical therapists at Tidewater Physical Therapy Inc. hold Direct Access Certification through the Virginia Board of Physical Therapy.
Ginger holds Direct Access Certification and is available to evaluate and treat patients without a prescription from a physician.
