Color My World

by Jackie Piper

Only 45 days until we step off for the 2015 Challenge Walk MS in Door County. 

I’m thinking that there are not enough training days left. I’m thinking it’s time to immerse myself in the fundraising. I’m thinking I need to go get a new pair of walking shoes. I’m thinking lots of Challenge Walk-related thoughts.

But, mostly I’m thinking about orange.

As I train for the Challenge Walk and trek all over my smallish city, I try to always wear an orange shirt. I am participating in my 6th Challenge Walk, so I have many options when it comes to orange shirts. But, does color really matter? Ask the people involved in the breast cancer movement, who took the color pink and raised awareness around the world and rallied people to their cause. That sort of awareness translated into funding for research that has been instrumental in changing the outcomes for people with breast cancer.

I’d love to make “orange” the new “pink”.

I’d love to have the world identify the color orange with the movement to end MS forever. It can happen.  It starts with a t-shirt, a hat, a backpack, or ....an umbrella.

Last fall, while vacationing in Europe for my 40th anniversary, I pulled out my orange Challenge Walk MS umbrella to walk the rainy streets of a small Austrian town. The next day, I offered my arm to another woman from America as we walked down the steps of our tour boat. She asked, “Are you the lady with the orange umbrella?”  I said, “Yes, I am.”  She replied very simply, “You walk for me.” 

So let’s color our world.

Get your “orange” on.