Leaving the Syracuse Crunch hockey game in downtown Syracuse last Friday night, a bright building stood out among the usual skyline as my dear wife Karen and I walked from the Onondaga County War Memorial to our car parked in our favorite little lot a block away.
It loomed, in fact, I’d say.
Pink, I’m aware.
I grabbed my iPhone 6 and stalked it as we made our way.
Heightened awareness.
When it peeked between the Cathedral at Columbus Circle and the old Mitzpah Towers across the Street, I liked that perspective.
I caught up with Karen exclaimed my fascination for the beauty of my newfound glow.
She explained how it was pretty in pink for breast cancer awareness month.
Indeed.
It first came ablaze at this time last year, according to a column on syracuse.com by my friend Sean Kirst.
It certainly changed the tenor of downtown in the moment.
Karen also said that there was also some discussion that some folks don’t like the pink awareness concept, saying it’s an empty gesture and doesn’t do anything to advance breast cancer research.
I said that I thought everybody talking and thinking about breast cancer research cannot hurt the efforts.
Do you like the bright pink building in downtown Syracuse, and why or why not? Do you think the pink awareness project helps breast cancer research, and why or why not?
What are notable “portable” landmarks in your local skyline?
Mark Bialczak 
I like it okay as long as it’s only pink for a month. Otherwise, it detracts from the beauty of the older architecture. 🙂
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What this building has on its agenda is blue for this month, to help fight diabetes, Rachel. I’m all for that one.
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Cool! 😀
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I agree with you. People being aware and thinking about it is NOT a bad thing at all. Not to mention, I hope it has a positive impact on those suffering, knowing that people do care.
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I like the pink building! And yes… I do think that the pink everything has us talking and thinking about breast Cancer.
As for buildings being lit up… The Terminal Tower in Cleveland does for a variety of things. Breast Cancer Awareness is one of them.
I am not aware of any here in the Phoenix area.
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I wonder why somebody in Phoenix has not decided that this would make them stand out, Nancy. Because it does!
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They very well have or did… it’s just that I am an hour north of Phoenix. I tend to venture out into the desert more then into the city.
But when I am in OHIO… I drive through the city to get to my boys houses. The terminal tower is lit up all the time for all kinds of occasions! So I agree… it gives the city something to be proud of.
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I see, Nancy. Sometimes it is route-taking, indeed. 🙂 Hooray, OHIO TT.
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It sure is hard to miss, so in that sense, it makes you aware that it is pink. At this point, I don’t really know anyone who isn’t AWARE of cancer or research. A friend of mine who had breast cancer says she doesn’t really think the pink helps, that it is a weak color and cancer is strong, but having been spared, my opinion doesn’t really count. And as far as Movember supporting men’s health, do you think that brings awareness? We all know someone who has cancer or did. The problem I foresee is making us aware when a cure is available, when Big Pharma is doing all it can to keep people ill and using drugs until they die.
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It is so very complex, Kerbey. Because money is involved. You sure got that right. If it were just about health …
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My grandma died of breastfeeding cancer and I am sure there are many people I could list here, friends. Mainly, Mark: I wear pink for breastfeeding cancer awareness and the building is gorgeous!! 🙂 🙂
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Sorry for that loss, Robin. That horrid disease hurts so many.
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Not sure how “portable” our landmarks are bro Mark, but we have our stupid concrete trees. That adds up the the worst, most advertised local waste of taxpayers money on record in this area — unless of course, you count the new hospital they built on the marsh, the only hospital in town that started breaking apart during a heavy storm 6 weeks after the grand opening. It went bankrupt about 3 months into construction, and most of the workers walked off the job. Not that many people want to work for nothing any more, go figure! And then the concrete trees adding another several mil to the bankrupt economy, and the mayor still tooting his own flute about what a wonderful community this is, and how he paid for it all out of his own pocket. All I can say to that is “He must be seriously overpaid” if he can afford to purchase 5 $2 mil trees and 3 $1 mil buffalo on his $1 per year salary. Yep, mayor’s job is face only here. We are run by the City Council, the mayor is just for use of his picture on endorsements.
And this used to be such a lovely “City of Trees”.
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I don’t like the sound of concrete trees or buffalo, sis Angie, at any cost.
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No real person here does either bro Mark. Only the politicians trying to turn a town without interstate commerce into a large city. It just can’t be done, but they will wipe us off the face of the Ohio before they admit it.
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They won’t give up while in elected office, no, sis Angie. They can’t.
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This town will just keep on putting them back in bro Mark. No one wants a job like that, so the real people don’t bother to run. Just the poppinjays.
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I just pray to never get breast cancer. Or any other cancer for that matter.
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Yes, I second that for you, Vonita.
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EWE!! I like that Mark!!
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It looks catchy amid the gray, Willow. 🙂
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Yes it does!
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I like it. I think all the little things help. Of course giving money or buying products that donate are good things to do, but the best thing we can do to help breast cancer is to actually help those who are patients. Drive them, sit with them, listen to them, make them laugh, cook for them — show we care about them.
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Agreed, Joey. Dive in and help the real person. Good words, you.
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The building looks awesome! Yes, I heard the Susan G. Colman, who’s actually behind the whole think pink campaign doesn’t give much of the money that is donated towards breast cancer research. Guess it could be true, but cool building either way. Kind of looks more purple anyway.
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My phone camera did turn it a bit purple, agreed, Marissa. 😦
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Oh, so it was your phone. I see. Thought it was the color of the building.
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Half and half, Marissa.
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I like the pink building; I think everything related to breast-cancer awareness month and “pinking” everything is overdone slacktivism with 95% of the times it’s promoted. Not all donations to causes are equal just by buying something that is pink (and some companies limit the total to what can appear to be a minimal number).
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I wish the giving was more, J.
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I like the pink building, and really if they want to make their building pink for breast cancer awareness month, that is great. I think people overthink everyone’s motives these days. I accept it at its face value, and think a pink building is awesome!!!!
PS. Still writing, for NaNoWriMo, painfully behind on my word count. Oh well!!!
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I hope their motive is good, SD.
You’ll catch up in word count. I have faith, my friend. 🙂
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Thanks Mark!!!!!!
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I have no particular objection to the pink campaign for breast cancer awareness, but I think it’s overdone. There are other cancers that need attention. A young relative died from chordoma cancer – how many people have ever even heard of that one?
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I never had heard of that one, CM. Now I have. Sorry for your loss.
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The building is fun, but as DailyMusings above noted, most of the money raised does NOT go to cancer research. In fact, businesses routinely make things pink or put a pink ribbon on something with no money going towards anything to do with breast cancer. There’s a “think before you pink” campaign. Is there anyone who is not “aware” of breast cancer at this point? There is also a lot of controversy over screenings and such. I’ve done research on this, and I’ve had breast cancer.
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Thank you for your research and sharing, Merril, and I’m so glad you’re here to do both, my friend.
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yes, i think the more aware we are, the more people take a personal interest in it. and that can be by supporting research,and reminding women to get regular screenings, among other things.
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Thanks for sharing here, Beth. It’s important.
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Having awareness of breast cancer is an important thing, but many companies jump on the pink band wagon for profit- little of which is going to breast cancer research to find a cure. My friends who have lived through breast cancer cannot stand the pink movement- they think it trivializes it. I have to agree
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I understand. Thanks for sharing their view, Lisa.
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