Sometimes it’s like the world is turning pink. On various occasions throughout the year, especially when a Komen race is about to be run, we see all the pink ribbons and signs and packaging, and pink-hued items are sold to raise money.

And you know what the cause is, right? Of course you do.

Still, one of the missions of the anti-breast cancer crusade is “awareness.” Awareness? How much more aware can we be? Nearly every woman has a story of someone she knows, or is a survivor herself, or at least knows of the celebrity survivors and spokeswomen.

It’s almost to the point that when you hear the news of a woman with cancer, the word “breast” is assumed. It makes me glad that the lymphoma I had was easily treatable, since it’s not an important disease like breast cancer.

I’m not downplaying the seriousness of the disease, I’m just wondering if maybe we could all say, “OK, we know already!” and put more of the funds raised into researching the cure. We all do know about it by now, don’t we?

Part of the deal is that it happens mostly to women, and women are more likely to seek medical attention. Businesses go where the customers are, so we are bombarded with women’s health ads.

Maybe the awareness campaign continues so strongly out of a fear that, in spite of it, the message isn’t getting through. But unlike, say, global warming or the health hazards of smoking, there aren’t voices crying out saying that breast cancer is no big deal.

The greater fear might be that it will become like AIDS.

“AIDS? That’s so 1980s. Didn’t we cure that in the 90s? Besides, it has a different name now.”

Though most people stopped wearing red ribbons years ago, HIV/AIDS hasn’t gone away. Granted, it can be treatable as a chronic condition, but it’s still hell. And it still kills, especially where there is substandard medical care, like in much of Africa.

All the efforts that went into HIV awareness over the past two decades and the public finally said, “OK, got it,” and moved on.

It pains me that people must be reminded so often. Because of that, there’s no way for us who are already “aware” to say, “Yeah, I know,” without appearing rude or apathetic. When you’re told something over and over long after it has sunk in, you start to resent the constant intrusion into your thoughts, no matter how well intentioned the effort is.

Then comes the urge to tune it out. “Already heard it.” So if there’s any new data, or you’ve forgotten anything, the reminders don’t register. “Awareness” ceases to work.

And that doesn’t help anyone.