Interview: Gabriela Mejia Talks About Her Plans for a New Book, Cleavage: New Ways To Look

Historically, I find that doctors tend to oppose new technology or alternative practises, but over time, such things become more integrated into traditional medicine. Such was the case with my mom, who was seeking a more holistic approach in her battle with the disease. The holistic doctor whose care she was seeking, and who had very loyal patients whom he had helped overcome various cancers, had his practise temporarily suspended by traditional doctors decrying his methods/philosophy and who (unsuccessfully) tried to shut him down. That was over ten years ago -- alternative and integrative medicine have thankfully come a long way since then. The tragedy is that this sort of progress often comes too late and at the expense of someone's health or life, and more profoundly, their convictions. Faced with a potentially fatal disease, patients' convictions and how they choose to seek treatment should be respected and considered, not compromised or altogether ignored.

I'm not promoting one method over another in my book, but I do hope to present different options to its audience. It's important that we are aware that there are various medical options out there.

NH: What do you think of the pink ribbon, pink merchandise, walks and other fundraising activities?

GM: I think walks and similar fundraisers are alright and usually have good turnouts and coverage, but frankly, I don't know how effective or compelling the pink campaign is. Personally, I don't feel like I really relate to it because, once again, most campaigns thus far have associated the disease to a specific age bracket of at-risk women, so I see the pink and consider it more of a middle-age thing. Also, it's not that original because it's a spin-off of the AIDS red ribbon campaign, and Lance Armstrong's yellow bracelet campaign, which were genius and original and effective...for their respective causes. I think the intention is good but the effect gets watered down. I'd like to see something more exclusively designed for and focused on this particular disease - yet more inclusive in terms of its inteded audience.

NH: To you, who is the demographic for this project? Why would you choose this audience over another?

GM: I don't seek to choose one audience over another. The point is for it to be all-inclusive and to get across to previously untapped but at-risk demographics.

NH: To get people excited, can you give us a hint of who some of the contributors are?

GM: It's a surprise, but there are some exciting emerging artists on the roster. But what's important, too, is that we focus on the pith of the artwork and what the artists are conveying, not who those particular artists are. I don't want the book's impact to hinge on the popularity of its selfless contributors. Breast cancer is blind. And now that you've brought it up, I have a good mind to keep the artists anonymous (ha!), but of course, I won't.