I'm not going to let PINK get to me this year!

Sandra1957

Have any of you noticed the front page of the Target add today?? A pink vacuum cleaner. It's not even October yet, but I'm going to put it in my mind right now that all of the pink and the "if I were your sister" ads and so on will not bring me down this year. I'm going to choose to ignore them, thank you very much.

lini57

P.S. In fact I'm going to go out and buy myself a pink bra if I can find my size. LOL!!

abbadoodles

I will never buy a breast cancer pink item as long as I live. Put that in your marketing pipe and smoke it, corporations.

Tina

EachDay

A pink vacuum cleaner? hmmm...I had one of those when I was 4!!

Paulette531

I am so there with you! I cannot stand those "if I were your sister" ads and there was a time when I liked pink but no longer.

Member_of_the_Club

Has the annual pinkgasm started already?

Is Target giving any money to reasearch?

ddd

I have always disliked pink and now I HATE it. Last year I had to change my internet home page from Yahoo to Google, as I couldn't stand to see the pink ribbon on the top of the Yahoo page for all of October. This year I during October, I will not be using Yahoo at all again.

NoH8

I was in target yesterday and had a totally different reaction! I wished that I had enough money to buy everything. Then I went to Bed, Bath and Beyond and they had even more things.
I guess when I see that stuff it makes me think of people out there supporting the cause. Awareness is important to me and even though the companies get some profits and good will from what they do. I see all of these things as some of the intangibles about breast cancer awareness, prevention and a search for a cure.

LisaSDCA

This seems as good a time as any to share the inimitable Twisty's take on the whole corporate 'pinkness', as examined in Samantha King's Pink Ribbons, Inc.
http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/2006/09/19/crunch-for-the-cure/

Lisa

Anonymous

I have always liked pink, even before breast cancer. Its my favorite color to wear. I try to think back to the time before I had breast cancer. I was never really aware of how many lived with the diagnosis - and October really didnt mean anything to me. I know for sure, I didnt notice all the pink stuff that was being sold out there.

Lini: Im thinking for sure this is our third October knowing each other. The first year after dx with bc, I bought everything I could get my hands on. Last year I was a bit overwhelmed by it although I must say I did enjoy the M & M's.

Things got so bad last year that I remember North Shore Magazine - a magazine that targets the affluent people who live just North of Chicago by Lake Michigan - had a huge section for breast cancer awareness in their magazine. Many businesses bought Ads. And yes, Weinsteins Funeral Home in Skokie, Illinois had the audacity to advertize pre funeral arrangements in the breast cancer awareness section. This is when I said "enough is enough."

I suppose if we didnt have October as breast cancer awareness month, I would be complaining that not enough is being done for breast cancer.

Its gonna be interesting. I am right now heading out to WalMart. In my heart, I still have to believe that even though it is big business for corporations, there is some money going to help people living in the community. The poor, for research, etc.

This year, I will be an advocate and encourage everyone I know to get mammograms and get screened. And I know for sure I will eating pink M & M's as someone always gives them to me as a gift now that I have bc. I will look at all the pink stuff and smile. All I ask for is please dont shove a funeral home ad down my throat.

Nicki

Beesie

Quote:

---

All I ask for is please don't shove a funeral home ad down my throat.

---

LOL. Yes, that was quite the debate we had last year! For those of you who weren't here then, Nicki's reference is to a breast cancer newspaper supplement (I can't remember in which city it was) that included an advertisement from a funeral home. In quite bad taste, most of us thought. Some didn't agree, but then when do we ever have consensus on this site?

Personally, I have no problem with the color pink. I own a number of pink tops that I like to wear. Haven't bought anything pink since I was diagnosed, though. I do like that with a quick glimpse of a pink ribbon, pretty much everyone now thinks "Breast Cancer". It's great to have such a focus and awareness of this disease. What I dislike are all the companies who jump on the BC bandwagon in October with products that are totally irrelevant to the cause, without actually contributing a significant amount of the proceeds from these pink product sales to a BC organization, and without a real long-term committment.

I applaud those with real committment (Estee Lauder comes to mind) but cringe at lots of those strange pink products and the blatant, opportunitistic commercialism exhibited by so many companies who flash pink during October but don't actually do anything to fight breast cancer.

Sandra1957

From:

http://blog.iblamethepatriarchy.com/2006/09/19/crunch-for-the-cure/

"In other words, when you think of a breast cancer survivor, you don't picture a poor black grandmother living in squalor without health insurance (and you certainly don’t imagine a woman who, because of sensible research efforts, never got cancer in the first place.) The Breast Cancer Brand woman is a pro-patriarchy white chick: middle-class, straight, virtuous, concerned with maintaining her femininity, and married with two above-average kids. Ordinarily she'd be content with her life as the unassuming, unpaid family caregiver, but she's forced by circumstances to be plucky, brave, and heroic.

These circumstances, i.e. breast cancer, turn out to be, as King says, a lucky gift. In fact, breast cancer has given her such a marvelous opportunity for personal growth, she'd do it all over again in a heartbeat. We never hear about the dead women...."

Maybe this is why I don't like the pink campaign. It once again pretties this whole crap up.

neesie

I guess I never really thought about all the Pink stuff. I have always liked Pink and continue to buy and wear......sorry. I don't go for sayings and ribbons all over my clothes, but the color is a favorite for me.
I do wish that more of the profits from the corporations would go to research and to help screen and treat women who do not have insurance........there is a little store by me that was just opened within the past few months......The pink store.....gotta love it! Anyhow, the lady uses her profits as "insurance for un or under insured" woman to get mammograms........now that I like!
Haven't read the ads yet today......but Hells Bells.....I'd take A Dyson in any color just to have one! Big $$$$ for a vaccumm........but I hear they are great!!

Hugs,
Denise

Fitztwins

It doesn't bother me at all. Any extra $$ that goes to the cause is alright by me. If someone wants a pink vaccum, coffee maker or mixer...more power to them...and if a small % goes to BC research! Then I say AWESOME!!

corvette

Pink was always my favorite color - and fuschia. Still is!

I loved the 'if you were my sister' ads. I think they really impacted on how serious bc is. Were they there before my bc dx and I didn't even hear them?

I know I watched each one that aired my first year of dx and cried the whole time. I found them to be very real about bc and the women they chose were perfect for the ad.

Of course there are those companies who are just trying to make a buck off the bc pink thing. But much of it does go to various groups who are doing something about bc.

I like it -- I am one of those who believes that everyone needs to be aware of bc - its a dangerous disease and it has no cure. I don't want bc thought of as equal to the common cold, which I discovered upon my dx, that many people thought. Just cut it out and go home.

I think we can recognize the pink rip offs from the legit ones. I have many friends and relatives in the annual cancer run in honor of me. They wear pink and I feel honored that they are doing this in my behalf.

I love pink -- wear it a lot -- love it as a symbol of this terrible disease that kills a woman every 13 minutes. People need to be made aware of that.

PS - Barbara Walters on Thursday (rerun) stated that breast cancer is now curable! (she was announcing Robin so n so's bc dx)

I had planned to send an email to her but forgot -- think I'll log off and do that right now.

biondi

ladies, i wrote this letter to lillie shockney, a wonderful lady and head of the breast care program at john hopkins hospital: regarding AVON products and their continued use of parabens in thier products. AVON gives big bucks to JHH, but continue to use poison chemicals in their products, don't you think it a bit hypocritical? they should have the cleanest product on the market. another wolf in sheep's clothing. say one thing, do another. they are a part of the the big problem; too many toxins in our products food, enviroment.,i believe it would make them think, if you would all write them a letter as i did.(a rather scathing one at that!
I WILL NEVER DO THE PINK THING!
MY LETTER TO LILLIE:

I KNOW YOU ARE INVOLVED WITH THE AVON FOUNDATION AND I WOULD IMPLORE YOU TO USE YOUR "JUICE" (AS WE CALL IT HERE IN LAS VEGAS) TO INSIST THAT AVON REMOVE ALL PARABENS FROM THEIR PRODUCTS. IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO SUPPORT A COMPANY WHOSE PRODUCTS CONTAIN MANY DANGEROUS CHEMICALS, ESPECIALLY FOR SOMEONE WITH B/C.(PLEASE REFER TO THE FOLLOWING WEB SITE REGARDING AVON PRODUCT SAFETY.. THANK YOU SO MUCH AGAIN. YOUR BREAST FRIEND --NO MORE JIGGLES HERE.... BIONDI
http://www.ewg.org/reports/skindeep/sear...t=&start=80
AND LILLIE'S REPLY:

thanks for the information and also for letting me know how well you are doing!! that's terrific! I'll pass your message onto Avon folks so they are aware of consumer concerns. We are involved with Avon because they provided a large grant for research to hopefully find a cure. Lillie Shockney, RN., BS., MAS
Administrative Director of Breast Center
Instructor, Faculty-- Dept of Surgery, School of Medicine
Johns Hopkins Avon Foundation Breast Center
601 N Caroline Street, Room 4161
Baltimore, MD 21287
410-614-2853
410-614-1947 (fax)

DragonladyTina

I have mixed feelings about the "whole pink thing" I am a red head and pink never did go well with my red hair and freckles but I admit, I don't mind a pink tank top or T shirt from Old Navy. I cannot be slathered in pink though. I do support those charities that are directly involved with BC ie races, walkathons and dragon boating. I have a license plate holder on my car that is black with pink writing...My other vehicle is a dragon boat, now, I love that. My dear hubby gets me a new pink ribbon magnet every year for my car and this year he got one for his car too. He likes the T shirts that we buy at our various dragon boat competitions, one says " Life is simple, eat, sleep and paddle.
Anyhow, I am all pinked out for sure, I am tired of ----- for the cure (fill in the blank). I am all for awareness but sometimes the media makes the disease so pink, sweetness and light, so curable etc, that part makes me want to scream out loud

love Tina

cheryl58

I, too, go for the pink ribbon symbol. I am VERY PROUD of myself for surviving this whole ordeal with most of my body and my mind intact. I have a t-shirt that I wear all the time with a small pink ribbon on it and the saying, "Fight Like a Girl". I also think the breast cancer commercials are good. Does it rip my heart out to sit and listen to them? Yes. But, the more awareness of how deadly this disease can be, the better. I wear the ribbon with pride. (I have always loved pink...especially with black). I enlighten anybody that wants to listen to me about what breast cancer is really like. I don't want the tragedy of this disease swept under the rug and appreciate having a whole month devoted to breast cancer...for us the survivors, for our dear sweet sisters who have lost the battle and for the many to follow.

karen1956

I am one of the girls who gravitates to many of the pink things since my BC diagnosis. I too always have liked pink - but purple is my favorite color!. I have pink water bottle that has the pink ribbons on it - my DH thinks it looks like a baby bottle. I drive a big SUV (suburban) and have two survivor pink ribbon magnets on the two back doors - I bought a pink magnet for DD and DH car. I wear two pink bracelets (once since right after Dx) and DD wears a pink bracelet as well. he lots his one I got for him after Dx, but I got him a new one that says Celebrate Courage. I bought a few pink spatulas and spoons as well as a few other things i can't remember. Miriam, my 9 year old is always the first to point out some new item with the pink ribbon on it. Like Nicki, last year I bought the pink M and M's. I will continue to buy pink ribbon products as long as some money is going to support BC. The Target ad says that for each pink Dyson vacuum, they are donating $0 to the Breast Cancer research foundation. That is 10% of the cost of the vacuum and Target is also giving a $100 gift card with each Dyson vacuum. they are pricey. I am not proud to have had BC, but I am proud to show off that I am a survivor and will do whatever I can to promote the cause. I have a pink BC bear on my desk at work, a BC ribbon card on my office door. The Denver Race for the Cure is always the second Sunday in October. I couldn't do the race last year, but I am doing it this year and will proudly wear my pink T-shirt. I will be signing up for the race tomorrow and I hope to raise atleast $500. Last year I raised over $300 even though I could not do the race.
Isn't it great that we all can think of pink in our own ways. wishing everyone a good day tomorrow. Karen

Babyface

I was never a fan of pink, didnt even like it when I was a little girl Pink was something I perceived as too cutesy. Nothing cute about BC IMHO . Ive come to hate it, esp when I see companies jumping on the "pink" bandwagon for the purpose of corporate profit. It is one thing when a company is giving substantial $ to BC research, but an entirely different thing when they are "showing support". Far too many companies use BC as a profit center, and I for one am totally sick of it ea. year. I hate walking into the Bay(for u Americans think JC Penny) and seeing everything from pink clocks to frying pans....then when you really read the fine print the co. is giving 10 cents up to a maximum of $10,000. Wonder how much they make off the campaign
And I too really really really hate the "if I was your sister" commercials. LOL, dh is getting worried, last year I threatened to throw something at the TV...he didnt care then since it was old...now that we have a new widescreen guess he doesnt want me to toast it
For those of you who are interested, Samantha King has another article coming out in Chatelaine for Oct(at least I think the Oct. issue).

caaclark

Last Oct. I had just completed treatment and was really glad when Oct. ended. I am glad that it raises awareness but also understand the feelings of those who just want Oct. to end quickly. This year I feel better about it. Anything that gets money to the researchers is ok with me.

I did see something pink last week. Tic tacs! Pink with a pink ribbon on them.

Anonymous

Well its sorta of funny. I did go to WalMart yesterday and didnt find any pink stuff yet. When I got home I loooked at myself in a mirror. I was wearing a pink tshirt with a pink ribbon that says search for a cure. Didnt do it on purpose. Just grabbed a clean Tshirt to go out shopping for a bit.

I did see lots of pink caps but it wasnt for bc. It was for Nascar, baseball, and football. Pink seems to be the thing now for sports.

Im Italian and have an Olive complexion and dark hair - so pink looks really good on me.

Everytime I see a car with a pink ribbon magnet, I somehow feel connected to that person.

Nicki

BethNY

The first yr I was dx, I had everything pink, and so did my friends and family. Year two I was sick of it all and didn't want to see a pink product anywhere I shopped, b/c a lot of companies were abusing the pink, and not donating a lot to charity.
This yr I feel indifferent. If pink stuff raises awareness then great. If there's a product I like, then I'll buy it.

Just remember to read the fine print when buying pink this year.

Sandra1957

Is it "if I were your sister" or "if you were my sister"?

I think I got it wrong. I think it is the latter. No wonder it sounded weird to me.

I do see the importance of that commercial, but it always came on in between things that my son was watching. I don't think he needs a constant reminder that his mom's BC might come back. I like to keep my kids innocent and young as long as possible.

SheriH

Lini, I think you struck a chord with me with the constant reminder for our kids. If people buy pink to help I respect that. My mom always gets excited about pink stuff. She had a mother and daughter with bc, so it really means something to her to promote awareness and research. It's just hard on my kids to be reminded all the time that their mother had a serious illness, and even could have died.

My favorite commercial is still the one where the actress says "I want to die from too much chocolate".

Anonymous

MOTC: Pingasm .. that's good!

Lini: this is a great thread. I have mixed emotions myself about it. I hate how BC is looked at like some designer disease that nobody dies from and how your life changes for the better and it makes you stronger and more appreciative .. ha. Didn't do that for me. Then everyone jumps on the bandwagon selling the awareness items with some companies giving very little to the cause. My sister gave me four different bags of pink candies that support the Susan Komen foundation..even peppermint patties with pink inside and of course pink m&m's and hershey kisses. I'm enjoying the chocolate! I was also sent a beautiful silver bookmark with a tiny pink jeweled ribbon on it by a stranger .. an aquaintance of my sister who heard about my BC and wanted to reach out. I was very touched by this and love the bookmark. I have a pretty jeweled pink ribbon attached to my purse. I like seeing the ribbons on others vehicles .. it saddens me but reminds me that I'm not alone. There are times when I like seeing the pink and times when I hate it. I'm thinking October is going to be tough with all the reminders everywhere. Part of me is really dreading it. Sometimes I think it's so much that people lose sight of it and pay no attention anymore. I think I'll be glad when we get to November.


Charlene

abbadoodles

I've been thinking more about this pink thing because it's obvious so many of us have very strong reactions to it. Before going on, I want to stress that I don't begrudge anyone their fondness for the pink campaign and my negative feelings about it do not include people who are into pink ribbons!

The bottom line is, for me, that all the pink ribbons, the pink tchotchkes, pink candies, etc. are unwelcome reminders of something I'll certainly never forget but do not wish to focus on. It's called moving on. That's a healthy thing. Except for a few other diseases, AIDS being one, no group of survivors is so often forced to revisit some of their worst moments. I don't think even AIDS is so visible these days. Heart disease certainly takes more lives than cancer and there are so many people living with heart problems.

Getting a colonoscopy is advised for those over age 50 but would it help for everyone to be wearing little brown ribbons? Sorry, couldn't resist. Gee, there are so many important things we should be doing and could be reminded to do.

I do really believe that the pink campaign is exploited by companies to help make them look good and look like they are doing something in the public interest. It's good business except when it backfires as it does with cantankerous old girls like me.

So, no breast cancer pink products for me. No ribbons. Hot pink, coral pink, rose pink, fuchsia pink: those are all still options for me as I LOVE PINK!

Tina

Darlin50

I wear my pink with pride! Ladies we have fought a hard battle and we should be yelling a the top of our lungs that we are winning this fight. If buying all the pink products and showing my survivorship helps raise awareness and saves others I am proud to do it! I don't want to ever forget what I have gone thru...it keeps me grounded, helps me to remember what is important in life, reminds me to be more considerate of others and what they might be going thru.
So I say BRING ON THE PINK and let these companies donate more money to save more people!!!!!!

nosurrender

Lini, you are the bomb.

Yes, I have my Issues with the Pink.

I have them because I want the money raised going to research not a big corporation hijacking breast cancer as a ploy to sell "feminine" things.... vacuums? my PS told me I am not allowed to vacuum... even if it is pink!

The key to our cure is in a research lab somewhere. Think about that 2 cents out of the purchase price of a lipstick that is sent to that lab. Then compare it to the millions of dollars spent on the campaign, packaging, marketing, and distribution to the "breast cancer charities." In my case that is not enough.

I like the awareness raised, but what awareness does a pink blender raise? How cool it would look next to your pink toaster? or how to do a self examination or to get your mammo baseline done BEFORE the age of 40?

We aren't all pretty and pink and tied up in a bow. People think of BC almost as a kitchy thing now when they see the sea of pink in retail stores. I want them to see the reality and then write a check to their nearest research lab-
does everyone know the name of the breast cancer research lab nearest to them? Mine is the Cold Spring Harbor Research Lab.

If I feel an overwhelming urge to buy a pink dustbuster, I will first send a check in the amount of the purchase price to Cold Spring Harbor, then I will buy the pink dustbuster if it is something I need - which apparently I do because I am not allowed to use a pink vacuum anymore.

AWARENESS YES
Contributing to the bottom line of a multi-billion dollar corporation that hijacks BC? NO

RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH

Fitztwins

$40 for each vaccum purchased goes to BC research. That isn't too bad?

Anonymous

I love the color pink and always will. I don't get overwhelmed by the bc commercials. I think the "if you were my sister" ad was right on. We gripe when people think once the cancer is cut out of our bodies we are cured and we gripe when the truth is told in an ad. It's a fact of of life, NO CURE FOR BC. I don't think the color pink was used for bc because it's all pretty and sweet. I think it's because IT IS a girl's color and most of us who get bc are "girls." I do realize those commercials can get to us because it can bring back the fear of getting this disease AGAIN. I also realize that some of the companies do not give as much as they could, but some is better than none. I heard how much Yoplait Yougurt gives for the pink tops that are sent in....can't remember the exact amount from each pink lid, but it was UP to 1.5 million dollars. That kinda made me angry when they put a limit on it. However, we do live in a capitalistic country.
Shirley

Sandra1957

Shirley, you're right the ad is right on, but do they have to air it during the time that children of BC survivors are watching. I'm not griping about the truth in the add. I do agree that it needs to be put out there, but how about airing it during adult viewed shows only?? Why must my child be subjected to this "fact of life" over and over throughout the whole month of October while he's trying to have a bit of enjoyment?

Janis- $40 is a good amount. Too bad I'm not supposed to vacuum anymore either. I do but only in short bursts, and only occasionally.

Gina - No, Gina you are the bomb. Loved your post on the "What has cancer done for you?" thread. How did you find your local BC research lab?? I would guess a local for me would be at one of the universities.

Still haven't found the pink bra in 34DD. Here's a capitalistic opportunity for someone.