October's Daily Encounters with "pink stuff"

Lifeafter

It was just a form letter.  You know something like that needs to be done on a somewhat large scale thing.  Companies don't care about letters, they are faceless and voiceless.  I would really love to get a group together and rally.  In front of department stores that sell Estee Lauder and their corporate offices.  That's how to get their attention.

mdg

Sassa: I actually have to go to Sally's tomorrow to get some hair color...yikes! 

Kitty:  That's crap!  We should get a few of us with scars together and do our version of the photo they used...I got a good chemo port scar to show off and I have friends that have no hair.....

otter

I'm not an Estee-Lauder kind of woman anyway, Kitty, except for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, which I unashamedly support.  BCRF was founded by Evelyn Lauder and receives millions of dollars of funding each year from E-L's companies and the E-L Breast Cancer Awareness campaign, as well as from many other donors.  I didn't realize until recently that it was Evelyn Lauder, not  Nancy Brinker (Komen et al.), who came up with the pink ribbon as a symbol for breast cancer awareness. 

Okay... back to the topic at hand:  I've been browsing today, and came across these.  Sometimes words are worse than pictures...

Here are some sweets at a local bakery, dressed up especially for October -- these were described in an on-line press release as "cute and yummy!":

Earlier this month, a nearby community held their annual "Think Pink Walk," to "raise awareness" but also to raise money through donations and registration fees.  Sponsors include the local chapter of the American Red Cross, the local hospital, and a group of local merchants.  To the credit of those involved, all the proceeds go toward paying for mammograms and other testing, and breast cancer treatment, for women in the area who are otherwise "under-served".

So far, so good, yes?  That's just the sort of thing we like to hear, ... but:

In the newspaper reports promoting the "Think Pink" activities, one of the organizers was quoted as saying, "...It’s really awesome to see people, hopefully over 600 people, walking around the square with pink T-shirts on."  Yeah, I'll bet that's awesome.

Once the walk is finished, the merchants get involved -- by offering "specials", such as "45% off anything pink" or "free pink lemonade."  A spokesperson for the merchant group said, "I just think it’s fun... Everyone is wearing pink, and it’s fun to meet people you maybe didn’t even know were survivors of breast cancer.” 

Yeah, now that's really fun -- seeing more people than ever who've been diagnosed with breast cancer.  <sigh>

I know, I know.... it's well-intended, and it really does help women in this area.  The newspaper article said that, last year, "more than 150 women were served."  But, good grief!:  "awesome", "fun", "cute", and "yummy"???  Anybody using the word "whimsical" is going to get decked.

otter

mdg

Oh I caught part of a segment on the Today Show this morning talking about how people are aware but they need to be doing more studies...even on healthy women that are not diagnosed so we can find out WHY this is happening and to whom.  It was interesting...I was bummed I was at the gym working out and had my Ipod on - I could only read the words of the interview while I was running.  It looked like they were making a good point that people are aware but more research needs to be done.  That is a start!

shells43

SUNFLOWERS -  Thanks for your approval. I'm actually working on designing that shirt and a few others on a website other than CafePress. They charge too much. When I get it ready I will let you know. The one I'm working on now will be about $14 instead of $21. The designing part is harder though on this other website.

I had a good experience at Sally's Beauty Supply last year so I am sort of fond of it still. The manager helped me personally when I was bald to find wig supplies, some eyeliner & eyebrow pencils, etc. and tips on how to keep the wig looking good. I was so fragile at that time and she was so nice to me I almost cried. I didn't know anything about them donating to Komen at that time, but probably would not have cared either.

Otter - re the cupcakes, all I could think of when I saw them is that they would be better off as boob cupcakes! Now I'm thinking about making some!!

BOOB CUPCAKES FOR BREAST CANCER AWARENESS!!!! OMG

KittyGirl2011

Thanks Otter, mdg, mrochon!  It's not the support of BCRF that I'm upset about but simply the glamorization of BC that the EL ad depicts. If they are sincere about real support of BC awareness and research then why don't they use real victims of the disease in their ad rather then models with perfect boobs??  It's hypocritical of them to show this as glamorious and yet support the research.  They have missed the point of the real awareness of this disease, the real heartaches and pain that we experience when we go through the diagnosis and treatments.  It's not pretty, pink, or glamorious!  I too don't support Komen and I will make a visit to my local Sally's tomorrow.  If anyone else wants to write to EL about their ad too, I thank you in advance.  Kitty is mad!

3jaysmom

i get it, gals.. but i too, know that E-L is an organization that DOES actually send the $$ to the right causes.. ple WITH cancer, and research.. remember, its PR, and so it has to be "pretty".. its just the price of doing business thru all this mess... (sorry) if anyones' offended.. i don't care who they use, if they send the $$ for the ladies who need it.. I think the whole "awareness thing" is a crock.. all about getting mamps.. on the other hand, if one woman gets to miss this rollercoaster, i say get THEM aware!!! i already (was) am.. never missed a mamo when i had mamos to gram.. i LOVE that saying!!!

  I too, have had a good relationship with Sallys , i still haven't gotten all my hair back, thanks to hypo thyroid.. you got a real RABID store manager; and maybe a complaint about her tx of you is where you need to start.. i love all the pics here, they've really opened my eyes to the craziness that IS october!!!....3jays

lago

People are not as aware as you think. I may be very well informed now but 1.5 years ago I was clueless. If I knew more I would have questioned more and my breast cancer would have been found earlier. All I knew was to be looking for lumps. Had I know about dense breast tissue (mammos are useless) changes in breast shape etc. I would have pushed for an MRI 2 years prior to diagnosis.

You might not like Estee Lauder's campaign this year but they do a ton of good for awareness AND research.

KittyGirl2011

Thanks sisters for your info on EL.  I know they do support so much and I'm very glad for it.  But don't you think that a change to some reality of the disease, however small, to their ads in future would be even more affective in bringing in $$ to help even more with research?  Heck, I'd pose in the middle of those girls and they could use my scar, it's in a perfect position for their ad.  Just saying.  Kitty

lago

The American Cancer Society used to show the damage that smoking to do to your lungs for their campaign. Now they promote what quitting can do. Even the pro choice folks (using as an example. Not my political view) used to show a dead fetus. They now show kids that have been adopted.

Negative campaigning makes people turn away. When a company wants to educate and raise money I can understand how challenging it can be to find the right message. 

mdg

I agree Lago...I wish I had been more aware of things when my situation started over a year ago.  I was told my lump was a fibroedenoma and was told to follow up in 6 mo's.  I believed them and thought since I had no family history I was OK..then the 6 month follow up revealed IDC.  It sickened me that it had been there for 6 mo's in my breast growing.  I have regret but know there is nothing I can do now. I wish they would push the fact that 80% of women that get BC DON'T have a family history.  I also wish people would realize that 1 in 8 women under the age of 45 gets BC and if the age is higher the occurance rate is higher.  I keep telling my friends, for now I am their one in 8 but the circle of women imoportant in their life is more than 8 women so soon enough someone else in their circle will get it.  I make them all email me their mammo dates too.  BC sucks.  Enough said

voraciousreader

So, there I was this morning, on my glorious morning walk with one of my dog loving, walking companions and we saw a poodle that looked like this one...that also had pink ribbons next to her ears.  Of course I intuitively knew WHY the dog was dyed pink.  But before I could explain to my friend why we were looking at a pink poodle before 5 o'clock Happy Hour, she asked the owner, "Is that dog PINK?"  And the woman replied, "Yes,"  followed by a pause and then,  "it's Breast Cancer Awareness Month."    Ya think?

mumito

I cannot believe that someone would actually do that to their pet.

voraciousreader

Mumayan...I live in New York....NOTHING surprises me anymore.....ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.

shells43

Sorry for last night's post. That's what one glass of wine after a long rehearsal does to me...

Lifeafter

That poor dog!  And those cupcakes! lol  Omg...I would be embarrassed to eat one!  lol

On the EL campaign stuff...you know Dove soap started their 'real' campaign a few years ago.  Granted it was to show the real shapes of real women's bodies but maybe something like that needs to be done for breast cancer.  I mentioned a few days ago that I was one of the many looks and faces of breast cancer, it would be nice to see a campaign that is just that.  People appreciate 'realness'.  A campaign doesn't have to go to the extreme and show a woman bald, sickly looking and throwing up in a bucket from treatment but...showing a real unglamorized version of a woman who has gone through this would be refreshing.  I think something like that would allow people, men and women, to identify with it and think...that could be my mom, wife, sister, daughter, neighbor...etc.  Just because you may be bald, have a scalp that is patchy with hair, lumpy carved out chest does not mean we are all not beautiful in our right as we go through this.

Just my two cents.

Michelle

michelleo13

Michelle, you are so right! I think awareness campaigns could be real without being too graphic or scary. Real breast cancer warriors living their real lives!

mdg

That poor dog.....OMG!  THe cupcakes...who thinks of this stuff???

Mimidi

Had my prescripton of arimidex refilled today.  Can ya'll imagine a pink top with a darker pink ribbon?

1Athena1

Before I was diagnosed, I was clueless as to what causes breast cancer and how it's cured.

Today, I am no better informed.

No one is.

But, oh, I have seen every shade of pink - the poodle "takes the cake." And I still prefer to say "cancer" to "breast cancer." I am ashamed to be associated with this mega-kitsch.

I think many people would stand to lose if there were a cure or a vaccine. Think of all the profiteers who would go out of business.  

.

Mimidi

1Athena1 I so agree.

msphil

hello sweetie, I agree that when you are more yrs into recovery you won,t feel that way I believe, Im now 17 yrs cancer free and when I was a few yrs out I still enjoyed that people were attentive to the Pink of October, to me it keeps the thought of us that suffer from this disease to the forfront and donations are collected toward research in loooking for a cure for this devastating disease.  Hugs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!msphil(idc, stage 2, 3 nodes involved,L mast, reconstruction(body rejected it and removed) and chemo and rads and 5 yrs on Tamoxifen so hang in there and keep HOPE.

ToriGirl

I went to dinner tonight with my husband at Texas Roadhouse for our anniversary...there was a parking spot in the front of the restaurant that was empty, but had a HUGE pink ribbon painted in it with pink writing below it that said, "RESERVED for breast cancer awareness survivor".....hmmmmm

mdg

Tori...nice one.  I wish I was there with my camera.  Priceless......I am aware and I guess I am a survivor...I hope they wouldn't want proof..."here let me show you my nippless foobs".

thepinkbirdie

Now there's a new one to use....

"RESERVED for breast cancer awareness survivor" 

orangemat

Yeah, that's the first thought that hit me when I read that sign as well. It's really rather touch-and-go though... have we really all survived the AWARENESS campaign?

o_O

michelleo13

LOL...it isn't October 31 yet...we haven't survived 2011 b/c awareness yet!!!

lbrewer

This is my fovorite!

http://personaldfence.com/pink-pistol-benefiting-breast-cancer-awareness-smith-and-wesson-mp9-jg/

1Athena1

That's a classic, lbewer. One of my favorites.

Orangemat - lol!

Anonymous

Sassa - wish I had been with you.  Well Done!!!

Maybe we shold have a tshirt which shows a mastectomy scar, with a few radiation burns around it, all in Puke Pink, of course!

Kitty - about the letter you got.  I think you should make a copy of your original letter, and a copy of the one you got, and SEND THEM BOTH BACK to the person who signed the EL letter with s version of this as a cover letter:

The bug letter
A wealthy gentleman was badly bitten by bugs while riding on a certain railway line. Arriving at his destination, he wrote the company an indignant letter and received a prompt reply. It was, said the letter, the first complaint the company had ever had of this nature. Inquiry had failed to reveal any explanation for this unprecedented occurrence. Nevertheless, a number of new precautions were being taken to make absolutely certain such an unfortunate incident never happened again. The letter was signed by a high official of the railway.

The gentleman was well satisfied with this reply and was returning it to the envelope when a slip of paper fell out onto the floor. The hastily scribbled note on it read: "Send this guy the bug letter."

 There are all sort of "versions" of The Bug Letter ( see Snopes.co) - but this is the best known. Anyone in public communications is aware of it, you might also just ( depending on how angry you are) thank the person for "sending a CYA form letter" - (CYA=cover your ass) as a sad response to a breast cancer survivor expressing her concern about their corporate advertising campaign.

Thanks for your first letter - I really think every action counts!!!!!

IS IT NOVEMBER YET?????   Will we stop being asked to "click" to generate traffic to a website?  When the company could just so easily give the $$$$, or now that the salaries of non-profits are so public, maybe the 3 top earners in a certain company want to take a "cut" for a while?