Review our Community Guidelines and Privacy Policy Here

Moderators

Community Guidelines

Terms of Use and Privacy Statement

Community Guidelines

The Breastcancer.org Online Community is a service provided by Breastcancer.org to give people affected by breast cancer a place to come for support, encouragement, and commiseration. We're a welcoming community, free of judgement, and open to all who've been touched by this disease. Connect, share, learn, or just read; there is no right or wrong way to be a part of this place (although we strongly encourage participation — you get out what you put in). This is a Community mostly run by its members, so please keep that in mind as you find your way around; Breastcancer.org doesn't endorse or take responsibility for the content you'll find on the Discussion Boards. Our small team of moderators (mods) does keep an eye on things and are available for help or a listening ear, but our members do most of the heavy lifting to keep things welcoming and civil. As we do rely on our members to take care of the Community, we ask a few simple things in return for your membership here. If you see anything here you need clarity on, please let the mods know via private message or by emailing community@breastcancer.org.

1. This is a Community for and by people who have been affected by breast cancer in some way, either personally or as a caregiver of a loved one. This one is really important; we want our members to feel comfortable posting and sharing here, and knowing that the people they're talking to "get" it goes a long way towards making that happen. Be upfront: let us know your story and why you're here.
2. Say hello! Introduce yourself. Share as much or as little of your story as you're comfortable with, but please let us know you're here. That first step can be the hardest for some people, so better to jump right in. We're all here for you.
3. Here's the thing about this Community: You will meet someone from every walk of life here, because cancer doesn't discriminate. We celebrate and respect all of our members and their differences in race, religion, sexual orientation, and political beliefs, and we expect all members to do the same. You don't have to like someone, but, to be here, you have to respect them. You may ignore or block members if you'd prefer to not see their posts, but please maintain the level of respect that you expect in return.
4. You'll notice from time to time a post or topic on the boards asking for volunteers for research studies or events. While Breastcancer.org doesn't endorse or support these endeavors officially, we do recognize that they may be of interest to the Community and will post them or allow others to post when appropriate. If you'd like to participate, please get in touch with the contact information provided in the post. If you have a study, event, or project you think would benefit the Community in some way, please contact the mods before posting about it on the boards; we get a lot of requests and are very selective about what we open up to our Community, so we need to review all requests prior to posting.
5. The boards are public, so anyone can read what's posted there. If you don't want your personal information available to anyone who happens to be reading, don't post it. Make up a cool username; don't use your real name. Don't post phone numbers, email addresses, or anything else you want to keep private. The level of anonymity you choose to operate under is up to you, but for your safety and the safety of the rest of the Community, we suggest erring on the side of caution. Use the private message function to share more personal information with members you're friendly with; that's what it's there for!
6. Be nice! You don't have to like everyone, but this bears repeating: You do need to respect everyone. No name calling, no harassment, no personal attacks against other members. We take a zero tolerance stance on bullying and abusive behavior, and if we see it or someone reports it, you will be removed from the Community very quickly.
7. No judgements, please. Everyone is just trying to do what is best in THEIR particular situation. Nothing nice or supportive to say? Move on without saying anything.
8. Private messages are just that: private. Please don't post private communications with other members on the boards for public consumption; when there are two or more people involved, it's not just your privacy you're violating anymore.
9. Don't pretend to be anyone other than yourself. Be you, you're awesome.
10. Members are allowed one account and one account only, so please don't create more. We'll delete additional accounts if we find them. However, we know that emails and passwords get forgotten. If that happens, click "Reset your password" on the login page and follow the instructions. If you're still having problems, contact the mods and they can help you access your account.
11. We want to hear what you think, so please, post your own ideas and thoughts. If you share something that doesn't belong to you, make sure to cite your source. This is especially important when it comes to medical or health information. Personal health experiences are just that, PERSONAL experiences, and should not be promoted as fact or general knowledge. Studies, statistics, or information that you're sharing should be sourced and cited from a reputable place. (Our organization defines a "reputable source" as peer-reviewed
    medical journals with a high impact factor published by an established
    medical association. To be considered "reputable" by our organization,
    any cited news sources should be essentially unbiased, mainstream
    outlets that follow journalistic and ethical standards.)
12. No cross-posting, please! Cross-posting means posting the same message in multiple forums. Choose the forum that your post best applies to.
13. Please don't spam the Community or send private messages with links, advertisements, or solicitations for your business or services you provide. If we see spam or it is reported by other members, it will be removed and could result in the removal of your account. If you offer a service that you think would be beneficial to the Community in some way, contact the mods, and they'll decide if it's appropriate to post.
14. Please don't collect any information about or intellectual property from other members for your own use, personal or otherwise. Breastcancer.org doesn't use your information without express written consent, and we expect that same level of trust and transparency from the Community.
15. Please don't upload files that contain viruses or worms that could harm members' computer software or data.
16. Please don't violate local, state, national, or international law in your use of the Discussion Boards.
17. Breastcancer.org reserves the right to terminate or limit your access to the Discussion Boards without notice.
18. Breastcancer.org and the mods are not in a position to assist those contemplating suicide or self-injury, and we take this very seriously. Please, if you are having thoughts of either, please seek immediate, professional assistance. You may call 911 (or, if not in the United States, the comparable emergency number in your country), visit a hospital emergency room, or call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 800-273-TALK (800-273-8255).