The Thing That Hurt The Most During Treatment

Jackbirdie

The Thing That Hurt The Most During Treatment

Jackbirdie

While I was undergoing chemotherapy I was invited to attend a Look Good Feel Better class. I enjoyed getting out for a few hours, meeting other women in similar situations, and receiving a gift of $250 retail skin care products and cosmetics from well known industry leaders like Estée Lauder, MaxFactor, Smashbox, and others. Some weeks later I was looking for a good sunscreen, and someone here on bco referred me to Skindeep, EWG.org's non profit site that evaluates 60,000+ products for safety and cancer risk.

Once I was on that site it occurred to me to check out the $250 worth of cosmetics that had been given to me at LGFB. At least 75% contained known carcinogens and/or chemicals that disrupt the effectiveness of Tamoxifen. I threw almost all of it away that day.

I cried all afternoon, not for the waste of time, the waste of product or money that could have gone towards research. I cried because someone reached out their hand in friendship to me, then handed me a cup of hemlock. Already feeling so down from a cancer dx, a double mastectomy, and now in the middle of chemo, it just broke my heart. I simply could not process how anyone could smile and hand a cancer patient a bag of carcinogens. I got mad. I called the hospital and started working through a chain of people to stop the practice locally. Unbeknownst to me, a national campaign to stop this was in the works, and was launched yesterday.

I just wanted to make people aware of the danger inherent in many cosmetics currently on the market, and the risk of accepting and using the products given out during LGFB.

If you would like to do something meaningful, but quick and free during Pinktober, please consider clicking on the link below, reading the following from Breast Cancer Awareness, and electronically signing a letter calling to halt this practice nationwide.

Thanks for listening,

Katy.

Here's the link:

http://bcaction.org/2015/09/30/tell-these-pinkwash...

MusicLover

You are a smart lady, I don't know if I would have checked. I don't blame you for being upset, they should have known better.

DayLily15

Hi Jackbirdie !!

i agree with you about these GIFTS. there is a saying 'dont look a gift horse in the mouth' - meaning dont find FAULT with a gift. the gift coupons and gift baskets etc. should be called BRIBE certificates , it is not true charity , and it is tax deductable to corporations, under PROMOTIONS.

Thank you for the link about the 60,000 products.

Jackbirdie

Thank you Musiclover! I love music too! I don't know that I was that smart. When I went to check out the sunscreen I'd been using on my own, from a company I always thought of as clean and trustworthy, Neutrogena, I found they had been rated the worst of 2015!!!! I was so shocked it made me think about other products, so I checked.

It is shocking, since I'm sure the companies selling the products are well aware of their own ingredients, and I'm sure someone before me complained to the American Cancer Society. But until they face a shit storm of bad publicity, they will not change. I know the cosmetics industry is concerned mainly with their profits, but the ACC is one of the largest cancer charities out there. They don't have a bottom line to worry about.

So what could their possible agenda be? Maybe the next question to ask is who their major donors are?

Follow the money.

Jackbirdie

HI Daylily! Good to "see" you! Happy hunting! And thanks for posting.

Btw, your profile picture is new? What a beautiful horse!

DayLily15

Thank you , he was indeed beautiful, his name was Toffee. i used this picture from 2012, on this site because he is hugging me and i learnt alot about life and death from him.

speaking of beautiful , cyber cuddles and kisses for your jack russell poster child !

Jackbirdie

As

MusicLover

He looks worried about you in that picture.

Jackbirdie

he is a therapy dog. We go to hospitals, nursing homes, memory care, even the psych ward at the hospital. He does well there because he gets so much practice at home! Haha.

Seriously, he is quite sensitive and he knows I'm so upset about LGFB giving carcinogens to cancer patients. He would sign the letter if he could

tangandchris

Wow Jackie...that is just awful! I find it shocking actually, but maybe I should after everything we go thru with BC nothing should be surprising. I'm glad you looked and thank you for the link.

Jackbirdie

Tang- thank YOU for the support

MusicLover

What a wonderful dog! (I could use him here too.)

Jackbirdie

Thank you Musiclover- he is very special.

I am bumping this to see if we can get some more signatures and comments.

sas-schatzi

Jackb, it just goes on and on.... such important information. Thanks for the links. What was the reaction of the folks at the hospital?

Jackbirdie

The hospital asked me to send a letter with links to EWG's skindeep website (ostensibly to see with their own eyes the independent research on the carcinogenic product they are handing over to cancer patients) and to Breast Cancer Actions' national campaign to stop this repugnant practice. They seem willing to talk. The nurse navigator had an idea that perhaps companies with less toxic product could be approached, or a segment could be added to the class warning how dangerous many cosmetics are (as exemplified by the research that show costmeticians have 5 times the risk of the average woman to get bc), and oerhaps show during the class how to do such research for themselves. Or even have a fun clinic on how to make your own safe soap at home.

So I wrote the letter and I'm waiting.

In the meantime, breast cancer action group has asked me also towrite my story to share in their email alerts, blogs and other campaign follow-ups. I'm working on that.

The easiest and fastest thing for anyone who wants to help us to follow the link in my original post. There is a link to "take action" and you can put in your zip code and they have a draft of a letter all ready to be sent via email to the appropriate person in your geographic area. Five minutes is all it takes. I thank any in advance who are also outraged that cancerous products are being given to cancer patients. Breast cancer patients.

labelle

I've long known some of the biggest promoters of Pinktober and the "look good feel better" advertising campaign (because that is what it is) give women with BC products shown to contain ingredients linked to BC. When offered the program at the hospital where I had my RADS, I definitely passed.

What I did not know about was the link you posted and the movement to end this practice. I filled it out and pushed the send button. Hopefully it will find its way to the persons listed as being local contacts in my area. Thanks for passing this on.

glennie19

Katy, great job finding this easy method to send a letter!! Email sent!

Hello Jack,,, don't be worried! Sweet boy.

ksusan

Thanjs, Katy. I passed on LGFB after reading about your product research.

cp418

I'm very sorry to hear the LGFG sessions are still as bad as the one I attended when dx in 2006. This is a way for that organization to appear like they support breast cancer patients for the publicity only. They are simply dumping junk products which were not sold in the local stores. Shame on the hospitals and groups who invite these individuals in for these LGFG sessions! Complain to them and get the word out to newbies to avoid these sessions. Yikes! They're still passing out carcinogenic products to us after all these years! ENOUGH ALREADY!!!

http://lookgoodfeelbetter.org/programs

Here is their link. I think we should let them know we are on to their phony surrport.

Jackbirdie

cp- it is a horrendous practice and I had no idea they'd been doing it for over ten years.

Thanks for your link too. It's agreat idea to let them know directly how we feel. I am sending a letter there now.

Jackbirdie

cp- here is a copy of what I just sent to the link you provided in the "contact us" form: thanks again

Dear LGFB-

I wanted to voice my complaint about the product I was given at the LGFB program in Coos Bay, OR. At home, I opened the bag, containing many items from many different manufacturers. I checked them for safety on ewg.org's skindeep database. About 75% of what I was given was listed as having known carcinogens. Really? Giving these to a cancer patient while telling her you care about how she looks and feels?

I will tell you how I feel. I cried all afternoon, in disbelief, that you, the ACS, and my local hospital have been so callous in this appalling practice. Then I threw it in the trash. What awaste.

The idea of the class is nice. Either give away safe product or don't give away any product at all, and stick to wig styling and scarf tying.

I am deeply hurt by your actions.

Sincerely

Katy

Breast Cancer patient

Hopeful82014

Great work, Katy!

Thanks for sharing the link, above, which I, too, have signed.

Jackbirdie

Thanks very much,Hopeful!

Tomboy

My tx center held a thing where they were giving a free wig. So, it wasn't LGFB, and I hadn't lost very much hair yet. It was held by Jacklyn Smith, that charlie's angel that had bc, and her hairdresser, Jose Ebar,that one who wears all black with a bigass hat. So, my friend from my neighbors church who had been giving me rides back and forth, was so excited! He told me I HAD to go. So we did. And my friend got so excited, he helped me pick a wig. And then you got to go in another room where there were hats and scarves and cheap junk jewelry. So the deal was, you put some of this crap on, and they took a picture of you. Which they would send you. Sooo, they were very offended that I wouldn't play along right. I got the tiniest coolest veil I could find, and kept my own earrings on. I wrapped another scarf around my body, and struck some outlandish poses. They really wanted to pick FOR me, what they thought would look good, something I would never wear- Gd-awful. Really over the top. When I got the pictures a few weeks later, it was about like i expected. I looked like I was a man in drag. That bad. i signed one like a starlet (autograph covering the whole thing) and sent it to my mother, whom the whole effect was lost on...poor thing, she loved it... as we were leaving, they hadn't offered us any make-up, but apparently, the guy I was with had noticed these swag-bags while I was at the photo-shoot, and he I guess he stold them, one for him and one for me. And there was some good stuff in there. I gave most of it to him, as he just loved that kind of stuff. A strange but lovely man. As we were leaving, walking under the trees outside the building, JS and JE were getting ready to walk into the building! So my friend ran up to them and asked if he could have his picture taken with him, and they were gracious, and allowed it. So i took the pictures. And I guess he told her I was the one going through treatment, because she came up and took my hand, and asked me what kind, what stage, etc. She was very kind, and seemed knowledgeable. I guess she got treated there, too. Anyway, the whole point of this post is, I don't think many of the ladies looked better, but maybe it made em feel better...but I will sign, cause I don't like smearing poison on my face either.

Jackbirdie

Thanks, Tomboy, for signing, supporting, and making me laugh, (and nearly cry) all in the same post. You're gifted that way.... Ya know?

Outfield

Jackie, I really like Breast Cancer Action. I sent an email, although I altered it from the boilerplate text. I appreciate you putting this up.

Jackbirdie

thanks Outfield:

I have several friends who "customized" as well.

I think it's helpful to have a good letter for people with less time or less comfort with their letter-writing skills, but it's great to have original thought in as many as possible.

Thanks so much for taking the time. I am feeling a lot less hurt withthe support from people here.

Cheesequake

Signed!

Jackbirdie

Thanks Cheesequake! You have inspired me!

Jackbirdie

I thought I would share an older link that has some positive suggestions on how to find safe cosmetics.

Sometimes I think the only way to UNPINK October is to vote with our wallets. That didn't work with cigarettes though. Hmmmmmm.

http://www.learnvest.com/2011/10/your-guide-to-gre...