Take the Fright Out of Breast Cancer™

Meow13

Well I don't have a physical jar of joy but I do take enjoyment when something good happens to me or my family members.

One thing is I regret telling my coworkers about my cancer. I have not heard a word from any of them after I retired. So I recently reached out and the couple I talked to acted like I had been sick. I told them I was doing well and actually thought about going back to work. Then silence.

Spookiesmom

I did all of that too, even removed my addy from my profile. Didn’t work.

So now I send them to the trash folder marked as spam.

That seems to be working. Finally.

Moderators

Our tech team is checking out the email issue!

dlb823

Traveltext, what a great TED talk! Thank you so much for sharing it. I hope the Mods will bring it to the attention of the powers at BCO, and I hope they will note that not once did she mention a need to take away the fear.

Outfield

Imagine me saying this in the nicest possible tone: Could you all please take the technical problems elsewhere - maybe its own thread? I understand they are important, but I don't want to see the meaning of this thread obscured by it.

exbrnxgrl

outfield, you said it quite nicely. There is an active, existing thread for technical glitches and errors. Here's the link:

https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/93/topics...

Traveltext

Agree, we're straying off topic. Encourages mods to further ignore us.

Wildplaces

Apologies - got it. 😊

(I mentioned it because it has happened since contributing several posts to this thread - never before - weird coincidence perhaps..)

Libber

Hello all. I don’t often comment on this board. But want to thank all of you for your comments and information provided as I navigated this challenging and scary diagnosis and treatment.

With that said. Aside from this discussion group. The ACS has not provided anything to support other than I suspect selling my contact info. . And now this Halloween campaign has me sideways. The marketing folks who came up with this should be reassigned. From the comments from others on this forum I believe most would agree. (I am trying to be diplomatic with my comments). I hope I do not see this promo anywhere. It’s simply not appropriate or appreciated by ANY of us who have endured the experience of breast cancer. Not clever. Not funny. And not appropriate.

nihahi

Libber...yup...this campaign has no merit.

I am offended by how quickly and how often the mods responded to "tech" problems, yet remain so silent and deaf to the pleas to "be heard" on the ill-conceived and offensive fundraising campaign.

NineTwelve

"Take the Fright Out of Breast Cancer" = "Take the Fun out of Halloween."

Many of us are tremendously tired of seeing everything we love hijacked by cancer. Many of us feel that commerce has entered every part of our lives. This new campaign discourages and depresses me. There must be some way to make an appeal for funding that doesn't ruin a holiday.

Hopeful82014

NineTwelve and Libber - Bingo. It was bad enough that October's been hijacked and it sickens me to see them trying to draw Halloween into the fray.

By the way, I'd be interested to know if anyone's received that email that was mentioned a week or two ago that was supposed to be soliciting input on the proposed changes. If so, maybe it could be shared on this thread so that we can get an idea of their thinking. (If I've missed that, my apologies).

In the meantime, I'd love to have a sticker made of NineTwelve's statement (below). I'd slap it over each and every piece of print advertising for this that I encounter. Too bad we can't do the same with their digital campaigns.

"Take the Fright Out of Breast Cancer" = "Take the Fun out of Halloween."

Traveltext

No email received.

Can we make the sticker:

"BCO Takes the Fright Out of Breast Cancer" = "BCO Takes the Fun out of Halloween."

Meow13

The only way to take fright out of breast cancer is to find a cure that doesn't involve poison, mutilation or radiation burns.

kathindc

Nihahi, I second your comment about the mods response times to our concerns compared to the glitches.

Nope, no email received here. It will be interesting if BCO takes up the offers of help that members have given them. Mods, what say ye? Have they even been forwarded to your powers that be? Your relative silence towards your members on a thread you started speaks volumes. Wasn't the reaction you were expecting, was it

Traveltext

The Underbelly have the BCO Fright Campaign in their sights. Here's some of the comments from their Facebook page:

Take the fright out of breast cancer??? Is that possible!??? My first reaction was...Fu*k that! Grrr...

There is NOTHING that will take the fright out of this or any of this or any other type of cancer. This is insulting to those of us who live with that core of fear every day. Some days is all consuming and some days it shrinks to a small kernel, but for me it never really goes away.

They trademarked it. 😑

Not my cup of tea. The marketing department obviously thinks they are brilliant, and has zero Stage IV input.

This is so ignorant and demeaning to everyone who is affected, including our families and friends who are also afraid of this damn disease and scary treatments. Just looking at this is traumatizing in its callousness.

This is insulting, as it implies there's nothing to be scared of. The only way this might be an ok campaign is after there's a cure found. And even then it's not respectful of all the pain and trauma of treatment.

kathindc

Mods, are you listening?

Spookiesmom

no, they don’t seem to be. And if they are, one will be along to pat us on the head and say there there.

Moderators

Yes, we are listening, as is our entire org. You have clearly stated your points, and we have heard. We understand what you are saying, and how you feel.

Traveltext

Thanks Mods, listening is a start, but are you going to make any meaningful changes to this campaign?

PoseyGirl

Annndddddd.....?

Is this the pat on the head you were referring to, SpookiesMom? Lmao...

Libber

I have not received any emails. However I do appreciate the message from the mods received a few minutes ago. I think our messages have been heard. Appreciate that.

ksusan

The moderators of this message board are not the people who make decisions about campaigns.

Spookiesmom

yes.

Traveltext

The Mods are BCO employees who relay issues to management, who relay answers to the Mods, who relay these answers to the members here.

Then, mostly, nothing changes.

The management here have built a very solid thick line between "us" vs. "them". They run the site, they are the professionals. We are the poor peons with breast cancer who come here for support and advice, and to record our 'stories'. There's a lot of talent here which is totally un-utilized. management rarely considers we have anything of value to offer, obviously, since we're never consulted before they embark on their various campaigns.

Wildplaces

Mods,

Are you able to elaborate please?

What do you understand about "how we feel"?

Specific to the proposed campaign.

😊

nihahi

And.......pat on head, cue the silence again... Repeat as necessary to "calm the voices"...

Micmel

I never really thought of myself as a poor peon with breast cancer before. That makes me feel like I am less of a person than someone who doesnt have it. I can honestly say after reading this thread, I would not want to go into the fundraising business. No matter what. You can't please everyone, I can't say I like the boobie bracelets or mention of it at all. But I know that these people provide a free place for us to meet people who are in the same place in life right now. I have worse things to worry about, then what company wants to do campaigns about this or that. Life is scary period. Right now I am worrying about how my next scan is going to turn out. I also would like to thank BCO, for helping me fund my mammogram, while I was battling for my medical insurance. Those are the things I need to worry about. My brother had a massive heart attack two weeks ago, I wasn't worrying about any campaign when I was waiting to hear if he would live or not ! The rest just brings me stresses and things I ultimately have no control over. Good thoughts to all and Have a restful night everyone. ~M~

Wildplaces

when an organisation takes on the task, advertises and raises funds in the name of representing a group, part of its responsibilities is to correctly represent that group

the post abovesupports this thread's argument - women/men with breast cancer value financial assistance, knowledge and access to like minded people - it is the lack of those which deter them from optimal treatments

I think all we are saying is there are much better ways then Halloween...bats - really???

There are some other subtler quite ugly issues that arise with the fear and breast cancer - outfield would easily guess what I am alluding to, and so would the female surgeon from the UK, save them for another post.

Libber

Mods. Thank you for listening to everyone on these boards. Suggest that a focus group is formed to get feedback on campaigns in the future. If done with input from ladies/gentlemen who have experienced the challenges a more successful campaign may be possible in the future.

Support is so important to everyone with this disease and family members impacted. Each one of us have valuable experiences and opinions that can be shared. Some of us may have marketing experience, health services experience, social services, legal, pharmacists, Medical including physicians and nurses, customer service, on and on. A wealth of skills in this community. I think it is valuable to call on the skills at your disposal when developing new campaigns to raise funds with the goal to beat this disease. I will happily raise my hand to assist