Please explain this decision by Susan Komen Foundation
Comments
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Could someone please explain why the Susan Komen Foundation sponsored a conference which took place this past October in Egypt which was to celebrate unity in conquering breast cancer but allowed the Egyptian Health Minister Gabali to ban any Israeli doctor from attending?
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The Komen foundation cannot control what the Egyption government does. The Egyptions disallowed the Isrealis from attending at the last minute.
Komen put out this statement:
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Susan G. Komen for the Cure Pleased to Announce Egyptian Events to Welcome All Advocates, Including those from Israel Statement by Nancy G. Brinker, Founder, Susan G. Komen for the Cure
"Breast cancer advocates from the United States and across the Middle East are meeting in Egypt from October 21-27 for breast cancer awareness events. There have been reports that some of the invited participants would not be allowed to attend these events. Susan G. Komen for the Cure has now received confirmation that all advocates, regardless of their country of origin, are invited to fully participate in events to bring breast cancer to the forefront of public discussion in the Middle East._____
They launched diplomatic activity to try to get the Isrealis back in attendance. I don't know how successful they were but to say that Koman didn't allow it is disengenouous. However, putting on a conference that all are welcome to attend in the Middle East was probably naive and hopefully they will chose a better location for future events.
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The Israeli delegation was barred from participating. Susan G. Komen for the Cure chose to accept this and not cancel the conference.
The Egyptian government appears to hate Jews more than it hates cancer.
Leah
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Please understand that my comment in the abov post refers, as I stated, to the Egyptian GOVERNMENT and not individuals.
Leah
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I never said, nor did I mean to imply, that this was an act perpetrated by the Komen Foundation. Of course it was not. In response to your statement, it seems "disengenuous" of you to attribute that to my post. This was more than naive, it was incredibly irresponsible. I don't see how the Susan Komen Foundation could have, or should have, continued their association with this conference after this behavior by the Egyptian Health Minister.
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MsBliss - what is the point of your post? We have already had a debate concenring this topic over the last week or more. The moderators eventually had to intervene.
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London Virginia,
Why are you asking me this?
First, I did not see the other thread on this topic--I was surprised to learn this had happened.
Secondly, since when is a single topic restricted to one thread? There are multiple layers and multiple hits for dozens and dozens of other topics. Do you notify other members when they ask a question about another subject that has already been discussed on other threads?
I honestly don't care that the moderators had to intervene. This is a very disturbing event and the reaction to it should be just as disturbing.
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But why are you asking us? Ask the Susan Komen Foundation! Nothing we say or don't say will ever change anything. You have to go to the source...perhaps the Egyptian government?
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Right on Barbe ... well said. I don't know why this happened. CoolBreeze is probably right about naivity. I am sure their intentions were good (I know, trhe road to hell is paved with good intentions). I remember years ago, and I don't know if it is still true but I suspect it is (and remember this was well before 9/11 and terrorist strikes) if you wanted to see Egypt and Israel it was best to visit Egypt first before you got an Israeli visa on your passport.
MsBliss - I understand righteous indignation - I love righteous indignation - but I don't think anything will be resolved here. None of us were in control of any part of the situation. Anyway, it was a good point but I think Komen is the only one who can answer this with any validity.
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Barbe, are you serious? What do you mean by "us"? Do you speak for everyone here? Maybe some of the other forum members would have something enlightening to add to the conversation--this is, after all a DISCUSSION FORUM for and about everything Breast Cancer and Susan Komen is the biggest Breast Cancer Foundation on this earth.
You are mistaken that anything we say will have no impact on poor decisions by a high profile entity like Komen. From what I have read since my original topic posting, had Komen CANCELLED the conference, it would have gone a long way toward making a statement. The public reaction to Komen's mishandling of this entire episode is an education for everyone.
Further, I would think that this discussion wouldn't make you so defensive were it you didn't think some of us have no right to be shaken by what happened.
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MsBliss wrote:
I never said, nor did I mean to imply, that this was an act perpetrated by the Komen Foundation. Of course it was not. In response to your statement, it seems "disengenuous" of you to attribute that to my post.
Okay, but here is exactly what you said:
Could someone please explain why the Susan Komen Foundation sponsored a conference which took place this past October in Egypt which was to celebrate unity in conquering breast cancer but allowed the Egyptian Health Minister Gabali to ban any Israeli doctor from attending?
You made it sound, by the use of the word "allowed" like the Komen Foundation had the ability to allow any government to do anything. You didn't say anything in your original post about how you think they should have pulled out. Had you mentioned a better response, I might have agreed.
Perhaps they should have. As a person with rights of return myself, I think what the Egyptionss did was despicable, although certainly not surprising.
On the other hand, the Komen Foundation is not concerned with Middle East Peace. They are concerned with women with breast cancer. Who do you think is getting better treatment for breast cancer at the moment? Israeli women? Or Iranian or Egyption women?
I'd venture the former is getting the same treatment we are privvy too. So, if your goal in life is to get ALL women the treatment they need - and you are not a diplomatic agenc - then maybe they felt they could do more good and bring more awareness by going on with the conference.
I'm not saying it's what I would have done but just remembering what they might be concerned with.
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I agree with you. When I went to MD Anderson, I was astonished at the number of women from Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Iran and the Saudi Arab Emirates there. Since I speak some limited Farsi, and they spoke a bit of English, I had a conversation with a woman and her daughter. A long conversation because we waited almost 90 minutes for our appointments. They cannot get proper treatment and screening in their homeland because of cultural issues--but not so much because of access to the latest treatments.
But I wonder if cancelling the event would have sent a louder message than the appeasement that was dished out by the Komen Foundation to the limited brains that saw fit to hurt the very women who need this free exchange of information most.
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Bliss, if you met a lot of women from other countries then I think the message is getting out. Women have had breasts and breast cancer for, oh, what do you think? About 10,000 years! Please credit third world countries with some semblance of knowledge! It's the TREATMENT that is of issue. You say they can get diagnosed, but not treated? That doesn't make sense.
There are millions of women around the world that can't get adequate treatment! Not just "over there". You're standing on quite a big soapbox and trying to ignite a topic that was dealt with weeks ago.
This is not the right venue to try to change the Egyptian government! What kind of answers are you looking for? You ask us to "explain this decision". We most certainly CANNOT do that. Please call the foundation and let us all know what their explanation is....I'll wait with bated breath....
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Besides...it's a done deal. Learn which battles you need to fight. You'll exhaust the energy you need to fight your own physical battles.
(Had to get that in before you slammed me against the wall again....)
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This topic WAS dealt with and if I'm not mistaken, stopped by the Moderators as it became too political. You're right! This is a breast cancer forum, but not a political forum. Surely you've seen what happens when politics and emotions mix.
I didn't "snark" MsBliss first, I made a comment....a discussion if you will....
By the lack of response from the other ladies on this board, you can see that this is a tired topic, and one that cannot be properly addressed here. Perhaps the Komen Foundation has a discussion board where the politics of this decision can be addressed?
2tzus, by the amount of capitals in your post, I see this is a very emotional topic for you. I am sorry that my post has distressed you. I have seen many topics closed down in the past year when people get overheated on political issues...I certainly don't want to add to the fire. (I come in peace....
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Komen should have cancelled. Period. I think its great for Komen to reach out to Arab women, who I'm sure are underserved, but not in the face of bigotry. I never saw the earlier thread so I didn't know about this issue, but in my opinion Komen took the cowardly way out.
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Ladies, money talks. Is there another organization that is doing the kind of research we need and working to come up with a cure? If we direct donations there that otherwise would have gone to Komen, and let Komen know why I guarantee that they will get the message, and won't be planning anymore international conferences in locations where the government is likely to prohibit some of the invitees from attending.
If we send an email to Komen letting them know that "I won't be participating in _____________ event this year, and instead will be donating the $_________ to ____________________ in protest of over your organization's handling of the barring of Israeli participants in the Egyptian Conference in October 2009." It will be far more effective than bickering among ourselves.
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Great idea Patmom. I think I would donate to The Huntsman Foundation instead.
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2tzus, sorry, but the original posting was "Egyt Bans Israeli Scientists from Komen Breast Cancer Conf." The moderators DID get involved and I saw you post there as well (so whew I'm not crazy!). I see the post was modified to exclude what I, too, considered prejudicial wording. Religion should NEVER come between humans and it is so sad that it does. Peel away our skin and we are all the same inside.
Great point PatMom!
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I only suggested that maybe it would be MORE effective discussed on the Komen website rather than here....SORRY if I was NOT on the same PAGE as you. Oh my God! I made a BOO-BOO! The other topic wasn't closed down...yikes! But YOU were the ONE that said it was "never dealt with weeks ago" and yet YOU posted THERE!
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I get the last word? Goody!
When I said the topic has been dealt with, I meant on this board. If you misinterpreted it, I can't account for that!
I am not a Neener Nanny, whatever that means, I was suggesting posting to a more appropriate forum to GET AN ANSWER! I didn't come here wagging my finger either! I was just wondering what and how the poster could expect to get an answer! Duh.
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Barbe, either I'm not writing clearly enough or you are misreading the other posts as well as my own. I would favor the latter because your responses do not favor discussion, and this is after all, a discussion forum. I would attribute your misreading of the posts as the reaction of someone who has a hidden agenda and would like to become the "Sheriff of all Postings". But we don't need another Sheriff. I am troubled by what happened, I am a member of this forum in good standing, and your sarcasm is neither helpful nor clever.
Now, let me restate, from a lower "soap box" in a "non-slamming" way that I did not write anything about the ability of third world countries to service the medical needs of their people. Do you think Syria, Jordan, Egypt, and Iran are "Third World countries"? If you do, then your bias and judgement of the issues is showing. Nor did I write that people "over there" had access to treatment but not diagnosis; I did not write anything even resembling anything to which you retorted.
Actually, nothing in your post is making sense to me. "Message getting out" about what? That women get cancer? That is not a message--it is an inevitable fact. No one is disputing that.
The women who I met had ample resources and were traveling to MD Anderson for treatment. They were telling me that there is a problem with screening at home because male doctors cannot "look upon women's bodies" and screening becomes problematic since there are fewer women doctors now than before. They and other of their peer groups travel here to pay cash for treatment; their sisters who have no resources are diagnosed at much later stages and have difficulty getting targeted therapies. No one is taking any credit away from their medical systems, but if there were no room for improvement then what was the Susan Komen conference for anyway?
I am grateful for everything Komen has succeeded in doing. More than that, they are extraordinarily powerful now. There is no room for the nonsense the Egyptian Health Minister pulled. Komen, being non government affiliated, was perhaps the ONLY ONE that could have made a statement at that opportune moment, yet they chose not to.
As I said before, I am shocked by this. I think it deserves a loud response. To insist that this is a dead topic, that there is nothing we can do, is simply your opinion, but not mine. I have given a lot to Komen--but this year, and only this year, I will send a message that my support goes elsewhere for now.
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Why not just have the conference here in the US at Komen headquarters..
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MsBliss, hon, you continue to read an agenda in my posts. I've had over 5,000 posts and never have had a problem like this! I most certainly do NOT want to be the "Sheriff of Posting", I am dealing with the reality of my diagnosis and don't have time for petty back and forth like this, but you've rubbed me the wrong way right from the beginning asssuming I'm biased and have this great secret agenda. Please refrain from more name calling and take a deep breath. I said above that I come in peace. If you don't understand what that means, look it up in Wikipedia! Not everyone that words things different that you has an ulterior motive to rule the world.
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Barbe, "HON", if you "come in peace", then please refrain from posting dictatorial mandates; if you don't have time for "petty back and forth like this", than don't post without thinking.
You did have an agenda; generally there is nothing wrong with that. But you chose to insert yourself into a discussion for the sole purpose of slamming the discussion down, and you chose to do it in a rude and insulting manner. Well, I usually turn my back on such behavior, but you, Barbe, "HON", rubbed me the wrong way, determined that this discussion did not deserve to see any further oxygen. I don't think you realize how all of your comments on this thread are immature, finger pointing sand box behavior. That is so unhelpful. Go to Komen, Go to Egypt, YOU did this, YOU did that. What do you think this forum is about?
I will not expend one more atom of energy on you. That is sad because we have more in common than not. We have breast cancer and the rule of the day is to hang together, support one another, share information and vent if we need to. I was astonished when I learned of the Komen event. You jumped in assuming I was stirring things up in your town and I better not do that.
All I wanted to do was find out if other's knew about the event, and if it was resolved.
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MsBliss, I usually call people "HON" just before I call them something worse. Now who's being sarcastic! As you can see, this thread is NOT important to a lot of women except you and me and one other! Aren't you proud?
Many knew of this event as it WAS posted back at the end of October! We've had this discussion. It's done. Why are you trying to rustle things up again?
You, my dear duck, have to look up words in a dictionary! I did not post "dictatorial mandates", but a helpful one! Read back, if you can, and think like an adult, not with the sandbox mentally that you are continually displaying ont this thread. Look up the words you are using and see just how VERY, very wrong you are about me!
Hidden agenda! Give me a break!
Oooooh, this is SO much fun!
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MsBliss, from your posts you appear to be very passionate on this subject. Unfortunately, anything having to do with the Middle East is politically motivated. However, having said that I think it is quite strange that an organization named after a Jewish woman would allow this to happen. There is no mention on their website why they continued to sponsor this event. Without some word from the Foundation, we can only make assumptions. Perhaps you could prepare an online request to the Susan Komen Foundation that could be signed by other women to ask for a specific reason or reasons why they went ahead with the conference.
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I went through the Komen website and I think what ultimately happened was that the Israeli delegation didn't go and the Komen folks visited Israel after the conference to try to make up for it. But they have been incredibly disingenuous with the way they've described the events. I am disgusted.
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Hmmmm... let me see...
Ms Bliss said...
Could someone please explain why the Susan Komen Foundation sponsored a conference which took place this past October in Egypt which was to celebrate unity in conquering breast cancer but allowed the Egyptian Health Minister Gabali to ban any Israeli doctor from attending?
This is clearly a question to the members of BCO.
Then Barbe said:
But why are you asking us? Ask the Susan Komen Foundation! Nothing we say or don't say will ever change anything. You have to go to the source...perhaps the Egyptian government?
Seems to me to be a clear concise question adn a legitimate one... not antagonistic.
Then Ms Bliss said:
But you chose to insert yourself into a discussion for the sole purpose of slamming the discussion down, and you chose to do it in a rude and insulting manner. Well, I usually turn my back on such behavior, but you, Barbe, "HON", rubbed me the wrong way,
Seems to me that this "discussion" was intended to "stir the pot". I seenothing rude nor insulting in Barbe's response until she was "slammed".
Just my humble opinion and probably only worth 2 cents. Especially since I am not as passionate about this as the rest of you are. I have not donated to Komen for personal reasons. I would rather donate to orgs. that actually show tangible help to individual cancer patients. For instance, Avon actually gives cash to some patients to cover expenses.
Nor am I trying to be the Post Police, just trying to be an objective bystander....
C
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I, for one, appreciate the information being provided and one person can make a difference, even if that difference is small. One drop of rain fills a lake one drop at a time. I can make a difference by making sure I no longer supoort the Komen foundation until they stop appeasing actions such as this.
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