I hate October/Breast Cancer Awareness Month

If only breast cancer was one of the curable ones. . . .

That's the way I like to give too, BMac.  I have more control over where my hard-earned $$ goes.  I can know more of the money is being given to actual research or care.  I'm so glad I wasn't diagnosed in October.

Lassie, I had an experience like that too.  We were in Halifax on vacation in August 2008.  I overheard one of the teenagers working at a store saying her feet were sore because she had done a Breast Cancer walk the day before.

I too waited for her to become available and, after identifying myself as a recent breast cancer survivor, thanked her for what she had done.  It turned out that her mother, too, was a bc survivor.

From the co-survivor persepective, I too agree the commercialization is overkill and gets a little tiring.  Do I have to be reminded every day?

That said, I do appreciate the fact that more people are becoming aware and sensitive.  Next to Heart Disease I think it has the biggest awareness factor and I think is actually doing some good in getting traction

I agree with Cheri2 about the "are you going to run for BC in honor of your wife?"  My response is that I run almost every day, "Why don't people just donate to me each day that I run?"

Erik (Route53)

http://route53.wordpress.com

Hi Friends --

I have the added cultural bonus of cancerversary in October.  It's now been 3 years, and it does get easier, but still no walk in the park.  I get so tired of the marketing.  On the other hand, I am trying VERY hard to be less judgmental.  I'm trying...

That said, I approached this month with caution.  Even had pre-emptive thought:  not the 3rd anniversary of dx (and the gruelling tx afterward) but 3rd anniversary of the cancer eviction notice (step one:  GET OUT, step two:  STAY OUT.)  Thought that would give me a better spin.

Went to pick up beastie food at the pet super store Saturday (actual anniv. of surgery) and they were having an 'adoption event' with a local shelter.  Spent 15 minutes hunkered down in a remote aisle trying to compose myself, crying uncontrollably (ostensibly) over my dear pooch who left us 5 years ago.  OK, don't need a degree to figure that one out.

But the WORSTEST part of Pink October is all the STUDIES extolling breast cancer prevention.  One headline I saw last week said 38% of breast cancers could be avoided (by following guidelines for diet, exercise, etc.)  Typical lying statistical game.  When anybody asks me what I think about prevention, I point out that the number one risk factor for breast cancer is having breasts.  Then I ask the questioner (female OR male) if they'd like to reduce their risk by having their lopped off.  Or I will point out that almost all people with BC drink water in some form, so that's an almost perfect correlation.  If they can't figure that one out, I sometimes have to prompt them with "so if you're looking at prevention, you might want to stay away from drinking water."

Peace,

Beth

Heart disease is the number one killer of women. It has just recently begun to get some attention with the red dress. Heart disease runs in my family and it's the disease I planned on getting. So I complained that there's too much pink and focus on breast cancer.

Instead  of heart disease at the age of 55 I was diagnosed with breast cancer. No one in my family has had it. All of a sudden I got really thankful for all the pink,breast cancer awareness and all the research that has been done since the Susan G Komen Foundation was started.  Sure it's a marketing gimmick, but it has brought a lot of money in to research this disease.

My first job as a nursing student was 35 years ago on an oncology floor where chemo was a new thing. Cancer patients died almost daily on that floor and they were horrible deaths. I  can confidently say that without the hype and without the pink most of us wouldn't be  alive to be on this site complaining about people trying to help breast cancer patients with walks and pink products.  Look at the breast cancer survival rates in the US now. I believe they are over 91% maybe higher. So I'm wearing pink, teal, red dresses, contributing to their walks, runs  and whatever else people want me to do bring awareness and force research for whatever cancer or disease they are concerned about. I want to help pay people back that I have the opportunity to be a survivor.

Meece - everything you said I agree with 100% I hate that someone I know thinks I should be no more stressed than her to now have a mammogram....that women who have had a mastectomy (Ive had a lumpectomy) have more to worry about than me, the women who think they are saviours for women who've had it because theyve done something or bought somthing during October, yet when I went thru it I never saw them....this one particular colleague was with me the day that I was diagnosed...before I was diagnosed but worried as the doctor needed to see me about my biopsy result. After diagnosis she disappeared. Never saw her, she never asked how I was thru chemo etc. HOWEVER, twice during October she excitedly told me about a fund raising night at a club in town and was I going as she was. No I wasnt going. I live with BC awareness EVERYDAY. Im tired. I was gobsmacked over her enthusiasm for a typical October event, yet when I went thru it she was nowhere to be seen!!!! typical isnt it!!

I particularly liked the comments here about what to say when asked for a donation....yes, Ive already donated my breast cancer tumour for research into breast cancer.

Here, here Susanb2.  I like you was sure that ovarian cancer would kill me as I was diagnosed with stage III ovarian cancer 7 years ago.  I, too, complained that there was so much focus on BC and none on ovarian.  Of course I understood that the shear numbers warranted this.

I appreciate the attention BC gets because getting none is way worse.  I'm happy to donate to BC (and, of course, ovarian research as funds are greatly needed) because I have a really huge stake in the research.

As I said previously on this thread I don't like the commercialism.  That seems to be a necessary evil.

Having said that I can totally understand people who are in vulnerable place feeling overwhelmed by the barrage of pink in October.

Ty barbe.  I almost walked out, but did not want to give her the satisfaction.   I didn't exactly snort, but cleared my throat and coughed and played with my scarf - fidgetted and squirmed.   A couple did ask ME after.   I know the person who arranged this and am going to give her my feedback on it. Believe me, anyone on this website could have done a more informative talk.   She did not even say to get an annual mammogram, for example.    

AMEN, sisters. Fall is my favorite season, but like all of you, the pinkwashing partially ruins it for me.

A couple of days ago, I received the dreaded email from one of my friends, asking, as you have guessed, for the usual donation "to get us closer to the cure" (haven't we be getting closer to the cure for the past 50 years or so?). This time, it is for The American Cancer Society's "making strides against breast cancer":

http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/MakingStridesAgainstBreastCancer/MSABCFY10SouthAtlantic?sid=16393&type=fr_informational&pg=informational&fr_id=19952

I used to go along with the pinkwashing just to be nice to my friends and co-workers (and I think a lot of people end up making donations for that same reason). This time, however, I really, really, REALLY do not want to go along with it.

I also don't want to just ignore her message. 

Any thoughts on what response I could send back to this new request for sponsorship, without making my friend feel bad? (she is fighting one of the more aggressive forms of breast cancer).

  Regarding the pink, I think they probably chose the color because it is primarily a women's disease and pink is for girls.  I also think they were trying to do something good when they started breast cancer awareness month and do not mean to offend those of us who have or have had breast cancer.  They just don't realize that if you have breast cancer, you are aware of it each and every month.  I do not contribute to breast cancer other than buying breast cancer stamps.  I did a walk one year and raised almost $2,000 and was quite proud of myself, but I was involved in a letter writing campaign for BC at the time and when I asked at the registration table where you turned in the money if I could pass out some literature regarding the campaign and they told me no, that pissed me off.  Also it was not long after that there was that newsbreaking story about some big wig in the cancer society embezzeling funds that were to go to cancer research.  I fly a breast cancer flag in front of the house that says Strive for a Cure because I am proud of the fact I am a survivor.  I took part in a breast cancer awareness program they produced for the internet this year (saw the post asking for women to participate on this site actually) and wore a pink blouse( I wanted just a plain blouse with a collar<they requested you to wear a solid color , not white or red, but I found very few paid attention to thos instructions once I saw the finished product>  and given the styles now, it was not easy to find  and pink was the only color I could find) ....got to MN and found I had no scarf ot head covering to go with my outfit so borrowed a scarf from my cousin which unfortunately had a lot of pink in it.  I thought it was a bit much myself and felt like Mother Breast Cancer since I was one of the older women in the interview, but thought what the heck.  So I don't think the month of October was meant to offend any of us, it's just unfortunate that people aren't aware of breast cancer every month, that it can happen to them or anyone at any age or time.  I support early detection and mammograms.  I had my first mammo when I was 38 and they saw a cyst that they checked several times and then when I was 40, it turned out to be breast cancer. After you have been dealing with it for as long as I have (original DX was 90), you aren't bothered by a lot of things.  Although if someone comments on my dramatic hair cut or asks what happened to my fingernails I give them a rather icy "I just finished 6 months of chemotherapy, thank you"   I got a kick out of someone's kiss my pink ass comment on here....made me laugh. 

...............And I received this email message from Barbara Brenner:

"........Some pink products are so ridiculous, it's hard to tell if they're real! Take a look at the images at right and then click here to tell us which one of them you think is the real deal."  (clever and interesting little game from Breast Cancer Action)

On the bcaction website: http://thinkbeforeyoupink.org/

 Barbara Brenner

......Indeed, there is even a PINK HANDGUN, no kidding.

Hi, aprilgirl1:

Did you say: "I also agree with you that it is sad that we simply don't know enough despite all the pinking - the dreaded pinking! "

Indeed, the pinkwashing is turning into a shameless circus, where friends are buying friends'esteem via pinking.

Sadly, no relationship whatsoever to the elusive cure.

But I am now fighting back whenever I receive the dreaded pink email:

I send back anti-pinking links, with this note from me at the bottom,

which I hope is perceived as nice, and helps me keep their friendship, without participating in the circus-pinkwashing:

".......I will make a $100 donation directed to any breast cancer survivor, or GRASSROOT, LOCAL charity of your choice."

See recent address from Fran Visco, President, National Breast Cancer Coalition Fund (NBCCF):

Message From
Fran Visco

More Money Isn't Always the Answer

http://www.stopbreastcancer.org/

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Email message from Barbara Brenner, President, Breast Cancer Action (BCA), entitled: "What is pink, silly, and seen all over."

"........Some pink products are so ridiculous, it's hard to tell if they're real! Take a look at the images at right and then click here to tell us which one of them you think is the real deal."  (clever and interesting little game from Breast Cancer Action)

On the bcaction website: http://thinkbeforeyoupink.org/

Barbara Brenner

......Indeed, there is even a PINK HANDGUN,  THIS IS NOT a joke

October is over, but the feeling of too much pink is sure lingering.

If you're feeling exploited, irritated, and even a little angry

about the shameless "pink" marketing that happens during

Breast Cancer Awareness Month, join the club!

You've probably noticed some things

in the last month that made you wonder, "Are they really selling that to raise money for breast cancer?" Well, so have we.

Some pink products are so ridiculous,

it's hard to tell if they're real! Take a look at the images at right

and then click here to tell us which one of them you think is the real deal

TOTALLY agree sjack!!!!  Once October ends, the pink ribbons go away an everyone lives their happy lives and we're left fighting Breast Cancer 12 months a year, 365 day, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  Glad to be noticed for a month.  But no thanks.  PLUS all those products that suddenlycome out with pink ribbons to help fight and raise money ... in most cases, doesn't go to cancer research.  BAHUMBUG ....

I hate it, too.   All this happy talk about breast cancer makes me gag..   I'm almost 5 years out, but still scared.   More than anything, I think breast cancer pissed me off.  (Forturnately, my onc doc said there was no statistical relationship between positive attitude and positive outcome.)   So I felt less guilty just feeling pissy about the whole thing.  And the commercialization of bc is pretty disgusting.   I'd love to see exactly what percentage of some of the pink-ribboned items goes toward research.