What to do about pinktober...yuch..

I hear ya sister, i did the run for the cure hear down in SC over the weekend, my 2 sister's thought It would inspire me! I love them, they don't get it, how could they really. The place looked like one big huge pink pile of vomit, which after the 5k run I almost added too!!! it was crazy, pink hair, pink to to's, pink bra's, PINK PINK PINK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I had a women say to me, is'nt this just so much fun, it's like a big pink carnival!!  I said oh, who might you be running for? she tells me no one, she just does it with her friend because it's just sooo fun! I looked at her like,  Are you for real?

My husband picked us up and we went a drank alot of everything!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

XO

S

You all are cracking me up this morning! Love the comments. I feel the same way; the only pink thing I've bought since my diagnosis is actually a brown tshirt that says "yes they're fake, the real ones nearly killed me!" I figured why not? I mean, being bald is a pretty big indicator in itself, might as well wear that tshirt. Also, I love fleur de lis', so this year my brother, a graphic artist, designed a wine label for the state fair here in Ky in my honor. My husband makes homemade wine. Anyway, it is a gold fleur de lis with a pink ribbon draped around it, and has very cool background with positive words, when I saw it I thought, ok, that I like! But I draw the line there, lol! It won first place, btw!

Weesa.......you convinced me to get my slouchy hide down to the Wine Bar tonight.

I do need to do my ride, but virtue has its limits.

Will take a few "screaming orgasms" too, but the variety usually done between the sheets.

As for grub, I started early last night with a super steak, and yes, I ate it all. - Claire

I was at work yesterday and went out in to the Mall to get lunch and the Tumi (luggage) store had a huge window display of pink ribbons, survior pics etc.  I did like the survivor aspect of it, but I was SO tempted to go in and ask what percentage of their luggage goes to bc research/tx.  UGH........

Sharon

F*ck pink.  How long does it take to drive there from NYC?

Sweatyspice,

ROFLMAO!   I LOVE IT!  My sentiments exactly. So when are we actually going to get a bunch of us crazies together????  Good to "see" you here Apple!  How ya been?

Sharon 

Did ya know...........Komen's budget spends nearly double on awareness that it directs to research? Something to think about. Metavivor.org is one 501c3 group sending all their money to research. No more running for a cure....RESEARCH for a cure.

We've been having a lot of discussion of about the efficiency of Komens $$$$$ over on Stage IV forum. The media is beginning to ask ?? And so are we. Here is one blog for you to peruse. Http://cancerculturenow.blogspot.com/2011/03/komen-by-numbers-2010-and-still-no.html.



"The first chart summarizes how Komen spent the $389.3M it received in Total Public Support and Other Revenue ("revenue").  As in previous years, Education received the highest allocation of $140.8M or 37% of revenue; Research $75.4M / 19%; Screening $46.8M / 12%; Treatment $20.1M / 5%; Race for the Cure and Other Fundraising Expenses were $36.1M / 9%.  The remainder was spent on Affiliate Relationsand Other Administrative Expenses of $40.6M / 10% and increase to Assets of $29.3M / 8%."

I have so many mixed feelings about this topic. 

 I wish Komen directed more money to research, especially locally advanced and Metastatic Cancer.  We need to ask the questions, push the media to probe. 

 I wish they funded research for diabetes and breast cancer (I happen to have that lovely affliction, too) as there is a supposed epidemic of diabetes in our future. 

I wish more money was directed towards research for all aspects of breast cancer, from prevention to better treatments to cure.

I find it hard to hate the "pink" even though I don't think it really raises awareness.  We are certainly aware; and I suspect the general public is aware that breast cancer exists and that mammograms can help discover breast cancer.  What doesn't happen is enough discussion about the cold, hard realities of breast cancer. 

I hate that Komen pimps out "For the Cure" to companies who are donating tiny percentages of their revenues for cheap "made in some other country" products and then spends some of that money including our donations in lawsuits to defend their trademark "For the Cure". That is a damn shameful waste of money. And Komen is sometimes clueless in who they allow in the program...Kentucky Fried Chicken and pink buckets? Perfumes made with products that are suspected of being carcinogens?

I hate that companies say they are donating a portion of their proceeds for breast cancer research, without indicating which organization gets the money, how much the total donation is likely to be.  We need to hold those organizations accountable. 

We, ourselves, hide some of the realities.  We wear head covers because we are worried about what people will think if they see a bald head.  In this instance, I think we are our own worst enemy.  We could do more to raise awareness by this one single act than any pink ribbon campaign or silly Facebook breast cancer 'confuse the guys' game.    If the NFL wants to raise awareness, bring in a stadium full of us baldies, put US in pink tshirts so the world can see us, and give us placards that spell out "DONATE FOR RESEARCH TO CURE BREAST CANCER" or simply "WE NEED A CURE FOR BREAST CANCER!"  Pink armbands, towels and other uniform accoutrements on NFL players...not so much.  But how do you argue with their intentions?

I cannot be upset when my family gives me pink things - they are thinking of me. I cannot be upset that my daughter is organizing a large family contingent to walk in the Komen Race for the Cure in Boston in late October. Everything is done in the name of love and support, and I appreciate every single act.  I wear my pink ribbon gear. 

And I think the Martina McBride song, a tribute to those who support each and every one of us, is beautiful.  Our caregivers and loved ones are not often considered outside of our immediate world.  So kudos to her for taking a true story and turning into a song of awareness and love. 

It's not a perfect world and we need to keep chipping away at the things we find objectionable. Revolution, not evolution.

Michelle

Ladies, it's so refreshing to know I'm not alone in my feelings about this. Pink products and ribbons are more symbolic for baby showers than for the slash/burn/chemical blast of cancer treatment. I find it nauseating and trivializing and stereotypically feminizing (the ads make bc patients look like fragile passive victims).

 But then I tell myself, if they're raising money for research, and this does the trick, its more acceptable than some gritty realistic marketing campaign about what this really does to us, then what difference does it make. I wonder how much money is actually raised, and to what ends it serves.

 Good wishes to all! M.

Hmm ... every Saturday??  Mind if I bring my hubby with me?

Can I join in???

This is the sole reason why I didn't go too public w/ my BC battle. I wanted the choice of being able to retreat when I wanted to, and this month seems like the perfect time!!!

 HUGS all around...

hey Outfield, I know that building - the Amistad lab. My husband works at a clinic not far from there, on Columbus Avenue (he's a nurse practitioner). when did you leave New Haven?

I'm not sure about with whom I would discuss my concerns. I think you have a good idea, but I also know the "rah rah" culture of this place. There are quilted runners of pink ribbon fabric on every nursing station. I work for Psychiatry, so there's nothing in our office, but every time I go out there, I get irritated. I keep making grouchy comments and my sweet coworkers smile sympathetically. (which, somehow, is more irritating. I think they don't know how to handle it).

anyway, i like the idea of a "fuck cancer" t-shirt. you've inspired me to look around the web for one!

There definitely is a FUCK cancer tshirt out there.  A lady was wearing one at the Avon Walk Wellness Village this past year.  Only issue there is it might be considered "inappropriate" for the Youth Crew, but those are definitely my sentiments. 

Again, I suppose if even a small amount goes towards prevention/tx/cure I guess the pink thing isn't all that bad.  It's just the ones that profit from others misfortunes that piss me off.  But you can say that about just about any disease/disaster/tragedy.  There's always someone out there profiting from someone else's misery.

Sharon