October's Daily Encounters with "pink stuff"

I agree with everyone about the overboard "Pink October". I actually attended a "bingo for boobs" fundraiser as it was for a friend who is walking in the 3 day walk. I was a bit anoyed today when I walked out the front door at work and realized there was a 2 foot pink cardboard ribbon taped in the window. I think it annoys me mostly because I know that the person who put it there  has not been overly supportive with my surgeries over the past 3 years and then has decided to join the team that my friend is on for the 3 day Susan G. Komen walk for the cure. I am finally recovered from most of the stuff and now everywhere I turn am reminded of it. Pink used to be one of my favorite colors, now I am back to purple rather than pink.

Loved the pink "camoflaged" rifle - like pink is camoflaged (sp?)  - LOL

I got my monthly email from my Creative Memories scrapbooking consultant adverstising Think Pink products....ribbon maker, scrapbooking paper, stickers, etc.

Now tell me...who really wants to do a scrapbook commemorating my (or anyone else's) cancer diagnosis, surgery, chemo, etc? Not high on my to do list!

Stop the insanity people!

Maria~

You crack me up!

I am lucky to live in an area and frequent places where I don't have to see any of this rubbish. My only contact with pink kitsch is when I watch Project Runway (once a week for 1 1/2 hrs), which is being shown in the Poor-Me_Woman_Victim_I_Love_To_Feel_Sorry_For_Myself channel - excuse me, on Lifetime. 

Athena, who feels sorry for men because they are not women and do not get to wear Project Runway-like clothes. :-) 

PS: Whenever I see the pinkness, I also feel sorry for sufferers of all the other cancers. This has turned into not only a "poor me" movement, but a selfish, self centered one. Being a woman, if I were diagnosed with lung, brain , pancreatic, etc... cancer I can't imnagine how I would feel seeing all of this hype heaped on mostly early stage women only because they supposedy stand to lose what is visible. Never mind that a good many only have lumpectomies - and that other cancers are almost always MORE serious simply because they are detected at more advanced stages. Really, who are the victims here? Let's say that, more and more, the pink leaders are further down the list. Some of them are the bootleggers and downright embezzlers who are getting rich out of this. Pink scams abound. 

Someone is actually getting it.  Yesterday there was a story on the local Boston ABC affiliate called "Do all pink purchases fight breast cancer" and reminding viewers to "think before you pink."

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/health/29410068/detail.html

It was informative and well-done.

Michelle

I do own a few pink things because my kids gave them to me. I am going to wear lot's of orange this month LOL. October has always been one of my fave months and I am all about Autumn and Halloween.

"Whenever I see the pinkness, I also feel sorry for sufferers of all the other cancers. This has turned into not only a 'poor me' movement, but a selfish, self centered one."

So, so true, and thank you for saying so, Athena! I'm not entirely sure why BC gets the attention that other cancers don't get. Perhaps because most BCs are pretty easily treatable if detected early. Or...? 

Booboo, I don't think we're anti-pink, what we are is anti-exploitation. We're opposed to companies using BC as an excuse to sell products. We're opposed to making people think that they're really doing something to help people with BC by buying a pink shovel or whatever.

There are thousands of women around the world who need mammos and treatment and can't afford it. Do these pink doodads do anything to help them? I don't THINK so.

That's what I'm opposed to -- making people think they are helping these women. They're not, and IMO that's a sin. 

i'm not a pink october fan- i wasn't before bc...it stinks...funny (kinda) story- checking out at the grocery store yesterday the clerk asked if I wanted to support "Breast Cancer"...what? hahaha I said no, actually I don't support breast cancer in any way shape or form. She looked at me like I lost my mind, not realizing she had left off the "research" part of her question. Those close to me know that while I like pink, it is the color i like, not anything else. Like Athena said...lots of cancers out there and this one just became a good hook. The range of money donated that is used for research varies from 33% to 80%....but an awful lot goes for big salaries not to mention all this pink packaging tool overs needed to get the "message" out-i may sound like a crank but it reminds me why I avoid companies that advertise their faiths as part of the reason I should do business with them...somehow the message is lost and cheapened

I'd rather spring for a mammogram for someone who can't afford it-something tangible-

believe me, big pharma is working hard to develop breast cancer (hell, any major cancer) drugs...and they have the money, no joke. They want as many cures as possible as it would result in a huge profit, which is fine by me if it saves lives. With all their cutbacks on research, cancer is not one of the fields they pulled back on.

Cycle-path, you are right that these pink sale campaigns do not pay medical expenses for women who can't afford treatment. Here in Canada that is not a problem because our health care is paid for, but in the US and in many other countries, it is indeed a problem.

I think the purpose of the pink sale campaigns is to raise money for breast cancer research.  I do not object if a company donates a portion of its revenue for that cause. There are sale campaigns for other diseases that use the same approach.  We have them for Type 1 diabetes and cystic fibrosis occasionally.

Another way of approaching this issue would be to place piggybanks in stores and ask people to make a donation.  That might be less exploitative, and some of the money that is collected might actually be donated to help pay for an individual's health care. 

Everyone should have a nice big bucket of KFC chicken for the Cure! Never mind that high-fat, highly processed foods like KFC chicken are just about the worst thing you can do for your health.

(And Booboo, please be assured that I'm absolutely not directing this post to you -- just in case it seems like it. I just despise all these stupid and misdirected promotions.) 

i've been taking pictures for about two years now.  i have way too many to post here.  if anyone is interested in viewing, you can check out the collection on facebook

http://www.facebook.com/pages/ThePinkBirdie/137227246368268 

actually, i'd like to post this picture... Breast Fest 2011.

marie, that poster has made me physically ill.

otter