Pink everything is everywhere....

I get so angry at the "pink". There is a patient at my clinic who comes for her chemo decked out in pink, brings pink tassles to hang from her iv pole, where's little pink ribbon bunny ears on her head....you get the idea. Anyway, she's quite the celebrity at the clinic; wrote a book, has everyone come give her kisses and hugs. She was always trying to make conversation with me, but being the pink hater I am I couldn't bring myself to be more than slightly cordial. Last month she gave me a little pink bag with all this pink crap in it and it took every ounce of my being to not throw it right in her face. Here's this poor lady, probably just as sick or sicker than I am, just trying to be nice and I wanted to get into a scrap. The pink makes me loonie...enough that I had to ask to have a different chemo day so I wouldn't have to see it/her ever again.

I AM NOT A WALKING ADVERTISEMENT.

NOT BEFORE CANCER/NOT AFTER CANCER

I just annot imagine me in a pink shirt saying save the ta tas.

find aDamn cUre/find the vacine...stick that 2% you know where!!!!!!

I got my hair highlighted yesterday.  There was pink everywhere and a  bowel of really nice pink wrapped chocolates. I assumed they were for everyone so I ate about 10.  Who deserves them more? I left some in case there was someone else with BC there.

This has been a pet peeve of mine for years, starting in Oct. of '01 when I was in the process of first being dx'd with BC. Fast-forward almost 10 years later, and here I am, trying to recover from my BMX and looking for escapism . . . every magazine and women's show has something re BC in it. Some very good, sound reporting, etc. but a lot of fluff and pink as well. Years ago when I first got pissed off about the "pinking" of BC, I found Breast Cancer Action (http://bcaction.org/) - highly recommend checking out their "think before you pink" campaign and getting involved if you're moved to. Lots of other great info. on their site - they are one of the few groups (along with the Mass. Breast Cancer Coalition) that stresses looking into the causes of BC, not just the treatments and cures (another bugaboo of mine - why are so many of us getting BC in the first place? Only 5-10% of women w/BC have some genetic link to the disease. I have no family history of cancer at all and have had it two times in 10 years before the age of 42). 

Glad to find some good discussion here!

Sarah 

Eema, yes, I did glance at your blog. Have to go back and spit a bit more.

Personally, when I wear pink, I do it to feel a sense solidarity and hope for fellow BC sisters. All those products that are being offered for sale with the pink ribbon, eh, I just ignore them. That's not MY pink. Works for me, so sue me.

I was out shopping today and was in a clothing store that had a section dedicated to all PINK bc stuff qhat I did like about it was though that there was a sign that said where it was going and how much of each purchase was going to the organazation. Thought that was good to actually see it like that

pminxy, you make a very good point about the male breast cancer sufferers.  They seem to be ignored in all the breast cancer campaigns.  They should have their own support groups and fund-raising drives, or maybe women need to be more proactive in including them.  Breast cancer is usually considered a woman's disease, but men do get it and I wonder if the general public is fully aware of that fact.  Giving the men more publicity would give new meaning to the words "Breast Cancer Awareness."

Back to the pink again I guess and thanks for your heads up Booboo2 and the rest of you wonderful girls , since I sat in last I have ben doing some research on just how much fund raising goes where it is needed and stuff because since my cancer adventures got serious now on round 6 palliative terminal tumour markers are rising slowly but steadily but I am doing okay. I was a Queensland cancer fund nurse of the year entrant when I was nursing and the amount of money raised was fabulous by the guys and girls and I wondered how it got split up and though like everyone else I am grateful for the barest cent that goes into research and helping the men women/ children survive the big C I was shocked at the approximations re administration costs and stuff before the money gets to where its going is shocking though a goodly amount gets where its needed; but this is not so much about money as the pink think I am sorry I have a very pain filled distracted mind tonight but I needed to talk-Not all pink items go to cancer and I think that is why it is coming out of the wood work and in the windows it is just some people thought they would get on the ride so to speak my friend told me that one should be vary check logos and stuff, being a man who has had breast cancer I asked him how he feels about it and I am not going to repeat what he said, apparently he was talked into a pink ribbon by a shop girl and forgetting to take it off before going to his very macho workplace( there are some ladies in admin) workplace has got him a never ending ribbing from his mates so as you say Booboo 2-there must be more thought put in to include them re support groups etc but we can't do blue for boys/men asthat is already allotted to the little darlings that make us immortal via SIDS if I remember right( infant cot death), men are our mates husbands friends and lovers but I really don't think pink is the thing after I heard what my friend Mark went through and is still but he is a smart tom cat and he will get his own back on his mates. I lost my beloved Keith to asbestos related cancer though it isn't breast cancer I do know if it had been the same cancer as ours I would be very disturbed if he went and didthe  pink thing ! I don't know what the answers are but I thank God and all that's good for the people on this site who I have come to sort of bring into my internet family and my heart you make me want to live laugh and cry and I can't thankyou all enough for that! Have a great evening and be well laugh lots ;live and love well my dears goodnight and take care

Pminxy

I guess I really never noticed all the pink until I had BC myself.  Then it was everywhere.  Commercials about it made me cry.  I wasn't angry about it.  Kind of glad somebody cared enough to raise money for it.  Many of my relatives got together for a walk while I was fighting.  Everyone is different.  It doesn't bother me but I'm just one person.  Obviously, it bothers a lot of women for some reason or another.  It's ok to vent.  It's ok to not like the pink or to even hate it.