Get ready... "Pink season" is already starting!

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dlb823
dlb823 Member Posts: 9,430
edited June 2014 in Advocacy

Did anyone else happen to notice displays of pink breast cancer logo'd merchandise this past weekend?  I don't recall if it was in Lowe's or Bed, Bath & Beyond, but one of them already had a display of pink products -- possibly to catch the college bound business?  My only thought was, UGH!!  I hope marketers aren't trying to create a longer pink season!  The month of October is bad enough!

If anyone knows where to get "THINK BEFORE YOU PINK" stickers, I wish I'd had some yesterday... 

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  • mdg
    mdg Member Posts: 3,571
    edited September 2012

    Blech..........it is going to be a looooong fall. Just get ready to be asked at the checkout "would you like to make a donation to breast cancer?"......no thanks...I already donated my breasts (he he!). 

  • LilacBlue
    LilacBlue Member Posts: 1,636
    edited September 2012

    Sat up last night writing to Lucy Activewear.  I'm a loyal wearer of Lucy perfect core pants, the most expensive workout pants I've ever bought and to me, the best I've ever worked out in because of compression and also found perfect for a Diep recovery - the hip-to-hip incision area.  I go on the Lucy site last night and see they now have "breast cancer awareness" (BCA) wear, claiming get ready for the race, Lucy outfits inspired by YOUR support, and there in lies the rub. I clicked to see the new clothing line, with pink ribbons motifs emblazoned on the front of four tops and pink shorts.  I read nothing of BCA support by Lucy Activewear or any percentage of BCA sales going to a nominated breast cancer charity.    

    I found on the contact page an email address and wrote them asking:

    Any company can put a pink ribbon on its products. The widely recognized pink ribbon symbol is not regulated by any agency and does not necessarily mean it effectively combats the breast cancer epidemic.  Can you tell me how much money from my purchase of Lucy BCA wear will go to support breast cancer programs?  Can you please tell me what breast cancer programs Lucy supports? 

    Within a few hours this was the response:

    <font>I regret to inform you that we don't have an affiliation with any charities at this time including BCA, however we do hope to in the future.</font>

    I then sent this letter asking it to be passed to management:

    Lucy Activewear Management,

    The pink ribbon represents fear of breast cancer, hope for the future, and the charitable goodness of people and businesses who publicly support the breast cancer movement. It is intended to evoke solidarity with women who currently have breast cancer.

    Breast cancer organizations use the pink ribbon to associate themselves with breast cancer, to promote breast cancer awareness, and to support fundraising. Some breast cancer-related organizations, such as Pink Ribbon International, use the pink ribbon as their primary symbol.

    While specifically representing breast cancer awareness, the pink ribbon is also a symbol and a proxy of goodwill towards women in general. Buying, wearing, displaying, or sponsoring pink ribbons signals that the person or business cares about women. The pink ribbon is a marketing brand for businesses that allows them to promote themselves with women and identify themselves as being socially aware. Compared to other women's issues, promoting breast cancer awareness is politically safe.

    Because the pink ribbon is not licensed by any corporation, it is more open to being abused by businesses that donate little or none of their revenue to breast cancer research. While companies such as Estée Lauder have distributed over 70 million pink ribbons, and donated over $25 million to breast cancer research, other companies have been discovered using the pink ribbon inappropriately—either by not donating their profits, or by using the pink ribbon on products that include ingredients which cause cancer.

    The misuse of marketing campaigns by businesses using the pink ribbon on their products have been described as pinkwashing, which was coined by Breast Cancer Action. They use the term to highlight companies or products which feature a pink ribbon, without donating money to charity, or with no transparency regarding where the funds are going.

    Lucy Activewear has confirmed to me, that it does not have any scheme in place to offer a percentage of sales of  "breast cancer awareness" clothing (BAC).  By not standing with women, such as myself, (a woman recovering breast cancer), by  having no accountability or non-profit giving in place regarding BAC sales, Lucy Activewear are colluding to profit from breast cancer and conspiring in corporate hypocrisy.  I urge you to immediately put in place a process whereby an appropriate contribution of revenue from the sale of BCA promoted products, that is transferred quickly to breast cancer charities in need of funding, in a manner that is clearly visible to your customers. 

    Please advise the action you intend to take.

    Of course, no response.  I plan on sending a snail mail letter of the same today.

    If you have read this far, thank you and any of you lovely women care to join me in getting Lucy Activewear to stop the pinkwashing?

  • barsco1963
    barsco1963 Member Posts: 2,119
    edited September 2012

    Ugh..... soon "pinktober" will become a marketing nightmare just like Christmas has become. Every year the displays seem to pop up sooner than the year before.

    lilacblue - The emails that you have written to Lucy Activewear are great. Would you mind if I used the letter to get the word out about pinkwashing? Of course I would change the company name accordingly.

    p.s. - just noticed a couple of sp. issues - not sure if you have spotted them before sending or not. You have written BAC instead of BCA a couple of times.

    "Lucy Activewear has confirmed to me, that it does not have any scheme in place to offer a percentage of sales of  "breast cancer awareness" clothing (BAC).  By not standing with women, such as myself, (a woman recovering breast cancer), by  having no accountability or non-profit giving in place regarding BAC sales,

    Let's join forces to get the truth out there!

  • lago
    lago Member Posts: 17,186
    edited September 2012

    I am currently a volunteer on the planning committee for the American Cancer Society | Strides Against Breast Cancer. I also have a team…mdg is our #2 fund raiser!

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

    Anyway I have been out twice this summer handing out literature about the walk in the city. I have also been placing signs and brochures in public places. As much as you hate this it is important to get people thinking about it. I know I was pretty niave about this disease till I got it. If I knew then what I know now I know for sure this would have been found earlier.

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

    6 weeks ago I got a call from some other local breast cancer organization. The gal on the phone says to me "Do you realize that 230,480 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year in the US?" She was talking a mile a minute.

    I finally got her to stop and said "Do you know that 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer?" She cut me off "yes I do." Then I cut back "That means that one out of every women you speak to on the phone has probably been diagnosed… and I'm one of them."

    I told her that they need to train the people there better as far as what they say on the phone. I felt bad I reacted that way but you would think the very people that are pinking would be a bit mor sensitive. I mean 1 out of 8 women also means that even more of the people she talks to know somebody close to them that have/died the disease.

  • LilacBlue
    LilacBlue Member Posts: 1,636
    edited September 2012

    Barsco1963, by all means cut, paste and send away - anywhere and thank you for spotting my late night typos!

    Good, let's get out there, even sitting here at home recovering from surgery, like myself. :^)

  • dlb823
    dlb823 Member Posts: 9,430
    edited September 2012

    Great letter, Lilac!  I think we all need to educate corporations that riding the pink wave simply by creating a pink product without directly contributing to bc research or an organization that supports bc patients/survivors, is just wrong, and does not go unnoticed by us.

    Congrats on your commitment to the ACS, Lago.  To tell you the truth, I personally have mixed feelings about some of their marketing; but there's no doubt they provide a wonderful array of programs and services.  And I agree with you wholeheartedly about the quasi organizations that use phone solicitors who often seem clueless.  I've had similar exchanges that have left me angry about the donations they're probably taking away from legit organizations like the ACS.

    And oy, mdg... I forgot about the solicitations at store checkouts.  That's another tactic I don't like.  If Marshall's or Target wants to donate to a cause, they should.  But why also ask their customers?  We already have our own favorite charities we support.   JMHO...  Deanna 

  • lago
    lago Member Posts: 17,186
    edited September 2012

    I think you all need to talk with the folks that raise the money. I was talking with one of the head guys at the Chicago ACS. I was talking about  how much money Avon spends on the 3 day walk. He explained to me that the money the invest is nothing compared to the return they get. The ACS would love to get that kind of return on investment.

    While I'm not a big fan of being solicited at these stores I'm an adult and can say "no" There are many people that will donate through a store and that is a good thing right?

  • nannyginnie
    nannyginnie Member Posts: 3
    edited September 2012

    I am so totally going to use your line "no thanks, I just donated my breasts!"  I think that's great.  I'm sure it's wrong but I enjoy putting people off about stuff like that

  • Hipline
    Hipline Member Posts: 195
    edited September 2012

    Love the "think before you pink". I think I will embroider that on a shirt and wear it all October! As an aside, I tried to volunteer for a LA cancer organization and they were only interested in me if I had big Hollywood connections. Well I don't so...

  • Layla2525
    Layla2525 Member Posts: 827
    edited September 2012

    Much as I hate the pink washing and merchandising,it does keep others aware that we exist and that BC is epidemic. Much fundraising is going on this Oct here and the drs all have the pink flyers out for all the charity events. I will not be able to attend as I will be on vacay.

    Prevention mag Oct 2012 issue has a special report on all the progress made so far and the tests/treatments/vaccines etc. coming up for review with the FDA. Does Canada have anything like an FDA? thats the US food and drug administration. LifeExtension mag says the FDA is a bunch of murderers because they approve drugs that hurt people and do not approve drugs that would save lives. I need to go back to work and stop reading mags! I was off this wk to get my implants. I was fine until I found out you gotta massage them,pass the pain pills please.

  • lago
    lago Member Posts: 17,186
    edited September 2012

    Layla the "massaging" isn't a big deal nor does it take that long. I do it before I get dressed in the morning and if I remember in the evening. I too was put off at the beginning. I already had my implants till I first read about it here… then my PS gave me instructions on how he wanted me to massage them.

  • Layla2525
    Layla2525 Member Posts: 827
    edited September 2012

    lago,I like how they use the word "massage",its not what I would use,its more like "push the puppy game" up and out to keep the top of the pocket open says my PS cause once they drop it could close and trap the implant and that would cause problems. Its getting better tho,the cancer side hurts still cause it was all bruised up but weird it dropped and is trying to fluff.

    I am trying to get my PS to help me figure out these bras. Is it too snug is you get pink imprints from wearing it? I get prints where the band goes around me and light imprints where it goes under my arm and the zipper imprints right above my tummy. Maybe I should get a different one in a larger size? I have some others but they dont have zippers and are a pain to try and get on but once on they dont fit as tight as the one with the zipper. She didnt say anything about the imprints but the MO told me it was cause I still had swelling and not to worry about the bra size yet. They both told me Absolutely No Underwires at this point. Odd how some PS want the underwires. All my regular bras are underwire,padded and I dont really wanna go back to that. I asked if the Coobie or Genie bra would be ok and the PS said she would allow it later this yr but for now gotta stay in snuggie tight sportsbra. Not liking this!

  • lago
    lago Member Posts: 17,186
    edited September 2012

    All PS are different regarding bras. Mind didn't want me to wear anything too tight at first.

    Yup I too push mine up and in toward the middle.

  • LilacBlue
    LilacBlue Member Posts: 1,636
    edited September 2012

    Layla2525, I'm in sports bras and I bought them on Amazon (high cotton content and different colors) and also at the superstore.  They are light, not too tight or loose and found size medium works best for me, no marks and these are very 'snuggie' like and comfortable.  I also sleep in a bra and have done so since Diep surgery.  My gimpy lefty was terribly bruised and bright blue before surgery.  Weekly seen physio, massages my breast and the hip incisional graft area.

  • Layla2525
    Layla2525 Member Posts: 827
    edited September 2012

    Have been doing the massage and talked to some other patients,they dont seem to know what I am talking about and they never heard of drop & fluff(???) Did they forget? How it possible?

    I saw one online like my PS does,its more like a squeeze the implant into to force it up into the high part of the pocket.

    Yes I agree Lilac,I bought a zip front sports bra at Walmart cause I didnt know if I would get stuff on it after surg in case of bleeding I did have a spot but had the sports bra covers on from the regular sports bra.(those are the inserts for the lining on regular ones,most likely for modesty and I put them in this sport bra to fill it out when I first got home I had pancake boobs, they went into Vita muffins and now are taking on a nice hamburger bun quality. Wish the other would drop a little so they would match. Thking of going back and getting some more zip fronts in diff colors. Also if you search sports bras online you can find every color and print imaginable for a hefty price. I figure I am swollen and after this will use these to exercise and sweat on them so why pay for something fancy? Gotta make out my list of questions for the PS for next visit. Any ideas?

  • alamik
    alamik Member Posts: 113
    edited September 2012

    We should all be aware of the pinkwashing going on. It's happening on both sides!!! I actually think the profusion of "pink" started early this year.

  • LilacBlue
    LilacBlue Member Posts: 1,636
    edited September 2012

    You know alamik, you are right, although here in the UK, it's just starting to pink up.Wink

    Layla2525, I with you on the cheap sports bras.  And funny how any lace now feels chafing. The cheap ones are frill-free and fine for me.  I have one big left boob and one healthy regular one.  I did the Diep flap and good grief, the 20 inch, hip-to-hip is the worst.  Have you had any physio? You may want to ask about that.  The massage I get is to soften my hard left breast and loosen the incision area to heal. Laughing 

  • Layla2525
    Layla2525 Member Posts: 827
    edited September 2012

    Lilac,the PS gave me "massages" that I do myself which are supposed to prevent the contracture or the firming up on the new boobs.

    Hope it works.

  • FireKracker
    FireKracker Member Posts: 8,046
    edited September 2012

    I really havnt seen any pink except on fb.,..and if anyone i know puts it on thierr wall i send them a message with my mantr DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH IS GOIN FOR RESEARCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    I ordered 3 shirts.one for one of my dearest sistas who has no idea that i ordered it for her and the other 2 im keeping for myslef...ya gonna have to peal those shirts off me caause im wearin them ever day!!!!!

    The clock is tickin.....we are getting closer and closer every day.....

    Please let us win this fight.

  • lago
    lago Member Posts: 17,186
    edited September 2012

    I keep posting on FB my link to my fundraising page on facebook for the ACS Strides walk. I have received lots of donations from FB friends… some I have never met in person.

    Sorry to be a pinkwasher but it is helping to raise funds

  • camillegal
    camillegal Member Posts: 16,882
    edited September 2012

    Lilac good for u--and I so dislike those stpid jars at stores for breast cancer that's put out in October. I don't know why but I know people give what they can and choose who they give to (I do) U know for a lot of people are just getting by and to throw that in their face even tho I've been dealing with it I just don't like it.

    And all of u who volunteer any of u'r time, u'r marelous.

  • lago
    lago Member Posts: 17,186
    edited September 2012

    I still think I'm going to buy the pink duct tape this year. It just cracks me up.

  • FireKracker
    FireKracker Member Posts: 8,046
    edited September 2012
    I hate pinktober.i hate the color pink ...
  • Teka
    Teka Member Posts: 10,052
    edited September 2012

    Hi Everyone,

    I felt before Dx that all the pink was to help get the word out, but JCP had a whole pink women's clothing section last fall.   Daughter and I were turned off.

  • LilacBlue
    LilacBlue Member Posts: 1,636
    edited September 2012

    Lago, you are not pinkwashing in the least.  You give all to bc charity, unless, you buy cases of pink duct tape with monies collected, rather than give to a breast cancer charityr LOL.Cool

    Teka, I was under the same impression, thinking how easy to give to breast cancer, helping a friend who then only had a scare!  It represented to me "passive giving"; I indulge in shopping, by buying the cute pink ribbon pj bottoms or bras and how virtuous of me to be giving to charity at the same time! It is getting woman to think before they pink, to understand, like we have, that not all pink is equal to giving.Innocent

    Layla2525, I truly hope it works too.  I can honestly say, if this is the best we are offered in 2012, (I was told the Diep was the "gold standard" she said rolling her eyes Undecided) we have a long, long way to go. I have no nipple with a somewhat large disc of tummy skin where the nipple was.  This disc of tummy skin that is bride of frankensteinly micro stitched to my poor left breast, is my old tummy/belly button ( I have a new man-made one, rather than my mother made) and it looks so freaking weird, as far from attractive as one can get and my 20 inch deep RED now getting blurry incision is a real beauty too. My friends who see me say, "you look just the same". I rip my clothes off and they look opened mouthed like this Surprised.  I have another smaller surgery to go through in January -- phase II and God knows what I'll wind up with as far as a nipple and areola.  I'm lingering in the hall way of active treatment and trying to keep my sense of humour and suspend my judgement -- that I'm a pink fail at!  Don't get me going on having a the extra tummy tuck thrown in. The pain of that...well, any woman who willingly has one of those (and pays for it),. must be made of stronger stuff than me.   

  • Reality
    Reality Member Posts: 782
    edited September 2012

    DLB - Perfect timing for this thread - I was waiting for my son outside my BS office yesterday - I could not believe all the pink ribbons passing me on the busy road by her office - There were cement mixers from a company whose logo is a shamrock - now all the shamrocks on the mixers have pink ribbons painted on them. There was also a propane truck that had their entire tank covered with huge pepto-bismol colored painted-on ribbons. The pinkness is everywhere. 

    One "pink" event that I simply cannot bear is held each year in my small community. The work center for developmentally delayed adults spends days hanging pink ribbons in all the trees on their property. Next, they indoctrinate the clients into chanting, "Think pink, think pink". So, when shopping in the few stores my town has, constant chants of think pink echo throughout....Sorry to rant, but it's 3:30 a.m. and I am in mental and physical pain. Onc told me yesterday that I most likely have lung mets - bx. this week....Pink does not help me at all!

  • FireKracker
    FireKracker Member Posts: 8,046
    edited September 2012

    Just keep on getting the word out.

    I am waiting for my FOCTOBER SHIRTS TO COME.

    fb also is a huge advertisement for sistas who are against the pink.

    If someone either puts turn you page pink one more time im gonna scream....well i did that already....my DD friend put it on fb and i ripped into her.she said i believe you and took it off....just mention pink and i start ranting and raving....its comin closer and closer.....

    keep gettin the word out.....we will get them!!!!!!!!

  • lago
    lago Member Posts: 17,186
    edited September 2012

    I would look at the pink FB page as an opportunity. Next time you see a pink page let that person know that donating $5 or $10 dollars to ACS, Livestrong or what ever charity of your preference would do more to combat the disease. Pink page is pretty but the disease isn't. It needs money

  • FireKracker
    FireKracker Member Posts: 8,046
    edited September 2012

    Lago---love the new pic.....

    Huge salaries will always keep the research $$$$$ in 1 pocket...

    I just hate foctober.....Find a damn cure/vacine.

  • lago
    lago Member Posts: 17,186
    edited September 2012
    Kiss thank you grannyD

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