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

LilacBlue · September 2012

Lago, I had no idea its was Evelyn Lauder who lead the way for Herceptin. She was amazing and I too am grateful for her efforts and sad that it was ovarian cancer that was the cause of her death.

lago · September 2012

I mean to say the initial research dollars regarding Evelyn Lauder. I read it in the book: The making of Herceptin

LilacBlue · September 2012

That is what I thought Lago, Evelyn pulled together the funding.

lago · September 2012

OK this is a bit much. On my facebook page there's an ad that says "Pink Ribbon Banking." They claim "no charge to you" but I wonder. Bet the interest rate on this card might be a bit higher, I don't know though.

linky

Terryberry23 · October 2012

Well tomorrow starts the month. I couldn't believe all the crazy pink items I saw this weekend.

flash · October 2012

Ronnie Perelman at Revlon was the chief initial donor for the initial research on Herceptin. Estee Lauder (wonder lady) was the co-contributor for the pink ribbon. Estee Lauder (company) has since always done donations for BC research, same with Revlon.

LilacBlue · October 2012

Thank you Flash!

Terry, what stood out the most?

FireKracker · October 2012

Avon is another good one BUT they refuse to remove the parabins!!!!

julz4 · October 2012

A friend from High School sells Mary Kay. I don't buy because it's too expensive. I have managed to avoid it all for a few years until recently a new selling tactic for those that don't want the makeup is a hand facial. So I point blank told her if it has parabins I'm not touching it. I went & looked after I told her that. The list of Mary Kay products goes on & on that have it in them!

As for the Pink stuff in stores....I'm not seeing it as much because I'm not subjecting myself to seeing it! I'm avoiding stores as much as possible! I'm all prepared to tell anyone who wants me to donate for the cause.... " I have already given a part of my Breast for the cause " !

mumito · October 2012

Too funny Julz that is the same line that I always use.

julz4 · October 2012

HI MUM!

No ones asked me yet..... Tongue out I am beginning to wonder if I have it stamped on my for forhead or what?!!!! LOL!

lago · October 2012

Well I feel differently. I lost both my breasts and some lymph nodes but I don't feel that is doing anything for the "cause". I feel very strongly about educating other women so they don't have to go through what many of us did. I know my tumor should have been found sooner.

Yesterday I had an opportunity to speak at a press conference the comtroller of Illiniois was having about breast cancer and the ACS Strides Walk. They made me wear a T-shirt with the pinks stuff on it. But I was glad to do it. If you would like to read my 2 minute speech it's posted on my Strides page here: linky

julz4 · October 2012

Lago....Like many of us over many many years we have given. I don't mind giving to the right people for BC for many different reason's. I think it's just so impersonal some times & not just for BC. I hate the uppity commercialism .... Oh Happy Pink Ribbon!....It all seems to come across to me. I am thankful for those that give & I in my own way give back when my girlfriends ask about my BC. There is so much they didn't have a clue about! It comes across as the advertisement for feminime products does "Have a Happy Period"! It urks me & hits a raw nerve! We keep giving a personal part of our bodies....but it seems to be taking to long for major progress in the fight! Hopefully soon before our daughters, neices, & many others are effected on a personal private level with this BEAST! Yes there is a place for all that you mention! But it's how it is done in some cases that makes it seem fru fru & not serious!

lago · October 2012

I truly do understand but right now this is the best we have. I rather have Pinktober then nothing at all. If you read what I posted on my strides page you'd understand. I do this so other women will know. I was so clueless before I was diagnosed. Pinktober didn't really get that much attention from me. I mean I bought the stamps for years and supported friends that ran/walked in various events.

So maybe this shoving it other people's face will help. I know the press does lots of stories this month. This isn't for us. This is for those who don't know. Who have a chance to catch it early. To lose weight and start exercising for prevention etc.

Bobbisil · October 2012

julz4, I couldn't agree more about giving to the right people and also understand and appreciate what lago is saying.

Having said all of that, I should say that I'm new to all of this. I just found out last Monday that the mass that my doctor was so certain was just a fibrous mass was actually cancerous. Don't get me wrong, I don't blame her in the least...it's not as if she could tell which is why she sent me for more testing. I digress...I was at my Dad's about to clean out his clothes (he passed away in August) when I got the results. All I wanted was to go home but I had to stop and get groceries on the way. OMG I nearly threw up when I walked into Kroger and saw this MASSIVE pink display. Before my diagnosis I always wondered if all of the pink reminders bothered women with breast cancer...guess I know have my answer.

dlb823 · October 2012

Welcome to BCO, Bobbisil. I'm so sorry about your bc dx, but I'm glad you've found us! Let us know if you have any questions about what you've learned so far, or if there's anything we can do to help you at this point.

As far as Pinktober and breast cancer awareness and the points julz and lago make above, I think a lot of how you look at it has to do with where you are in your bc emotional journey. At first I hated the pink ribboned shopping bag full of literature and pink stuff my first medical facility handed me -- like I'd just won a boutique giveaway. Then I got to appreciate the sisterhood of bc so didn't look at it quite the same. Then later in my journey I figured out how much money raised in October goes back into awareness that many people believe when they donate is going to research, and I got mad thinking that it was delaying progress to find reasons and a cure (which I now think will be in the form of prevention). Then I learned that many companies feel that creating a pink product or advertising with pink ribbons or balloons is enough -- that they're doing their part to help increase "awareness" while they benefit only their own bottom line ("pinkwashing"), so I became very negative about anything pink. But now I've come just about full circle to realize that we not only need the awareness and shouldn't be confusing people or even turning them off to donating by trashing pink. But I do feel that there's way too much of it and that we have to wake everyone up to the fact that awareness alone isn't going to solve anything because mammos don't always find bc early, and even tx for early bc can be brutal.

And the other lesson I've learned along the way is that at some point we each have to find a way to give back to bc or to something, so that we don't continue to be victims, so to speak, and that's what lago is doing, and I applaud her for it, although I still have the same gut, visceral, angry reaction Bobbisil described to too many pink balloons, because too many folks see October as a new marketing opportunity. Deanna

lago · October 2012

BTW I'm bringing white balloons for my team at the Strides walk. Want to stand out but not clash from all the pink Tongue out

Moonflwr912 · October 2012

Welcome bobbisil, and so very sorry you have to be here.

I am with Lago and Dlb, we need to out the companies doing pink for profit, support those who actually contribute. My plug for cancer support goes to KOHLS Dept. Store. They really support people affected by bc. In my area, they are responsible for ACS being able to give out $100.00 gas cards to people in tx. a very practical kind of help. I know they support research, but can't give the amounts or percentages. Just know about the cards because they really helped me. Much love to all.

julz4 · October 2012

Hi All! I'm on the road now heading for an upper endoscopy. I am reading & All are wonderful points. Sometimes it's hard to put into words what I feel! Feeling overwhelmed at times! Too fresh & too new this year!

((((((((bobbisil)))))))). So much on your plate at once! I am so glad you found us....but so wish it could of been for another reason!

Ps I'm not driving while texting here. My DH is personal driver for the day!

Moderators · October 2012

For anyone looking for products that you know will help support and inform this community of those dealing with breast cancer, there's always the Breastcancer.org gift shop.

JoanQuilts · October 2012

http://www.nj.com/parenting/index.ssf/2012/10/a_generation_of_breast_cancer.html

Here's my latest nj.com article on breast cancer/Pinktober. My feelings about it have changed over the 20 years since my first diagnosis.

dlb823 · October 2012

Joan, bravo for so beautifully putting into words what so many of us feel about Pinktober! I was really impressed with your article, which is both intelligent and very well written, and I've already shared it on Facebook.

One thing that someone pointed out to me when I recently wrote something much briefer quoting the same stats you have is that those are only for the U.S. No one ever quotes worldwide stats, and I'm now wondering what those are -- assuming it's even possible to compile them. Do you or does anyone else possibly know? Deanna

FireKracker · October 2012

Joan---im gonna save your story for tomorrow.My fb is drowning in the pinkwashing.

yesterday I posted a picture of me wearing a shirt that says FOCKTOBER....just ask me....

My neice responded im afraid to ask!!!!!!

Deanna---check it out!!!!!!!

Cannot figure out yet how to get it here as my avatar....I wrked on it for hrs....rads brain big time.

FireKracker · October 2012

I did it!!!!!!!yay...

dlb823 · October 2012

This should make us all mad! Grannydukes, I'm not sure you should read this, 'cause I'm not sure how much madder you can get!

http://jezebel.com/5946414/the-silliest-pink-crap-that-wont-cure-breast-cancer-money-can-buy

But some excellent points here, in spite of the salty language. Deanna

julz4 · October 2012

dlb.....I am PEEE-ODE on her behalf! I didn't even read the article I saw enough to have steam come out of my own ears! If you own a gun don't go there! Madder than a HORNET HERE!!!

Cottontail · October 2012

I refuse to buy anything with a pink ribbon on it (well, I'd buy those mushrooms if I needed mushrooms and there were none in regular packaging), and have binned several things with pink ribbons that were given to me after my diagnosis.

As for makeup companies such as Bobbi Brown and Clinique making donations, it's not really a surprise or touching in any way, seeing that those two brands are owned (along with several others) by Estée Lauder. It's just an extension of EL's campaign. And too bad all those cosmetic companies sell products with carcinogens in them and test on animals. I don't care how much money they donate or to whom, I only buy from cruelty-free companies, the end.

I've removed a few people from my Facebook news feed for posting pink ribbon bullshit already.

Clearly I'm bitter, lol.

xtina · October 2012

I am really glad to read these posts, because now I know it's not just me!

Before I was ever rx'ed with BC I had such a negative feeling about so much of the pink stuff - things came across to me as some sort of terrible marketing gimmick or something. Like companies might be using this terrible disease to some sort of advantage for themselves. I really had zero knowledge about it, but that's just what my gut said. Who knew that I could have been so right?

I've been reading through all of the posts - thanks to those who have suggested logging on to sites such as Breast Cancer Action, Dr. Susan Love's site, the charitynavigator site, etc. - such good information and I've been doing so much reading.

I went to the grocery store this am and they had a whole end cap full of crap - I tried to ignore it, but the Pink BC Five Hour Energy caught my eye. REALLY? REALLY?

I still don't know what to say to family and friends though sometimes. I'm sure they mean well, but they have no idea how ridiculous the pinkwashing gets, or how it makes me feel. Sometimes I just feel like yelling at them about it. It's like they all think it's trendy and cool and makes them feel good about themselves - "Oh lookie, we're getting these great pink boots in support of BC! We've done our part! Yay us!" But it's not fun and it's not cool. And I hate it.

Ugh now I'm just ranting. No one gets it though. How do you tell them what you know, without making them feel bad? I feel like I can't get the right words out of my mouth right now without crying. Maybe I'm PMSing too.

xtina · October 2012

Joan - your article was great.

DLB- would WHO have those statistics? They tend to track data like that on a worldwide basis.

Cottontail · October 2012

I saw the pink ribbon marked mushrooms today (the brand I bought comes in a recyclable cardboard tray, not foam, so that wasn't pink, thank goodness). They were only on sliced, and I prefer whole. Anyway, according to the sticker the Mushroom Council has ALREADY donated their $50,000, it makes no difference if you buy the pink ribbon ones or the unmarked ones.

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

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