ATTEN PLEASE! Calling for old timers of the Picture Forum

I hope people will step up. I have donated my time and have helped Fumi run the site for several years and am happy to do so. But I have not had to bear the burden of the cost. Neither should Fumi. I believe there are only two possible solutions going forward, short of a rise in voluntary donations, and that is to start charging for membership or to shut the site down. So this is very serious.

I heard of it but after checking into it and reading the comments by people that desperately wanted to be a part of it so they could make decisions on upcoming surgeries and the ones that control it, it seems way to exclusive to try to be a part of. I got the reason for that but sheesh it just seemed over the top, I read that over and over from members of this site.

Just donated $25 to assist.

I don't know about exclusivity. I just gave my breast cancer "stats" as I recall and got access.

I feel that the join requirements for Picture Forum access are inappropriate and insensitive. I am a mother, a wife, a business owner, a volunteer. And I'm battling breast cancer. I asked to join the Picture Forum to help me make critical treatment decisions and was denied/postponed. I followed the exact directions they gave in this thread. I was told that the posts I've made in the past aren't enough. I joined this forum in April 2017. I asked to join the Picture Forum in Sept. 2017. I was told I haven't been a member of this forum long enough. When i joined this forum i had just been diagnosed. As I post this I am about to finish my treatment course and was never able to access the Picture Forum to help me make any decisions related to my treatment.

It is sad and inappropriate that women who are battling breast cancer, and breast cancer survivors, are being made to jump through vague hoops to access a much needed resource.

I admin a very large group with many join requests daily (its a local group & not cancer related). I have been the sole admin of that group for over 5 years. I know what volunteer admin duties are like. I understand the burden of screening people to verify that they are real, and that are who they say they are with good intentions. I know exactly what is involved in screening potential group members to keep things on the up-and-up. I am shocked and saddened by the Picture Forum admins process for admitting women who are battling breast cancer. That isn't helpful. That creates additional and uneccessary stress on women who are already carrying a huge burden. I'm not saying that I think they should just let anyone in. I am saying that should reconsider their procedures and policies. They need to figure out a better way or it would probably be better to not have a Picture Forum at all.

The Picture Forum admin told me I needed to spend more time posting here if I wanted to gain access their resource. Which was a resource that i felt I desperately needed, as I was trying to make treatment decisions and time was a factor. i have children and a husband. I'm trying to trying to live my life, enjoy the time i have with my family, savor moments with friends and family & make memories. My family needs me. They have homework, daily soccer practices and gymnastics. I have a full-time job. AND cancer. The Picture Forum admins denied me with vague instructions. They said I should dedicate more time to posting on a board to prove my worthiness for admission instead of living my life and spending time with my family. Their process is insensitive. I find it shocking because the last place I expected to find insensivity towards breast cancer was via this forum.

Would a private Facebook group be easier to navigate and less expensive to maintain?

Great question. I'm not against contributing, but I'd like to know the same.