picketing at the NH debates

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Lynne
Lynne Member Posts: 641
edited June 2014 in Walks, Runs and Fundraising Events for Breastcancer.org
picketing at the NH debates
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  • Lynne
    Lynne Member Posts: 641
    edited January 2008

    Last night myself and about 50 others stood outiside in the 30 degree weather at the debates.

    The Komen Foundation vote for the cure emailed me, so my daughter and I went (the venue, St Anselm's College, is only a couple miles from my home). I've never done anything like this before in my life (as well as most of the others in our group). We were put between the "Stop Global Warming" and "Mike Huckabee" crowds. The each had about 200 people with signs, costumes, etc. We had little pink "Vote for the Cure" signs. We yelled "Don't Ignore, vote for the cure",whenever the 2 crowds next to us would stop (we couldn't be heard above them!). The debates started at 7pm, we were out there from 4:30-7pm (I left at 6, frozen feet!). Most of the media would skip over us. One radio station did interview one of our women.  A few people took pictures of our group, but the tv crews, would go over to the 2 larger groups next to us, we would do our chant, while they were interviewing, so at least they could hear us!Saw a couple of candidates buses, and a lot of crazy people. I don't think I'd do it again, but it was worth a shot if anyone heard us. We just want all women to be able to get mammograms and testing even if they are unisured and can't afford a mammogram.

    Lynne

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  • ClaraIsabel
    ClaraIsabel Member Posts: 12
    edited January 2008

    Lynne, thanks for standing out there in the cold. Somebody must have seen and heard you and every little bit helps. -- ClaraIsabel

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  • Lynne
    Lynne Member Posts: 641
    edited January 2008

    If only one person heard our cause, I'll be happy.

    Thanks

    Lynne

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  • DottieW
    DottieW Member Posts: 207
    edited January 2008

    Lynne, you were there for all of us.  Thanks and blessings to you, your daughter and all those cold feet! Dottie

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  • NoH8
    NoH8 Member Posts: 2,726
    edited January 2008

    I'm a bit confused about picketing at the primaries for bc and why not all of health care. Can you explain more Lynne? Thanks.

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  • Lynne
    Lynne Member Posts: 641
    edited January 2008

    I certainly am for all healthcare. The people from the Susan Komen Foundation emailed me for breastcancer. I did not see any people there for healthcare besides us (unless you want to call the pro-life people "healthcare"). One gentleman who has bladder cancer asked why we weren't picketing for all cancers (his doesn't get much attention). Another 2nd year Harvard Med student came up to us to see what we were about. He asked the same thing, why not all cancers or healthcare in general. The Komen people arranged it and they are about breastcancer. They got the signs, buttons, restaurant, meeting place etc. They have the funding to do these things. I was asked to do it, and willingly did it.

    Lynne

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  • NoH8
    NoH8 Member Posts: 2,726
    edited January 2008

    Gotcha and no, I would never call antichoice people health care. I feel bad for the other cancers that aren't as organized as ours, sometimes I wish we'd spread a little of the wealth and resources to lesser known and less "popular" and socially acceptable cancers, or for that matter to health in general so I guess I wouldn't be a good Komen picketer.

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  • anneshirley
    anneshirley Member Posts: 1,110
    edited January 2008

    I'm glad to see a lot of folks on this board feel as I do.  I recently received an email from a friend with BC regarding the same issue--pushing candidates on BC funding.  I couldn't oblige, as I feel that all cancers need to be addressed, and all health care  (although I'd love to see a cure for BC).  BC gets so much publicity, yet there are so many other cancers that are even more life threatening, lung cancer being one.  But more than anything we need early childhood care for children without health insurance.   Amy--glad to see we agree far more than we disagree!

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  • NoH8
    NoH8 Member Posts: 2,726
    edited January 2008

    Anne-Shirley, you're the only breast cancer person I've met who feels the same way as I do about this issue. I've been thinking about this for a while, particularly as you said with lung cancer, which is an "unpopular" cancer. Lung cancer patients are constantly blamed for their illnesses and asked by others if they smoked. It shouldn't matter in the amount and type of support they get. I'm thinking about distancing myself from breast cancer only events and more towards health care or at least cancer as a whole.

    It's really nice to see someone else who agrees.

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  • Lynne
    Lynne Member Posts: 641
    edited January 2008

    Every spring here, they have the Relay for Life which the American Cancer Society also sponsors (I also do Making Strides in the fall, which is always packed). There are teams (that get donations) that go around the high school track, each for one hour, from noon on Sat till noon on Sun. It is for ALL cancers. I participate in that also. I think it is even a nicer event than "Making Strides Against Breast Cancer". They annouce each survivor and give them a flower, then all the survivors take a lap. The next lap is for the survivors and their caregivers. Then the teams start their hourly laps. The teams actually camp out in tents on the football field in the middle. They have luminaries all around the track (that they cell for $10), with names of people we honor who are living with cancer or the ones who already passed on. Last year John Edwards and his group even did a lap in pink shirts with "Elizabeth's Team" on them (he did a lap, his volunteers did an hour). But you know what? Even though they do just as much advertising for it as they do "Making Strides" (which is also run by the same place), they don't have half the amount of people as they do in the fall. I'm not sure why that is. You think with ALL cancers being involved, more people would come out. It's too bad, because it really is a nice event.

    You should check and see if they have one near you.

    Lynne

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  • NoH8
    NoH8 Member Posts: 2,726
    edited January 2008

    You would think with it being about ALL cancers more people would be involved. I'm familiar with the Relay, but have only gone one year because of the timing of the event. The survivor activities have started in the early evening and my energy is sapped by early afternoon. I think that breast cancer survivors are better organized and that started with Nancy Brinker and the Komen race for the cure.

    I'm moving towards a place in my surviving away from breast cancer only events and towards more general cancer and health events.

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