Pinktober Revolution
Comments
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My kids high school had a "pink out" at last nights game. When they were selling pink shirts in the lunchroom my son asked where the money was going? All they could answer was about BC awareness and warrior women. He said " My mom is one of those warriors! They don't need awareness, everyone already knows about it. They need a cure!' He was not very popular with the cheerleaders, but it made me proud!0 -
What a good kid! Ya did good 4!!0 -
Like what your lad said 4. It was my 90 yr old MiL who responded positively to my shirt.
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Just slightly over one more week to go ..... I really wish they would just make October "CANCER MONTH" because there are so many many many friends of mine that have all types of cancer, and they are ALL scary! And it appears that some lung cancers have more in common with breast cancer than with other lung cancers, some breast cancers have more in common with some lung and colon cancers than with other breast cancers .... as the scientists drill down to find out the causes of cancer, and they start looking at the genetics and those genetic markers for all these different types of cancer, they are finding so much overlapping, so when a new drug comes out for one type, it may be useful in SEVERAL types. We HAVE awareness, we just need to keep supporting the investigators to find that cure! Why bother to do education and testing when the cure is not available? - well, partially because some in the early stages CAN be managed better, and even those in late stages may have SOME relief with treatment, but cure? Not so much.
Alyson, love the shirt! 4sewwhat, great little activist you are raising! Fran, that Komen financial cartoon has been going all around - several of my friends posted that on Facebook about a week ago.
I wonder if Chan Luu would consider donating some proceeds for some of her jewelry OTHER THAN THE PINK RIBBON stuff to BCO, in lieu of the pink ribbon ones this month .... Her jewelry is really creative and interesting, not really my style, but I have a couple of friends who wear similar styles.0 -
Even though we hate all the 'pinkwashing', I often wonder how it makes people with other cancers feel when BC gets so much 'hype'....kind of like invisible, I'm afraid.
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I take my 10 year old daughter, to a support group. There are two parents that are survivors of Colon Cancer. In my area the local newspapers do a pink newspapers with stories of breast cancer survivors. Anyways the MSW brought the pink newspaper to show my story was in newspaper. Big Mistake, Big, One lady was not happy and proceeded to ask other lady if she felt left out because she did not have breast cancer. I was shocked considering of the parents in support I am the only breast cancer survivor. She just went on and on about the stuff for breast cancer patients, but because she did not have breast cancer she could not particpate. I replied to her, to write a letter to editor about local newspaper about doing something for other cancers. Also I explained that it the organizations that make October so big, for us BC survivors.0 -
Hi Ruthbru, I've heard rumblings, shall we say, from other cancer patients how it really isn't appreciated that breast cancer gets so much attention and money. I really can't blame them. They need research and a cure as much as those of us with breast cancer.0 -
but most of that money goes to some strange void they call education.
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A cure is needed for CANCER. My friend died last weekend, she had had, bowel, ovarian and lung cancer each primaries and then mets. My great nephew has just been diagnosed with Lymphoma. A friend has come home from the hospice, she has ovarian cancer and wants to die at home. Two friends died last year, one had kidney cancer the other ovarian. My brother has had prostate cancer. My sister has had bowel cancer as has another friend. I could go on. Though many years ago my father died from melanoma which had spread to the lungs. Just find an f*fing cure. I Hate Cancer.0 -
Alyson....the shirt looks great....I hope u enjoy it as much as I do.I still have 2 left but i wore both of them.
walkin advertisement...yay for you.
I am the fireKracker0 -
Granny, had come on to say I was just up at the doctors with my sister and got comments about the shirt. One of the doctors was most surprised and a patient looked quite stunned when I had my say because the doctors rooms were all decorated in pink. You would have been proud.0 -
Give 'em hell girls!!
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Glad to see you all here....it's not just PINKING, we will make change---focktober came about b/c Granny got angry.....Look back, other phrases came about b/c others were angry. Mine were really deadly, "What color do you associate with dead , Cancer kills" Frankly, I couldn't wear that tee. I was afraid I'd hurt someone who had a close one that died.
BUT the tee that said "CANCER IS NOT A MARKETING OPPORTUNITY". Worn well with a great response.0 -
Like that Sas. Sure it gets a very positive response.0 -
I wear my shirt proudly.
I'm glad u do too Alyson.0 -
I once had a woman say to me "All other cancers are jealous because breast cancer gets all the attention!" I was too shocked to even reply to that.
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On another note, we were on vacation last week, and went into a large Safeway store for supplies. Front and center was a HUUUUGE display of chips.... a six pack of assorted Frito-Lay chips, swathed in a pink plastic wrapper with a handle, and covered with the pink ribbon symbol. (Nothing says "Breast Cancer Awareness" like grease, salt, and chemical preservatives!)
I stood there for ten minutes scrutinizing the packaging to see where the money went, and lo and behold - NOTHING!!! So I asked to see the Store Manager. It was late at night, and I waited forever, but finally the Assistant Manager came.
I explained that while I knew she wasn't personally responsible for this offensive display, breast cancer survivors everywhere were really disgusted by the pinkwashing of everyday items, making money off their suffering.
She shook her head and said "I know. I'm a ten year survivor. I understand." From there we stood there and talked for the longest time... she's a Triple Negative who has been NED since her treatment ten years ago.
She said she tried to reason with store management when it came to blatantly exploiting a disease in order to profit. They were sympathetic, but ignored her pleas. Since it was a huge corporate chain, there wasn't much she could do, as she needed the job. We finally finished our talk, hugged, and she thanked me for taking the time to bring this to the store's attention. She said that she wished more people would do so, and then maybe things would change. (She was going to leave a note for the Manager the next day, stating my complaint.)
Anyway, I looked online, and here is what I found on the Frito-Lay site. Ugh.
http://www.fritolay.com/about-us/press-release-20100519.html0 -
I saw that big Frito-Lay display in my grocery store too - I couldn't believe it either. It was a perfect match for the 6 packs of Diet Pepsi that not only had pink ribbons on them, but the plastic ringy-thing that hold the six pack together was made out of bright pink plastic. So I'll modify your statement to: "Nothing says Breast Cancer Awareness like grease, salt, and chemical preservatives, all washed down with artificial colors and more chemicals."
I did have a friend with colon cancer tease me about BC patients being the "pink poodles" of cancer - I thought that was pretty well put. I had to agree with her.0 -
I posted this on the Exercise thread, but I thought it fit in with this thread as well:
I get a lot of running gear from a store called "Road Runner Sports." They often address their customers as "VIP" customers. I just got an email from them titled: "Feel Supported Kicking Breast Cancer's Butt, VIP!" to promote their sports bras - touting that exercise has been shown to reduce the incidence of BC. I looked it over very carefully - there's absolutely no indication that they are putting any financial support to BC causes behind the promo - it's just a cheap opportunity to try to sell sports bras. I just fired off the following note to their customer service email:
"Feel Supported Kicking Breast Cancer's Butt, VIP!" Are you really serious with that promotion for your sports bras?? Since exercise has been shown to reduce the rate of many cancers, I'm assuming that for Testicular Cancer Awareness Month next April you will be running a promotion "Feel Supported While Kicking Testicular Cancer's Butt, VIP" for your "Keep it Cool" and "Keep it Snug" athletic briefs. No? Not nearly as cutsey when the promo is on the other nad, is it? I also see no indication that Road Runner will be making a donation to any sort of breast cancer organization as part of your promotion - you simply found a way to jump on the pinkwashing bandwagon. As a 6 year breast cancer survivor who finds it hard every day to get out there and exercise, I really resent having my hardship and disease trotted out for some promotion by a company that uses fear of the disease to make a buck, then can't even be bothered to put a single dime into breast cancer causes. I've liked your company in the past as you seem to be a caring company - that's why this crass promo caught me especially by surprise.
If they'd just promo'd exercise as a cancer risk reduction measure and included all their exercise stuff, that would have been a great educational campaign. But it's the same old thing - use BC as an excuse to talk about boobs and trot out the bras - kind of like those "feel your boobies" bracelets that are so popular in middle school. Do any of these marketing types ever think that marketing bras to combat a disease that often results in amputation of breasts is just a tad inappropriate? Would they ever do a Veterans' Day promotion that markets gloves to "honor" veterans who've had their arms or hands amputated???
We'll see what kind of response I get, if any.0 -
My Poodle boy said he wasn't ever going to be pink!!! KrisKringles the name, Christmas is his game.0 -
WOW MARY
GOOD FOR YOU!!!!!0 -
well said sistas..both of u
Makin a statement one sista at a time
It's almost over...and it's not too late to bring attention to this ugly pink washing.
As I said before I wear my shirts proudly.0 -
Bravo Mary! Well said and definitely let us know if you hear back.0 -
Mary, I love your letter to RRS, their corporate office is close to home and I actually modeled (I'm a runner not a model) for one of their catalogs back in '07. I bought their jog bras, ran 1000's of miles a year, ate in accordance to my sports nutritionist menus and still got the beast by age 50. I'd be interested if you get a reply from the owner, RRS is traditionally big on charities, so I too am surprised by their cavalier slogan.0 -
Mary, nice letter. Please let us know if you get a response
I looked at RRS web site and could only see where they were partnered with AHA Athletes Helping Athletes. The AHA site only discussed helping with wheelchairs. I may have missed something?0 -
It was just a marketing email I got. There was no mention of this promotion on their actual website that I found. When you clicked on the link in the email, it took you to the bras section of their website, but there was nothing in that section. I've highlighted the BC stuff in red.
If they'd just promo'd exercise in general to reduce the risk of BC and linked to all the women's exercise gear, that would have been fine. But it's always just for bras, isn't it?? ::sigh::
Jill - congrats on being a model for them!! I've always thought of them as pretty charity-oriented as well, which is why the email really surprised me too. I'm hoping it's just something that an overeager intern sent out . . .
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Just looking on internet and saw the White House all lit in pink. Maybe he thought it would help him win friends for Obamacare? I'm looking forward to Halloween and an end to all this pink crap!0 -
I here that! Although I do have to say I have not seen as much of it as usual this year. But Pink AAA wreckers, really?0 -
today as I was walkin into my drs. Office Ellen was on and just as I was sitting down she was talkin about SUTC....all I heard was 100% of all donations that they collected was goin to research??as I was being called in they said the amt...the nurse was talkin all I no was it was a lot of money..0 -
Ruthrb did an excellent in depth evaluation on SU2C based on the BCA questions. I'll bring the link back . It's on the Organizations page too. This link is t her evaluation here.
http://community.breastcancer.org/topic_post?forum_id=102&id=791442&page=46
This link is to the organizations thread. Ruth also gives insight into the process of how the BCA questions help in evaluating the quality of a charity.
http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/110/topic/794711?page=1#idx_220 -
We've been gone on vacation, and I was just catching up on the newspapers we missed.
On October 15th, this article - "Look For Transparency In Pink-Related Product Proceeds To Charities" - appeared in our hometown newspaper.
At first, I thought "At last!They're getting the word out about PINKWASHING!!!"
Then I read the article (nationally-syndicated and printed from the Akron Beacon Journal) and nearly gagged. It was about Komen. And according to Carrie Glassock, Director of Corporate Relations for the Susan G. Komen Foundation, "Now, wearing pink and seeing that ribbon, it's a badge of honor. It's an outward symbol of hope instead of women feeling shameful about breast cancer or something people only spoke only in whispers about."
The article goes on to teach consumers how to "judge a pink campaign"...
Nowhere is CharityNavigator mentioned..
And funny.... ALL the companies they mentioned donate to KOMEN!!! Go figure!!!0
