Breast Cancer Awareness Month -- Pink Ribbons anyone?

I HATE the color PINK
I hate the color pink and have for as long as I can remember. I never wore pink once I was old enough to have a say in what I wore. Basically I still do not wear pink almost all the time. That said - I do sometimes if I'm going somehwere that I might be able to talk to someone with questions. I did yesterday when I went to some classes for women on some outdoor 'stuff'. I wore my pink ribbon poncho (of course LE sleeve and glove too). I had several nice 'chats' between classes with different women who had queations. (Had some pamphlets to hand out too.) I am ready to talk with anyone who is asking any honest questions. I hate it that some do use October/Pink/BC for their own gains but if only one woman or man gets info - that's better than them not getting it.

Hubby and Son wear their pink 'Tough Enough To Wear Pink' bracelets all the time. Quite a few times there have been men who ask them questions. Some just want to be able to talk to a man, some have actually called me to talk.

I am (in some ways a VERY private person) but when it comes BC - I'm a VERY open person if I can help/educate someone to me it makes sense to be open.

Winyan - The Popwer Within

Susan

I know that there are sites that will tell people how much money goes to the cause and how much is caught up in administrative costs. My computer is not the best but perhaps if someone who has a better one could come up with a web address then those of us who are going to do something pink would at least have a chance of doing some good with our efforts. I feel that we do vote (so to say) with our dollars. Not big on pink but big on the cause.

SIROD said:

Our Date is October 13 - MBC Awareness Day
October 13 is Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day and we don't wear a "Pink" ribbon either. I have seen a lot of pink around already and try not to look. Pinking garbage cans, cement trucks, oil trucks, newspapers, the white house, foot ball players, cupcakes, yogurt doesn't equate to a cure. It does go a long way in confusing people that we have a cure and few people die from breast cancer.

I always inform people that it is a disease that doesn't discriminate. It can happen to both sexes, doesn't matter if your sitting on a pot of gold or have 2 cents to rub together, doesn't matter if your 93 or 13, you can still have breast cancer.

I have loathed the color pink ever since I was diagnose, 18+ years ago. All the hoopla for "Racing for a Cure" or "Relay for Life" neither have come close to finding a cure. It has lined the pockets of CEO with the color green (money).

Robert the pink parade isn't for you, me and thousands of others living with metastatic breast cancer. You need to give the pink hats, pink t-shirts, pink shoes and pink ribbons to the "Survivors".

October was always my favorite month, now I find it the worst month of the year. What happen to orange and black for October?

Doris

Stage IV and I am a Survivor
Doris,

I am a survivor living with cancer. Please don't tell Robert pink isn't for him. It's his choice. I think you were a little over the line with your comments. While I agree with some of them they should have been on a different post. I really don't need a "date" dedicated to me. Think of all the cancers that don't get the recognition that ours does, just saying. JMO. Not trying to offend. I love my PATRIOTS wearing pink. I think it's cute. Love my Wes Welker!

Terry

mom62 said:

Happy Birthday
Robert,

First let me wish you a Happy Birthday. My grandmother's birthday was on the 7th and my son who will be twenty this year has his on the 8th. Regarding the whole "pink" thing I think it is great that BC is so widely known by the color pink. It creates awarness, although I wish all cancers could be covered by one color. I find no harm in pink. I love watching football with grown tough men wearing pink shoes. October is the month I was diagnosed so I appreciate the color pink as I was never a Halloween fan. I am stage 4 by the way and didn't even know we had our own "date" as it were. I don't think that is what is important. I like to remind everyone to get their mammogram and do self exams. Thats what it means to me. Thanks for letting me share and HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I hope you have a great day.

((hugs))
Terry

Mammograms

Komen Ads Overstate Benefits Of Mammograms, Professors Charge
TOPICS: DELIVERY OF CARE, WOMEN'S HEALTH, PUBLIC HEALTH

AUG 03, 2012

Two Dartmouth health policy experts criticize the national breast cancer charity for using misleading statistics to promote breast cancer screening.

Medpage Today: BMJ OpEd Says Komen Ads False
The world's largest breast cancer charity used misleading statistics and deceptive statements about mammography to promote breast cancer awareness and screening, authors of an opinion piece asserted. In promotional material for the 2011 Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Susan G. Komen for the Cure suggested large differences in breast cancer survival among women who undergo screening mammography and those who do not. Specifically, the advertisement stated a 5-year survival of 98% when breast cancer is caught early and 23% when it is not. … "This benefit of mammography looks so big that it is hard to imagine why anyone would forgo screening. She'd have to be crazy," Steven Woloshin, MD, and Lisa M. Schwartz, MD, of the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in White River Junction, Vt. and the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice in Lebanon, N.H., wrote in an article published online in BMJ (Bankhead, 8/2).

CNN: Professors: Komen Overstating Benefits Of Mammograms

A national breast cancer charity is being accused of using misleading statistics to convince women to have mammograms, according to a paper published Thursday in the British Medical Journal. Susan G. Komen for the Cure's mammography campaign during breast cancer awareness month last October has come under fire from professors Steven Woloshin and Lisa Schwartz at the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, who say the foundation overstated the benefits of the procedure and totally ignored the risks. "The ad implies that mammograms have a huge effect, but the only evidence that they use is the five-year survival rate for breast cancer when caught early is 98% and when it's not, 23%," Woloshin said. "The problem is that in the context of screening survival, statistics are meaningless" (Young, 8/3).

This is part of Kaiser Health News' Daily Report - a summary of health policy coverage from more than 300 news organizations. The full summary of the day's news can be found here and you can sign up for e-mail subscriptions to the Daily Report here. In addition, our staff of reporters and correspondents file original stories each day, which you can find on our home page.

http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/Daily-Reports/2012/August/03/komen-ads.aspx

http://now.dartmouth.edu/2012/08/professors-komen-overstating-benefits-of-mammograms-cnn/

Not all breast cancer is found by mammograms, lobular, inflammatory....

mom62 said:

Not the Place
Doris,

I don't think it was fair that you took over Roberts positive posting to make it your own. It's nothing personal but I don't think it was right. You should have started a different post if you were going to go on and on about Stage IV BC. That is not what his post was about. It felt more like a downpour. I'm sorry your suffering with stage IV. I will put you in my prayers tonight.

Terry

AMEN!
AMEN!

It is so sad that there are some whose only goal is to spread their negativity to all.

Winyan - The Powser Within

Susan

ManWithaMission said:

My Birthday
My birthday is October 7th. Don't worry about "raining on my post", that's just how you feel about being "victimized" by large corporations taking advantage of people with this desease.

I was Stage 3 bc in 2007. Was cancer free for three years before it metastasized to my bones in October 2010. It is in my ribs,upper & lower spine, right hip and now in my neck. I also have 3 small "dots" on my left lung. I assumed that I was still Stage III till my onc told me in Jan. of this year that I was in fact Stage IV. I am planing on living a very long time still.

I love seeing things from your point of view. Don't ever be afraid to "rain" on somebody if you don't agree with them, that's freedom of speach!

(((HUGS))) and Prayers to you,Doris.
Robert

Belated Birthday Wishes, Robert!!!
Awww, shucks... I'm a day late; but, nonetheless sincere.

Hope your birthday yesterday was fabulous, and that you celebrated in style.

Kind regards, Susan

P.S.: Addressing all other discussion tangents created here, I have no comment. Except for one - I have absolutely no tolerance for those who are intolerant.

laughs_a_lot said:

I know that there are sites that will tell people how much money goes to the cause and how much is caught up in administrative costs. My computer is not the best but perhaps if someone who has a better one could come up with a web address then those of us who are going to do something pink would at least have a chance of doing some good with our efforts. I feel that we do vote (so to say) with our dollars. Not big on pink but big on the cause.

I
say color the world pink if it gets the attention of someone who needs to get a mammogram, someone who felt a lump, but, doesn't know what to do, or, someone who hasn't been doing breast self exam. Making October pink is just what Robert said in his opening, it's for breast cancer awareness!

Happy birthday to you Robert!


Sue

Ritzy said:

Terry, I couldn't agree with
Terry, I couldn't agree with you more!


Sue

I've got my pink hat out, my
I've got my pink hat out, my pink bc shirt and I think it is so great that October is dedicated to bring awareness for breast cancer.

PINK is the color of the month!


Hugs, Leeza

sbmly53 said:

YES! Pink ribbons all around
At first, I kind of avoided pink - I just didn't want to be reminded of having cancer. But I realized that it is very necessary to bring awareness to those who might not think it could happen to them. I was one of those people. Now, I 've got my pink on.

No one should question anyone who chooses to do this. No one should be put down. No one should have a patronizing, holier-than-thou attitude. No one. We all have the right to an opinion, but that's as far as it should go.

Thank you, Robert, for helping to bring awareness and for supporting our brothers and sisters under the pink umbrella.

Sue

Okay... I've sat back long enough
I have to unload ~

Sirod, you have been nothing but ignorant and insulting to most of those who have responded in this thread. Why is it your words and beliefs are so much mightier then ours? You have stage IV cancer to which I am sorry. I would never wish that on my worst enemy, but somewhere along your journey you lost your compassion for others dear sister.

This post was started as a beautiful thread from Robert showing his brotherly support and pride in wearing the color pink and proud to be doing so. And you turned it into a platform to preach about the bad sides of pink awareness month. Give us a little credit dear sister, we know this is the month that businesses and organizations make money off of the color pink, we aren't that stupid. We also don't need you preaching for your specific cancer research organization. God bless them for being there, and it sounds like you found strength in finding them and for that I am happy.

Robert, myself and other pinks sisters and brothers earned the right to wear pink. We are survivors and for me I wear my breast cancer angel pin every day and I do so proudly. I like being the one who's like an open book. Publicly I've shared my journey with others from day one, in hopes of being there for someone who feels they are battling breast cancer alone. You wouldn't believe the people that have called me their angel. So I... my dear sister wear my pink proudly. And don't you dare tell me I've never experienced the "DARK" side of cancer. Tell me what part of cancer is ever in the light side.

Vent away... I'm ready.
Your sister in pink ... Lorrie

SIROD said:

Didn't mean to rain pink on you!
Robert, I don't know what date is your birthday, Have a Happy One..

Didn't mean to rain "Pink" on your post. So many people don't understand that there is a difference between those who are stage 0-3C and stage IV. So many don't even know there is a special day for us, October 13th.

Doris

Raining Pink
I was DX Stage IV BC back in 1998 and I didn't realize there isn't specific date just for Stage IV Survivors. I myself am very proud to wear pink and for all those that also wear pink to show support whether its for someone they know or not. I also do not think I am better than anyone who is stage 0-3, we all have to face this awful disease. I am all for Pink Pride!