We're just not sexy

I couldn't agree more
I even wrote an email to the Activia folks about their ads for donating to breast cancer when you buy their product.

I told them that while a cure for breast cancer was a good thing, that I thought since their product was about good digestive health they might have wanted to consider donating to colorectal cancer research!

Guess maybe we need to put a bow on a butt to make it sexy!

Good topic...glad you started this thread.

Hugs,

Marie who loves kitties

Well
Dare I say ???? I think it might be because colorectal cancer is a sh***y diease! Oooops! Hope I didn't offend anyone.
☺

For those interested
I follow a blog that I think is right on the money (my twisted sense of humor). I'm not sure if some might find it offensive as it is a rather humorous take on colon cancer. She is a cartoonist. So, if you might be interested here is Amy's blog about her colorectal cancer experiences:
http://cancerissofunny.blogspot.com/

PS: she is working on getting the colon cancer logo on a NASCAR

And of course, the
And of course, the assumption that people have when they hear I've had cancer is that it was breast cancer or "cancer of those female parts"(asked of me today.)

I do respond when people ask me for money for breast cancer, "I have appendix cancer, can I count on you for a contribution for research for a cure for that and other colorectal cancers?" Yes, I want a cure for breast cancer, but I donate mostly to colorectal research.

By working in healthcare and
By working in healthcare and living with an open and honest family, I am so accustomed to speaking freely about anything. So I was unaware that colorectal cancer was the underdog of all cancers. What I did realize after I was diagnosed last Fall is that I didn't want to tell anyone I had cancer...period. I was dealing with so many emotions that I couldn't deal with anyone's questions or comments at the time. And, heck, we all knew that the big "C" meant the big "D", right? So in the beginning, I could only share with those who were closest to me. Now, I could talk to anyone, if they want to listen. Nevertheless, only my closest coworkers know about my cancer, not the entire facility, and I'm okay with that. There, at least, it still feels private, and not because it's "rectal cancer," but just simply "cancer." And I still take time to educate people, everywhere, at work, home, in the community.

Related, sort of but not really? One day, at work, a nurse's aid was talking about her husband who had died from colon cancer. A nurse at the desk said "If I was diagnosed with cancer, I'd go on long vacations, rack up my credit card. I don't care, I couldn't pay, I'd be dead! I'd just live it up if I had cancer." (or something to that effect) I wanted to tell her the reality. What happens when you first hear the diagnosis, and how much you want to get well and live. The unreality of it all. And then the reality of having to pay for the medical care needed to get well and hope like heck you don't lose your job so you don't lose your medical insurance. And that without your job, you might be homeless. And how you might need that credit card in an emergency to pay bills since insurance certainly doesn't cover it all. Yeah, people just don't know. But can we blame them? Most of us were "those people" once.
~Aud

Aud said:

By working in healthcare and
By working in healthcare and living with an open and honest family, I am so accustomed to speaking freely about anything. So I was unaware that colorectal cancer was the underdog of all cancers. What I did realize after I was diagnosed last Fall is that I didn't want to tell anyone I had cancer...period. I was dealing with so many emotions that I couldn't deal with anyone's questions or comments at the time. And, heck, we all knew that the big "C" meant the big "D", right? So in the beginning, I could only share with those who were closest to me. Now, I could talk to anyone, if they want to listen. Nevertheless, only my closest coworkers know about my cancer, not the entire facility, and I'm okay with that. There, at least, it still feels private, and not because it's "rectal cancer," but just simply "cancer." And I still take time to educate people, everywhere, at work, home, in the community.

Related, sort of but not really? One day, at work, a nurse's aid was talking about her husband who had died from colon cancer. A nurse at the desk said "If I was diagnosed with cancer, I'd go on long vacations, rack up my credit card. I don't care, I couldn't pay, I'd be dead! I'd just live it up if I had cancer." (or something to that effect) I wanted to tell her the reality. What happens when you first hear the diagnosis, and how much you want to get well and live. The unreality of it all. And then the reality of having to pay for the medical care needed to get well and hope like heck you don't lose your job so you don't lose your medical insurance. And that without your job, you might be homeless. And how you might need that credit card in an emergency to pay bills since insurance certainly doesn't cover it all. Yeah, people just don't know. But can we blame them? Most of us were "those people" once.
~Aud

Not sexy enough
When I was first dx'd my youngest son noticed all the fund raising and attention paid to breast cancer. He said the same thing, boobs are sexy colons are not.
My kids have managed to do a few small things. My daughter works in a gourmet choffee shop and the owner does a fund raiser for different organizations each month. Of course this month it's breast cancer. He asked for other suggestions and my daughter told him my mom has colon cancer and I would like to raise money for that. He totally agreed so they are putting together everything to make that happen. Likewise my sons employer does the same type of thing and he to suggested doing a fund raiser during colon cancer awareness month like they do for breast cancer each october and they agreed. It's not much but it is a start and I am proud of my kids for being able to be open about what I'm going through and trying to do what they can. Much love.
Deb

How about
How about,give to colorectal cancer research,"the butt you save may be your own."Our car club is going to put on a car show next year at a local hospital for cancer,all cancers,not just breast cancer.Maybe someone should put on a national car show for the same thing.It's just a thought.

I agree!
I've thought about this a lot. I love my cancer sisters who have been through breast cancer, but I do wonder, "What about us?" People really don't like to talk about it so much. I even had a woman ask me about my cancer after she saw my Relay shirt. The first question of course was, "Breat cancer?" When I told her no, I am a colon cancer survivor, she gave me a shocked look, "I didn't know women could get colon cancer!" *L* We certainly have the parts, so why not?

*hugs*
Gail