Wine Whine

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Double Whammy
Double Whammy Member Posts: 2,832 Member
edited August 2011 in Breast Cancer #1
First, let me preface this with the statement that I'm absolutely not against monies raised to fund breast cancer research. Afterall, I had it and I want a cure found. I do wonder about all the pink stuff being sold and what all the money raised is actually being used for.

Second, I'm sick and tired of pink, pink, pink, and the breast cancer hype. There are other cancers.

My latest tirade:
I just returned from the grocery store where there was a display dedicated to a chardonney produced by a company "One Hope". There it was, sitting out in the aisle so you can't miss it, all in pink, including the ribbon. Part of the sale is being donated to the "Fight against breast cancer" (whatever that means). I just visited the One Hope website. They have other wines for other causes, a cabernet for autism, a merlot for AIDS, a pinot noir for supporting Children's Hospitals, a zin for supporting our troops, a sauvignon blanc for saving our planet, and other varieties for a charity of your choice. Nice marketing ploy to sell wine. I don't know whether the store carries the other varieties, but I do know that the breast cancer wine sure as heck had a prominent display and I saw no others. I'm going to look for the others next time I'm there.

Some people are like lemmings. I'm sure they'll sell this wine because supporting breast cancer is simply the thing to do these days. My friends who have had or have other cancers are not particularly happy that although they're active in fundraising, a lot of people don't support their efforts because of all the pink everywhere.

I don't have an answer or even a good explanation for why I (a breast cancer survivor) feel the way I do about all the pink. The women who have had breast cancer and others have done an excellent job in raising awareness and generating funds. This is a good thing. I participate in events, too. Maybe it's the "commercialization" of breast cancer that irks me. Maybe it's because I am also an endometrial cancer survivor, have a friend who went through it at the same time as me, and now have another friend with it. Yet, I think many women don't know the early warning signs of endometrial cancer. Maybe because I've lost far too many people I knew to brain cancer.

So I'll just whine about the wine for now.

Suzanne

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  • skipper54
    skipper54 Member Posts: 936 Member
    #2
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    Have heard others make similar comments
    But let's face it, not too many other cancers hit 1 in 8. And too many people are lax in getting mammos etc. Anything that helps raise awareness of any health issue can be a good thing, as long as it is as advertised when it comes time to turn money over. IT gripes me when things are sold at a high price with a "portion" being donated and then you find out the potion is maybe 1%. I'll have to check this out but I can't do it in the grocery store as PA is funny about that, we have to go to the State Store for anything alcoholic. I might try it once but if I don't like it that will be all, won't buy it just because it's "pink".
  • camul
    camul Member Posts: 2,537
    #3
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    I have a hard time with all the hype
    but my reason is because of all the monies donated for breast cancer, less than 3% actually goes for funding research for advanced cancer. None of the female cancers have much funding for research for advanced cancer. What women get when they have stage iv is palliative care. As I was looking at so many of the clinical trials, so few were for metastatic bc, and most were funded by pharmaceuticals which made me wonder if the reason for the low funding is because of all the money that they will lose if there is a cure.

    I have a friend here who is a researcher and was in Montreal working on what they felt could have been a cure, and they were able to go only so far and the contract was not renewed, but she said they isolated some gene, so where does all of this leave us?
  • Gabe N Abby Mom
    Gabe N Abby Mom Member Posts: 2,413
    #4
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    I think the whole pink thing
    I think the whole pink thing is a catch 22...yes it's good that people are more aware of breast cancer. But is it really making people more aware? Do they really know what signs/symptoms to look for? Does it really help motivate women to get mammos or do their monthly self exams? Does it improve insurance coverage and make treatment equally available for everyone? And, as you say, what about all the other kinds of cancer?

    So it does bother me when 'pink' is simply a marketing tactic. I am not so bothered when I think about the changes in treatment in the last 10-20 years...that's the catch 22 for me.

    Let me know when you want to drink the wine instead of whine about it.

    Hugs,

    Linda
  • mamolady
    mamolady Member Posts: 796 Member
    #5
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    all the pink!
    I have been partial to the avon walk and susan komen also. I know a lot more people with breast cancer than any other type of cancer. I do always donate to the relay for life, I do the daffodil days in february and do tribute donations for mother's day and father's day. Since my diagnosis I will probably be more inclined to do the relay because now I know first hand how much ACS does for patients!

    One thing that irks me is that for October (BC Awareness month) the mammo department gets little trinkets to give the patients that month. The problem is that the things they buy do nothing for breast cancer. They just have the pink ribbon! I try and try to get them to purchase from www.thebreastcancersite.com or something where a part of the profits will go to funding something for BC but there are only a couple of us that are loudmouths about it.
    I wish you had to support funding for research or mammos or something in order to sport the pink ribbon!

    Ok, that's my two cents!
    Cindy
  • jnl
    jnl Member Posts: 3,869 Member
    #6
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    Gabe N Abby Mom said:

    I think the whole pink thing
    I think the whole pink thing is a catch 22...yes it's good that people are more aware of breast cancer. But is it really making people more aware? Do they really know what signs/symptoms to look for? Does it really help motivate women to get mammos or do their monthly self exams? Does it improve insurance coverage and make treatment equally available for everyone? And, as you say, what about all the other kinds of cancer?

    So it does bother me when 'pink' is simply a marketing tactic. I am not so bothered when I think about the changes in treatment in the last 10-20 years...that's the catch 22 for me.

    Let me know when you want to drink the wine instead of whine about it.

    Hugs,

    Linda

    I have found how much I
    I have found how much I really hate pink since having bc. And, I think also that they use bc and the pink sometimes just to get more people to buy it.


    Leeza
  • SueRelays
    SueRelays Member Posts: 485
    #7
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    mamolady said:

    all the pink!
    I have been partial to the avon walk and susan komen also. I know a lot more people with breast cancer than any other type of cancer. I do always donate to the relay for life, I do the daffodil days in february and do tribute donations for mother's day and father's day. Since my diagnosis I will probably be more inclined to do the relay because now I know first hand how much ACS does for patients!

    One thing that irks me is that for October (BC Awareness month) the mammo department gets little trinkets to give the patients that month. The problem is that the things they buy do nothing for breast cancer. They just have the pink ribbon! I try and try to get them to purchase from www.thebreastcancersite.com or something where a part of the profits will go to funding something for BC but there are only a couple of us that are loudmouths about it.
    I wish you had to support funding for research or mammos or something in order to sport the pink ribbon!

    Ok, that's my two cents!
    Cindy

    I used to feel that there
    I used to feel that there was too much hype and attention on breast cancer as well...until I got it! When I was first diagnosed with a rectal cancer, I was amazed how I had no sources to share my misery with. I was almost resentful of all the attention on breast cancer/ There was breast cancer forums everywhere, but nothing on anal/rectal. In the infusion rooms I felt like I was the new kid sitting at the lunch table alone...everyone else had things in common. Then I had a secondary lung cancer. Decided I would devote my fundraising efforts to Relay for Life as it supported ALL cancers. After being diagnosed this year with breast cancer however, I have to say I'm happy to see all the support. I just think it's important to do something for this disease, whichever one you choose to support. I know only a portion actually goes toward research, treatment, etc.....but it all helps!!!
  • phoenixrising
    phoenixrising Member Posts: 1,508
    #8
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    You're not alone Suzanne,
    You're not alone Suzanne, there's an entire movement dedicated to eliminating the commercialization of breast cancer. "Think before you Pink" and "Breast Cancer Action", is another. They call it "pink washing" and find it offensive that the pink ribbon is used on products that are suggested to cause breast cancer, like the fat in Kentucky Fried Chicken or alcohol. They also feel that more attention should be given to metastatic bc.

    Perhaps we should have a glass of wine and ponder this some more...
    hugs
    jan

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