In honor of The Carcinista, I would like all women with breast cancer to show support for ovarian/pancreatic/colon/esophageal/bladder/lung/pickyourpoison cancer patients. Why should breast get all the attention? Cancer is cancer, it just lands in a different body part. The balkinization of cancers - the different colors/logos/months creates division among the patient population as well as causing some cancers to be over-treated while others go undiagnosed.
If you are a breast cancer patient who supports October becoming
We need to get the word out that those of us with breast cancer want research to to go ALL cancers, not just ours. We want the money to go to awareness of all cancers. We want to eradicate all cancers - not just breast.
We are not special, or more deserving, because cancer grew in our breasts rather than our bladder or ovaries. While more women die of breast cancer than other cancers - more women also live after the diagnosis.
Here is a petition for you to sign to show your support. Direct to signature.
Let's push back against the pink parade a bit. Let's go viral.
I think I love you.
ReplyDeleteI love it! Tears to my eyes. I thank in advance any women with breast cancer for signing this. My mother had breast cancer (18 year surivor) but she also had colon cancer. I have had several friends and relative die of pancreatic cancer. I have ovarian cancer. Cancer is cancer - let's cure them ALL! God Bless the Breast cancer women with the willingness to sign this.
ReplyDeleteI ABSOLUTELY AGREE WITH YOU!!!! The abundance of pink overload has really hit me in recent weeks. I had the same thoughts too; thinking of the friend I lost to stomach cancer last month, my uncle to pancreatic cancer at the age of 57 just 5 years ago and now faced against LUNG CANCER within my own family. I am not going to paint my toenails but I will repost this to mine (coz you advised that I can't right now with chemo)
ReplyDeleteThe colored ribbons bug me and you said it, divides us when all should be acknowledged, nothing more nothing less. Where do I need to go to sign up??? I will repost on my site too. Thank you for shouting loud about this! You are so awesome Ann!
Love it. I'll paint my nails this week and send you a note :)
ReplyDeleteI created an online petition. They are meaningless but still, it would be nice to know how many people are willing to show their support.
ReplyDeleteMy toenails have been teal because I am an OVCA survivor. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteEnough with the color-coded ribbons and carnival-like atmosphere. We are aware, thank you marketers. We know people are willing to donate their hard-earned money for cancer, but we need a better way to do it. Ribbon culture has made us lazy in our philanthropy and forces us to choose who is the more worthy, without knowing where the money is really going. We need a big technological and entrepreneurial idea that will help us put the money directly in the hands of research that will result in game-changing outcomes. Where is our "Bill Gates" ?????
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to thank you for your blog. I was just diagnosed a week ago Friday and still trying to figure out what will happen. Will be reading through back posts to learn more about your journed...wish I was a bit more positive right now, but still a bit in denial/shock.
ReplyDeleteThank you!
I'm sorry for your diagnosis Jen. Yes, it's shocking at first, a blow to your system. It'll take some time but you'll end up being okay.
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ReplyDeleteAnn,
ReplyDeleteAs always your blog is fantastic but I think this article is the best yet. I would paint my toenails teal right now if I could... but just had my reconstruction surgery and can't bend over!
I'm so sick of seeing pink every time I turn around. It's bad enough I was diagnosed in October but to have all this pink as a reminder almost sends me over the edge.
Take care,
Vonda
I wish I had the cure for all cancers. I wish I had a magic wand. I wish all cancer funding could go into one great big pot and be equally dispersed so that every one got her equal share. The facts are that breast cancer strikes women more than two and a half times that of cervical, ovarian and uterine cancer COMBINED. The numbers are staggering, that is why the funding is staggering. I hate the color pink as much as anybody during October because that is the month I was diagnosed. Maybe if we all painted out fingernails teal instead of our hidden toenails (it's cold here in Virginia now) awareness would be more prominent. In fact, I'm gonna go do that right now!
ReplyDeleteI don't get the backlash against breast cancer awareness month. All types of cancers can have their month and their colors and activities if people organize to make it happen. Having pink October and raising money for it doesn't take away from fundraising for research for other types either - it's all about how it's impacted a person personally as to where they donate their time and money. I won't pain my toenails (or fingernails) for any reason (don't you know that stuff can cause cancer!) LOL.
ReplyDeleteI'm probably the only person who appreciates the pink ribbon. I admit that I was overwhelmed and ticked about it during October. That having been said, it helps me to see a pink ribbon. I feel supported, like others are with me in solidarity. My father died of pancreatic cancer in 2007 and I appreciate purple ribbons too. I think it's all in the way you treat it. I don't wear my pink ribbon in order to exclude others. I do it in order to give representation to MY fight. This is just how I'm feeling today. On bad days I'd love to burn a pink ribbon.
ReplyDeleteVery nice and informative article, thanks for this post..
ReplyDelete