There is a rather unfortunate diabetes awareness message that takes a poke at bc awareness campaigns and has caused quite a stir (thank you Lorna for highlighting it).
facebook.com/119703998103102/photos/a.190393714367463.45541.119703998103102/768739953199500/?type=1
Surely this (and a previous unfortunate campaign) shows that the pink fluffiness and glossing over of the realities of bc has done a disservice to the bc community and the cause.
What do others think?
Tink x
And what is BCC’s response???!!! BCC you did respond to the pancreatic cancer ad…
I can’t help thinking all the pink has made it even more isolating for us stage 4. Most of the general public think bc is a curable cancer. A lot of bc patients have no idea of the true stats, the number of them who will be diagnosed some time in the future with mets. Quite how so many of us die unnoticed, (is it now 15,000 a year?) baffles me. I think we will see more of this charity fund envy.
Agree totally. I was one of those bc patients who had no real idea what sbc was all about or how many people are affected and die until it happened to me. I bought into all the pink stuff too. I suppose as long as it gets the money in but i do feel adverts and publicity shud show ladies with sbc and not just talk about primary bc.
We have been aware of this Facebook post and agree with you that unless anyone has experienced breast cancer themselves, it’s impossible to fully understand the huge challenge faced by women who every day wake up to the brutal reality of living with breast cancer. We understand and highlight the fact that many are forced to make life-changing decisions about treatment and that many of you are coping with its debilitating side-effects and the knowledge that you cannot be cured. Breast cancer still kills about 12,000 women each year in the UK and more than 30,000 are today living with a terminal diagnosis (official figures from CRUK).
As many have commented on the Facebook post itself, it is unhelpful to pit one disease against another as no one would wish to experience any debilitating or life limiting illness. We accept that there is a need to do more to raise awareness of signs and symptoms of both primary and secondary breast cancer and the importance of early diagnoses.
Pink is a theme that is very predominant throughout the month of October. As you know we recently rebranded and as a direct result of listening to people affected by breast cancer Breast Cancer Care has extended its colour pallet so that we can move away from the all pink associated worldwide with breast cancer. As you would have seen from our forum, website and social media pages, for us, orange is the new pink and we intend to continue with this new colour focus so that we are more able to highlight the issues and statistics of all people with breast cancer and shining the spotlight on secondary or metastatic breast cancer.
Thank you for all of your continued discussions they are always read and digested with interest. We regularly highlight discussions on the forum to the relevant teams and senior management at Breast Cancer Care and other charities. Your views and opinions are important and we value the time you spend supporting each other and keeping us informed of your thoughts and feelings.
Best wishes
Anna
Forum Coordinator
Thank you Anna and all those at BCC who know the difference between curable (sometimes) primary breast cancer and incurable secondary/metastatic breast cancer.
…would help if they could spell ‘grateful’!!!
Tink…a year ago exactly i was on the lorraine kelly show for the bin your bra campaign as a 9 year bc success story…and look at me now! Alrhough i knew about sbc i didnt REALLY know and i shud have known the signs to look out for and be more aware that you are never free from the worry and fear of c returning. So yes we do need more adverts showing the reality of living with bc and sbc
X