There's nothing wrong with pink and fluffy

[CheshireCheese]

Thanks Hipchick, love the idea that having a brain and using it could be a cause of BC - it makes me feel better about it! So much more positive than the "did I eat the wrong things, do the wrong things, etc" questions that we all ask ourselves.
Sarah x

[Guest user]

Thanks. I love this site and the intelligent women who write here. Maybe having a brain and using it is one of the triggers for BC. I believe that we're all doing our best and not to be judgemental. Celebrate the difference of opinion and be mightily glad that we're here and able to express them.

[Guest user]

Not been online for a while, but wanted to contribute to the debate.
I am not a fan of ‘tickled pink’, but appreciate that it raises money...although in my opinion, not awareness. Would love to see a little tag line; ‘tickled pink... to be raising awareness’.
Before my dx I saw breast cancer as a soft and easy cancer, my education came from this forum and then my own treatment, I really had NO idea.
But I also know that I perpetuate this image; to my family I have always been fine, always smiling, pretending that it doesn’t hurt, chemo was ok, radiotherapy an inconvenience...
Recently I was ‘pitching’ a fund raising idea for BC, when out of nowhere I started telling people my reality of BC... carrying baby wipes around to wipe the sweat from my wig wearing head, always having nail polish and stick on nails in case a nail popped off at work, wearing flip flops in case my toenails bled and fell off by wearing shoes, constantly looking in the mirror at my fully made up face to make sure that my eyebrows hadn’t rubbed off and my false eyelashes weren’t sitting on my cheek... a year since my surgery and still not being able to look at my breasts.
Needless to say they were horrified, rightly so – too much information, too brutal, too honest.
I don’t have answers, but maybe somewhere between the current perception and the horrible reality... a little education, but not too much – it really is too horrible for most people.
Marguerite

[Guest user]

Me too! x

[Peachez]

Ditto, I'm with Trip. x

[Guest user]

I hadn't looked at this thread for a while now, as I didn't like the way it was going - but was advised to check out a recent post on here by another bcc friend today.. and I'm glad I did. Beautifully put, hipchick - that's exactly how I feel.

xxx to you all xxx

[tors]

I quite like the fadhion targets breast cancer campaign. Less fluffy. Not so pink.

[cherub]

Loads of us emailed ASDA at the time of the Katie Price thing saying how inappropriate it was to have her fronting the campaign. Even worse, after she was dropped from it KP made a comment along the lines of as her money wasn't wanted (i.e. the money her undies would raise) she would just take it to another charity elsewhere. IMO it was just another stab at self promotion as she appears addicted to it. Despite the fact she tried to say how much she empathised with BC patients as her mum's friend had it, I really got the impression she wasn't all that bothered. It came across as being about making another few quid for herself via the extra publicity.

[Guest user]

Hi

I remember that Maude and the facebook campaign. It felt like united we all made a difference. I too sent emails to ASDA and took part in their questionnaire but like you felt it was very restrictive. I think ASDA wanted to quieten us down at the time by dropping KP and offering to canvas us.

On the whole issue of self examination. I was rigorous (having a mother and paternal grandmother both suffering from bc) and when I found the lump, I thought because I had beem so vigilant, it would be a lumpectomy and thats that. Unfortunately, with lobular, it can spread far and wide before it is detectable. I was ''fortunate'' that it had not developed into secondaries. However, if I had had my first mammogram at 50 like I should have done, it might have been detected at least six months earlier. The rolling programme of mammos meant that I wouldnt have been called until a year or so later. I am so glad they are bringing the age limit down.

Having said that, self examination and mammograms will not prevent a lot of women from getting secondaries. Research into better diagnostic methods, genes, cures etc is our only hope for the future and therein lies the problem, the pink (and similar) campaigns get the funds in.

Its not right and its not a perfect situation and I dont have any answers.

Linda

[maude]

Hi everyone

I remember back in September 2009 (a year after I was diagnosed) there was an absolute furore which nearly crashed the bcc website! It started when Jordan was selling underwear and some of the proceeds were going to Tickled Pink. When she was filmed shooting the photos for the campaign (totally inappropriate - her in a revealing bra) she said something like "no one wants to see my scarred t*ts". The whole debate went on to was it appropriate to have a glamour model fronting a bc campaign, whether Tickled Pink was an appropriate slogan etc .......... we had eloquent interviews on tv by Debsincornwall and Diepcat. Phew!!

Eventually Jordan (well, her undies) were dropped from the campaign and when the dust settled Asda asked, via bcc, if members would like to take part in a questionnaire. I agreed to do this. If I remember rightly I found the questionnaire a bit limited. It was mainly yes/no or multiple choice answers and not a lot of opportunity to put your own opinion. The upshot was that Asda said most people were happy with the slogan/campaign.

Obviously Asda haven't taken much notice of what happened then if they still have the "sexy" shots which appear in the link.

Love
Maude xx

ps Just wanted to add - this was very exciting at the time. It felt good to be involved with such strong, intelligent women as Debs and Diepcat. My OH even sent a strongly worded email to ASDA and BCC because he was so angry!!

[Guest user]

I've just found this thread and read it through from the beginning. I'm saddened by how a thread that started with such vigorous intellectual debate deteriorated to perceived accusations (can't think of a better word) of'taking sides' 'gangs' etc. It can be very difficult to convey your true meaning in text as we all rely on body language and tone of voice to truly understand what is being said when we are face to face with friends. I know we all do our best on this site and no one wants to deliberately offend anyone else. We're all in this together and vulnerable.

I can see both sides of this argument and I felt uneasy about the pink fluffy image, before I had BC. I'm recenty diagnosed and before I was diagnosed my youngest daughter told me she was in training for Race for Life as her OH has a colleague at work with BC. I applauded her efforts whilst secretly wondering why the Race for Life had to be pink AND FLUFFY. Why not just Race for Life?

I've had major concerns for years about the way equality for women is trending, (if that's a verb). I'm also concerned about consumerism and the new religion of 'celebrity' and for me there's an obvious link. I don't think I'm straying form the thread here.

Money raised for charity by pinkness is still money raised for charity, but it's still reenforcing the stereotype of pink fluffy women, in my opinion. I also believe that the public in general are of the opinion that BC is curable, nobody dies from it any more and aren't we lucky. My own daughters who are intelligent well informed women, both said to me that it's easy to cure these days. I didn't want to upset them at the time by disillusioning them, as it was early days but that was what they thought, from what they'd read in the media. I'm slowly drip feeding information and trying to be sensitive to their emotions, but they still need to know the truth.

My OH also is of the opinion that 'keeping positive' is essential, and this does make me feel sometimes that he believes that if I die from this disease that it's my own fault. I know he doesn't mean it this way and it's obviously easier for everyone if I appear bright and chirpy on the outside. I don't want to make it any harder for my family than it already is. That's why this site is so important. We can rant and rave, argue, sw**r and have massive differences of opinion, but we all have something in common, BC and we can talk about it here. Who needs therapy when we have this? OMG now I might offend those having therapy. Didn't mean it and I've been thinking of having therapy myself. See, it's easy to offend when none was intended.

The extension of the debate into feminism isn't going off the thread as it's another point of view about 'There's nothing wrong with pink and fluffy'. I think there's a lot wrong with it, it raises money which goes to very good practical use, but it doesn't raise awareness, it gives false expectations of cure and perpetuates the 'little woman' image that women have fought for years to overcome. I wear pink, I wear make up, I vote, I think, I bake bread and know how a diesel engine works, but I won't be dancing the cconga in a fluffy pink boa, unless it's New Year's Eve.

[stressy_messy]

Totaly agree with you on that lemongrove.

sjj99 It's the title of the Asda campaign that is causing upset.I'm not bothered by pink and fluffy fundraisers but I don't like the "tickled Pink" slogan.

The coppafeel site is very good,Myself and my daughter took part in the boob hijack campaign and I think it was excellent at raising awareness in younger women and getting them to know their breasts at an early age.I have been breast aware from a very early age as my mum had BC and I think it is very important to get to know and check your breasts form an early age.I can't understand why the writer of that article says that self-examination doesn't detect cancer early.
If I hadn't been breast aware and noticed a change I think I would be in a different situation now.I had 5/6 years to go before entitled to mammogram.

Melxx

[Lemongrove]

sjj99, you're right of course, in an ideal world, supermarkets shouldn't be involved in health care. Similarly, I don't think we should rely on charities to fund scientific research. Personally, I think we should have a list of priorities written in law, with health and welfare top of the list. Maybe it's just me, but I think there is something very wrong when a five year old child in my village cannot get funding for SIRT (Selective Internal Radiation Therapy), to treat an inoperable brain tumour, while we are spending billions fighting pointless wars, and giving tax breaks to a group of people who almost bankrupted the Country.

[Guest user]

The jury is out for me regarding the pink and fluffy issue, (& too busy to really care), but just one point about the LA times article.

The writer states:
'Yet experts no longer recommend self-exam for anyone, let alone high school girls. The unfortunate truth is that even when scrupulously performed, self-exams neither detect cancers earlier than they would be found otherwise nor offer any survival benefit' This is an absurd comment.

I found my very obvious lump through self examination. I had always had lumpy breasts at certain times of the month, so with regular self examination know that the lump I found was not a monthly change. It was very lucky I found it as my tumour was very aggressive and grew from 17 mm at ultrasound to 30mm at op 3 weeks later. I am sure if I had ignored it or left it too long I would be looking a secondary dx now. Self examination offered HUGE survival benefit.

These young girls will take the messages learnt in the recent campaign through their lives with them. Through being more aware of their own body, they will be more attune to changes. While the delivery of the message sits uncomfortably, the fact is that the message is still effective

Just a shame the campaign does not address the diet & exercise issue!

[sjj99]

Is it just me that is bothered by the fact it is Asda that this thread relates to? (substitute Tesco/Sainsbury/M&S etc etc) Rather than what we should expect from the health service.

I was someone picked up by routine screening (and I am not going to apologise for thinking this is a good thing despite being challenged about it in a private message. ) I am not a girly girl but could not really care less whether others are. I do not think that the matter of health care should be reduced to colours, feathers, or supermarket chains.

[ChoccieMuffin]

There's a good site aimed at young people that's UK based, I think.

http://www.coppafeel.org is worth a look.

[Mezzomamma]

An interesting article from the LA Times about some US campaigns aimed at teenagers . I particulary like the writer's comment: 'I mean, really, forget "Save the Ta-Tas." How about save the woman? How about "I ♥ My 72-Year-Old One-Boobied Granny?" After all, statistically, that's whose rack is truly at risk.'

She also points out that self-examination has limited benefits and the nudge-nudge, wink-wink tone of some websites, which must be worse than pink and fluffy.

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-orenstein-boobies-20110419,0,7726424.story

Cheryl

[anxious]

Thats brilliant Cornishgirl,it would make that very contentious slogan more acceptable.I am biased in that i am a very girly girl who just happened to have 3 boys! So i have no problem with the pink,in fact my friend is fundraising in May for cancer on my behalf and we have to wear pink.I think its so important to remember that pink has just become associated with breast cancer as much as red has with comic releif.It has obviously struck a chord with the public.It is a formula that appears to work and work very sucessfully.

[Guest user]

Agree - thankyou LG for starting such a thought provoking thread.

[ChoccieMuffin]

Pink Power.

Pink and powerful.

Any others?

[cornishgirl]

Maybe Asda without compromising its brand (because that is what it is) would be more willing to silghtly alter its Slogan to something like,
"ASDA is Tickled Pink To Be Fundraising For Breast Cancer" Or is that too long? anyway maybe something simular,does anyone have any ideas that could be put to them?

Just a thought!

x

[Guest user]

It sure has been interesting and I've really enjoyed the discussion. Thanks for starting it LG.

[Lemongrove]

Yes the term tickled is very unfortunate, but I think the concept is basically good (although they could intersperse more information).
Maybe it this thread runs, and we get enough opinion, we could use it to effect a change in the title?

[ChoccieMuffin]

Yes, it has certainly been an interesting thread, and worth reading and joining in on.

Tickled Pink is STILL an offensive title, wouldn't it be good if they could re-think the overall slogan - the "brand" someone referred to it as before, a very good description - and then re-launch the new brand and maybe promote even more interest. People do respond to re-launching as it's something new and their curiosity gets the better of them!

[Lemongrove]

Choccie, you're right about the thread's title, because clearly it's wrong to say there's NOTHING wrong with the pink campaign - if someone looks hard enough they can find fault with almost anything (even I think the pink campaign needs to intersperse more serious information between the razzmatazz - and I started the thread). However, I don't think the pink campaign deserves the criticism that it sometimes generates - and that's why I started the thread.
I think what has been interesting about this thread is that it has generated food for thought, in that we have a views from a range of perspectives - rather than just dogma.

[ChoccieMuffin]

I got the "if you're going to get cancer, BC is the one to get" - from my GP!

Thank you to most posters who have kept the discussion respectful of other posters.

Back to the topic title, I think from this discussion it's clear to see that the title is incorrect. There ARE some things wrong with pink and fluffy (see the preceding 12 pages!) BUT, pink and fluffy is not ALL wrong. As was said right at the beginning, it's not as simple as the thread title suggests, and I welcome the opportunity to discuss what might be wrong, and also what might be right.

[cornishgirl]

Hi Ladies,
I dont know if anyone else has come accross this online,but lately ive been reading a lot of other cancer (not breast) forums/websites/blogs ect where many people are now getting quite upset and object to the amount of publicity,fundraising,high profile,money ect that BC gets, I can understand why other cancer patients feel that way as they dont get no where near the same amount of attention ,publicity (or money) so it realy cant be very easy for them .

However,saying that i also think BC fundraising has mainly been down to the sheer hard work of mostly WOMEN who get out there and do all this kind of stuff to get the message accross ,create awearness and get the MONEY in.

The Pink issue like others here have said has always been a very difficult and emotive subject on the forums and everyone has always had very different views on it, one thing that realy worries me though is that we need to be very carefull not to throw the "baby out with the bath water" trying to change something which is universally known as "PINK for breast cancer" i think would be impossible to do it would be confusing to the public and quite possibly detrimental to us in the long run , there has been a growing trend of "Pink Bashing" online (not here)and personaly i think we are in danger of being seen as ungreatfull, i also know there are some people who are begining to wonder "why they bother" so its a very difficult one isnt it?

Like everyone else here i would certainly like to see very much more of the "True" realities of this vile desease being shown in all of the Main stream Campagins, but how we get the "Big Wigs" to do that i dont know, its a balance of not scareing people s***less but also not painting a rosy picture where everyone has a happy ending, dont know if anyone has any ideas on that.

RE the Pink & Fluffy though, "Male" cancers dont get it any better either,have a look at these .

click sideways for Prostate,Testicular,Bowel

http://www.malecancer.org/

Think looking at these id rather have the Pink and Fluffy!

Linda x

[Guest user]

This has been a very interesting and thought provoking discussion. Personally, I want the maximum amount of money to be raised so that this disease may one day be curable for everyone. It would be nice if this could be done without trivialising breast cancer and therefore causing offence and hurt to those of us affected by BC. It would certainly help if the 'pink and fluffy' campaigns could be combined with more factual information so we would not have to hear the sort of commments previously mentioned (such as 'BC is the best cancer to have' or 'glad to hear you are cured' as soon as chemo has finished).

I, too, would not like this thread to close because although I do not agree with all the comments made, I welcome the opportunity to hear other peoples views.

[belinda]

Let's not have to have this thread closed. There are perhaps, broadly, 3 groups of opinion rather than any 'gangs.' It's a subject where there's not often much middle ground. Some will be very happy with all the cash that's raised, others will be very upset by the methods that are sometimes used to get the public to part with their cash..others, I think a smaller number, will not like the 'tickled' but will grit their teeth..I used to be very much a part of the second group now, over time, I've become more resigned to grit teeth nothing will change soon group.
Agreeing with someone else's opinion is perfectly acceptable. (I enjoy reading your thoughtful posts Gingerbud and I hope you might reconsider and post here again but I fully understand if you would prefer not to.)
Back to the title of the thread! I do hope another approach might be tried sometime. I like the Macmillan Coffee Morning, the Crocus Walks..my family did their own crocus walk for me just after my diagnosis.

[Guest user]

I'm not quite sure why my innocent coments keep being highlighted + discected?? why I keep being quoted? There is noone ganging up on anyone on here but once again things are getting personal + I seem to be being portrayed as some sort of gangleader!?! are we not allowed to share the views/ agree with other members any more?? Totally redicilous and I for one want no further part in this dscussion thanks to the uneccessary+ accusatory comments of one poster. 😞

[Guest user]

I know feelings are running high but can I remind people to remain on the original topic, which is about fundraising campaigns for breast cancer charities.

Otherwise, if it ends up as an argument and not about the topic of the thread, we will have to close the thread, which would be a shame as it has been an interesting discussion on a topic about which people have strong and varied opinions.

Thank you

Leah

[Lemongrove]

Nobody is accusing you of that Juliett, the only reason your name was mentioned was that two peeps referred to Juliette & Co.
I think the problem is that when people like Czechmate start describing the post of others as "pure drivel", that is just plain rude, and the mods should stop it. Also when peeps start saying we think this, rather than I think this, or that I agree with juliett & Co, it can give the impression that only one view is allowed.
This has been an interesting discussion until now, so please lets keep things respectful and civil.

[juliet66]

Can I just say that I have never ganged up on anybody in my life and have no intentions of starting now.
We all have a right to express an opinion.

I also have had pm's from people afraid of posting and expressing the view the forums are in danger of becoming a dictatorship !!

[Louise_BCC]

Hi all

As Belinda has pointed out, please remember our Community Guidelines when posting, particularly points 1) and 2) which I've copied below:

1) Be kind to each other.

Many people using the forum are going through difficult times. A few words of kindness can go a long way. Be especially nice to new posters – it can be very nerve-wracking to post on the forum for the first time.

Give each other the benefit of the doubt: it can be very easy to misinterpret other people’s comments, especially when read or written in haste. Sarcasm and humour are particularly easy to misunderstand.

Please don’t post comments just to annoy or inflame other users.

2) Celebrate difference and disagree respectfully

A wide range of people with very different experiences use the forum. Differences and debate are very welcome, but this is no place for personal attacks. Please make your points politely and respectfully. Equally, be prepared for people to disagree with you and try not to take it as a personal attack when it is not meant that way.

A couple of tips suggested by forum users:
- “Think before you submit” – if you disagree with a post, think it over before you post your response. Try drafting it first, then read it over to make sure what you’re saying is clear and respectful.
- “Attack the post not the poster” – that is, disagree with the points made, but don’t be rude about the person making the point.

Don't post any content that treats anyone unfairly because of their sex, sexual orientation, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or philosophical belief, disability, gender identity/reassignment, marital status, family circumstance or age; or anything that is threatening, obscene or in any way offensive. Please do not swear or use terms that people find offensive.

Best wishes

Happy Easter!

Louise
Facilitator

[anxious]

I think the important thing is to try and keep this thread on topic,maybe start another thread for any of the other issues that this topic throws up.I have been on these boards for long enough to witness the hijacking of this particular thread many times.It is why i havent commented before even though i have quite strong views on it.I remain determined to only discuss the pink and fluffy.

[belinda]

Hi, yes I take your point on saying I instead of we and I would certainly not want anyone to be put off from posting their opinion.

[Lemongrove]

Belinda, hopefully they will. I just think it's important to say I think this, rather than we think this, because it sort of suggests that there is only one view, and if you differ you're not part of the gang.

[belinda]

If this thread started getting intimidating I have every confidence the BCC moderators would step in with a reminder of their guidelines when posting on the forums.

[Lemongrove]

Thanks for clarifying that gingerbud, it's just that when you use phrases like Juliet & co, and say things like "Anxious I don't think any of us want to see asda pull out- all we want us for them to be a little more sensitive + to rethink their tickled pink slogan + approach", I question who the we is that you are referring to, it implies you are speaking on behalf of a group rather than yourself.
I think what this thread demonstrates is the variety of opinion that exists on this forum, and I find it quite worrying that people have sent me pm's saying they are worried about posting, because they fear being ganged up on.

[belinda]

Hi Lemongrove, I simply read '& co' to be an acknowledgement, without having to re-read and mention everyone's names, to those who had written to express a similar view. There is certainly no 'gang' no hidden agenda. There's always been a variety of opinion on this subject. It's a subject that's been raised countless times here and long may it continue to debated by all.

[Guest user]

Lemongrove just to clarify, when I said 'and co' I was simply referring to the few posters before myself who had also took offence to the comments by miniminx. I'm posting on iPhone + am unable to scroll back + get everyone's names to refer to whilst mid-post, so only mentioned the ones I could remember + said 'and co' in case I excluded anyone. I did this so I didn't have to repeat any points that had already been made by those ladies who appear to share a similar view to myself on this.I thought that was clear+ didn't realise this would be misinterpreted as 'ganging up'. There is no nastiness on this thread, just discussion so please lets leave it that way.

[Guest user]

I have read this thread with interest. Whilst I do not like the 'tickled pink' brand and all it stands for, I think there are other factors contributing to the trivialisation of breast cancer. For example; celebrity breast cancer. Apart from Ade Edmonsens wonderful diatribe, there is a predictability about how celebrity sufferers will cope with it. They either take the quiet route and say absolutely nothing (which is the one I prefer) or they tout their breast cancer as a symbol of their inner strength and poise. These women are held up as an example to us, a very unfair example.
They set unrealistic expectations of women with breast cancer.

The other factor is us ourselves (albeit not deliberately). I had aggressive cancer two years ago and am 'back to normal'. People see me as an example of how you can get your life back. They dont want to listen to me when I start talking about the dark spectre of secondary cancer (having almost all my nodes infected and narrow margins, it is a possibility I should be vigilant for). That does not mean I am not positive. Positive for me does not mean living in cloud cuckoo land and presuming because I say to myself I am positive, that all will be alright. Positive is taking control of your life, looking at your diet and exercise, keeping abreast of current treatments and being aware of any unusual symptoms. Even with this, I know I might get secondaries in the future but I choose not to dwell on that fact and live my life in the now.

This is my opinion on the subject and sorry if it offends anyone.

Linda

[scottishlass]

I just read the Asda thread That Marif has mentioned, about their new fund raising and money going to BCC.
But then I read all the comments at the bottom of their publication. I am grateful that Asda do fund raising and raise so much. I am sure it boots THEIR profits too!! People do want to give to breast cancer charities because they know/have lost someone with BC. But surely it would not be such a huge thing to just have a think about the "Tickled Pink" slogan. It is obvious that it upsets people. Isn't that enough?

[anxious]

I agree Belinda,the projection of glamourous women in next to nothing doesn't sit well with a disease that has caused many women to loose their hair and breasts.It will always be difficult to accomodate everyone to agree on the correct way to go about fundraising.However Breast cancer care,which owes a lot of its funding from these campaigns have been behind a lot of sucessful awareness and campaigns,the most recent being getting the goverment to record secondary breast cancer statistics.Maybe that is where we need to be getting these strong and very necessary messages out.

[Lemongrove]

(1) I don't think minimax meant that being positive effects outcome. I think she started off talking about having a negative attitude to the campaign, and then got a bit side tracked by saying it's up to the individual how they chose to regard the disease/treatment (not that how someone regards it will make any difference).
(2) I agree that the pink campaign needs to be interspersed with more information, the common misconception that gingerbud describes should not happen, because a campaign exists to raise awareness as well as funds.
(3) However, because the pink campaign does not achieve everything we would like, this is not enough to criticise it in the way that people frequently do on this forum. Issues about reinforcing inequality through stereotypes, are in my view unfounded.
(4) When CzechMate and Gingerbud refer to Juliet & co, who is the co they are talking about ? I think what this thread has shown is that there is a variety of opinion on this forum, so I find reference to the phrase & co rather curious, and a little worrying. Even the suggestion of a little gang, will put people off posting.

[Guest user]

Anxious I don't think any of us want to see asda pull out- all we want us for them to be a little more sensitive + to rethink their tickled pink slogan + approach.
I've must looked at the asda link + some of the comments. They are obviously aware that many find their campaigns upsetting + offensive but are reluctant to do anything about it. The photo alone on the link is enough to offend me- glam women in provocative+ sexy pink clothing + poses. Hardly a good illlustration / repreenationof bc-given that many of us bc sufferers feel very unsexy+ unfeminine during treatment due to losing breasts, hair, gaining weight etc, I feel gorgeous women in sexy pink bras, basques etc is hardly the appropriate image for asda's bc campaign???

[belinda]

Hi anxious, yes it's a fantastic amount of money that's been raised.
It's just that some of the merchandise, some of the slogans upset some of the people it's hoping to help and as gingerbud has said it has helped trivialise the seriousness of breast cancer. This pink debate has been going on, certainly on these forums, for a few years now along with debates about the Jane Plant approach..I'm not going there. 🙂
And perhaps, in the end, it's okay to use this approach to raise such a large amount of money whilst upsetting some with the tackier and tickled part? I still don't like that part one bit little bit but that's me. I do think, still, that the public would still give as generously to more thoughtful campaigns.

[Guest user]

I'm relieved to see I wasn't just being over sensitive- I was genuinely upset to read that anyone could think it was a matter of 'personal choice' to have this death sentence over my head 😞 Ive just re-read miniminx's comments + I'm still shocked!
I think many valid points have been raised by belinda, val, Juliet + co. This disease is evil, indescriminate + so unpredictable. Many of us thought we had 'come out the other side' after being positive + dealing well with treatments. But then cancer reared it's ugly head again when we were least expecting it, whether that be straight after treatment (like me), or 2, 5 or 10 years later. I'm sure the vast majority of us are fighting a good fight but it's not one we will win...
I agree that the pink campaigns are not successfully raising awareness about this deadly disease- I'm sick of hearing things like
'it's an older womans disease' (I'm 33!)
'it's genetic- you won't get bc if there's no family history...'
'if your gona get cancer then bc is the one to get...'
'at least you don't need your boobs'
'people don't die from bc any more...'
'have u had the all clear now' etc etc blah blah..

I think whilst successfully raising funds, the pink + fluffy stuff has trivialised the disease and wrongly made tge public believe it's not as deadly as it acually is. Maybe if at least some bc campaigns were more serious + showed the awful truth about bc, then people would be more aware, more women would regularly check themselves, there would be better attendance at screening etc. I also think gps would benefit from greater awareness as many of them still turn women away as they are 'too young' etc.
I'm not against pink- I like it and have nothing against the pink ribbon (although I really feel fore men diagnosed with this pink disease). I also wouldn't mind the pinkness that surrounds it as much if there was at least some realstic portrayals of life with bc + the potentially devastating effects it can have, within the campaigns. It wouldn't make people less likely to donate- you only have to look at the other charities to see that presenting distressing images can be very successful when fundraising. The aim is to make viewers feel personal distress as they are more likely to donate when they empathise with the victim but also bcause helping will 'relieve their own negative
state'. (I've taught this- I'm a psychology teacher). So maybe even more funds would be raised if the public were faced with the awful truth about bc from time to time, rather than just the pink + fluffy stuff...?

[anxious]

I think the problem arises when people view the campaigns as a reflection of how people perceive the disease.It is felt that the pinkification somewhat trivalises the disease.However the fundraising and the disease are two very different entities.I have never seen anyone join these boards and say,"i have the pink and fluffy disease as well,anyone want to join me in having fun"No,everyone come onto these boards scared and apprehensive of what lies ahead.I quote from the Asda website,...."Asda has raised £20 million since we first launched Tickled Pink. This has helped Breast Cancer Campaign to fund 36 vital research projects and two scientific fellowships to carry out world-class research to better understand how breast cancer develops. It has also funded almost half of the services provided by Breast Cancer Care, a support service for people who have breast cancer."
That is a lot of valuable money that has helped all of us and continues to do so.What would happen if Asda decided to stop this campaign,would we all be happier?

[belinda]

In the pink, (the BCC campaign)

Meaning, to be in perfect condition, especially of health.

Tickled pink,

Meaning, to be delighted.

Thanks for the link Marilyn, I hadn't read all those comments before.
Agree Julie, positivity has helped me cope with 3 years of Xeloda and will hopefully help carry me, at times, through the tougher IV chemotherapies.
Like Julie and others here I'm not knocking positivity, a fighting spirit, it's just that it has no effect on your cancer, no effect on whether a treatment works or fails and none of us can remain positive all of the time. Sometimes we need to acknowledge harsh truths and give ourselves a break.
I remember Jayne and Debs and so many others that remained determined until the very end.