tickled pink!

Below the picture is a guest post by Joanne [pictured below], a breast cancer survivor who has something she'd like you to understand.
…just so you know…no-one is particularly 'tickled pink' if they've actually had breast cancer. I don't think I'd be very impressed with a 'Tickled Teal' campaign for ovarian cancer awareness either! Good grief - so, read on!

October, traditionally known for Halloween, Autumn and harvest festivals, is now known as Breast Cancer Awareness month or'Tickled Pink'.

I have no idea who came up with Tickled Pink but I seriously would like to bash their faces in. It's quite obvious, as with most things to raise awareness of breast cancer, e.g.: Facebook status to do with bra colour, handbags, gestation periods - that these people have never had to go through breast or any other cancers.

I don't get offended by many things but this offends me.

The strange thing is, because you have gone through it, your friends think you will automatically sign up to this shit and then they get all defensive when you set the record straight.

There was a time when I would go around buying Tickled Pink stuff thinking I was doing my bit for breast cancer awareness (and let's be honest it's everywhere in Asda throughout October) and not really give it much thought. Then BANG! 2 years ago I heard the words "it's breast cancer" well feck me, doesn't your perspective change then.

One mastectomy later, a 6 inch scar where there used to be a breast, surgeries, more scars and I can tell you it certainly isn't pink, it isn't fluffy and it damn well isn't funny.

Then I got to thinking about Tickled Pink, just how much of the profit of all the products sold actually goes to breast cancer awareness or cancer research? Not the whole lot I would hazard a guess, the supermarket will take a cut, will it be gift aided? Now the sheer volume of products sold means the donation will look huge, but not as huge as if everyone donated what they would pay for these products directly to BCC or cancer research - the amount would be phenomenal.

Please don't buy into the crap, it's a supermarkets way of getting you to buy products you normally wouldn't so they make more money out of the misery that breast cancer causes and all they do is wrap it up with a pink and fluffy name.

I'm a survivor. Don't turn October pink in my name, donate straight to breast cancer care or cancer research or sponsor an event. That's how to make the biggest difference. There are plenty cancer charities out there. Put your money where it will be most effective, and instead of changing your Facebook status to a bra colour (really offensive if someone has no breasts), change it to one that says "For breast cancer awareness month I have donated £XXX to BCC or cancer research".

Thank you,
~ Joanne

LABELS: ADVOCATING OUR OWN HEALTH, BITCHING ABOUT CANCER,CANCER, CANCER AWARENESS, CHARITY FOR RESEARCH, DONATING FOR RESEARCH, WOMEN V CANCER