Doesn't it seem a shame that all the different cancers and their organizations seem to be competing for funding and public awareness?
I fully support breast cancer research and public education, but when I see pink ribbons EVERYWHERE and not one blue, green, gold, black, pearl, or teal, or any other color around, I feel sad. I know people who are survivors (or not) of melanoma, lung cancer, testicular cancer, prostate cancer, breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, and lymphoma. And, of course there's me and my colon cancer. There are other colors besides pink. My wristband is multicolored and the ribbon on my car is generic lavender. I don't think anyone knows what lavender means, though. If it isn't pink, no one knows it's cancer. I think awareness needs to be extended to all cancers. Aggressively.
My husband also pointed out that the whole ribbon thing started with AIDS awareness. The red ribbons now have the new meaning of cardiovascular disease. Does anyone ever see and AIDS ribbon any more. Have we forgotten? The man I loved before my husband died of AIDS. I haven't forgotten. I never will. My wonderful husband won't either. He understands.
Unfortunate competition
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monkeyblam
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Mon Jun 19, 2006 2:54 pm
You're absolutely right about how unfortunate it is that people seem to have to "pick" a cancer to rally behind.
When my mom's lung mets first appeared, the doctors thought it was a lung cancer unrelated to her previously resected colon cancer. At the time, it really struck me how sad it was that a disease like that seems to have such a stigma attached to it. She's always been a non-smoker but I think a lot of people's first thought when hearing the phrase "lung cancer" is that it's something that the person brought on themselves by their lifestyle choices. And I know there are a lot of people who feel the same way about HIV and AIDS.
On the flipside, however, I feel pretty good that there's a lot more awareness of colon cancer these days than there was a few short years ago. And a lot of the stimga attached to AIDS is slowly going away. Let's hope that continues... or that people shift their focus from individual types of cancer to cancer in general or, even better, to life-threatening diseases in general.
I guess it makes sense that people feel more of an empathy for others who are suffering from something that they themselves, or a friend or loved one, has dealt with. But part of the issue seems to be that there are "popular" causes that society gets behind, while the "unpopular" ones get much less attention. When I was a kid, everybody was talking about sending resources to feed the starving people in Ethiopia. A few years later, it was all the rage to feed the starving Cambodians and we never heard another word about the Ethiopians. Another few years later and it was some other country. It's great to get involved in these types of causes but not if they get completely abandoned as soon as the next latest and greatest cause comes along.
... Wow, this is my fourth post and I'm already soapboxing. Sorry about that.
When my mom's lung mets first appeared, the doctors thought it was a lung cancer unrelated to her previously resected colon cancer. At the time, it really struck me how sad it was that a disease like that seems to have such a stigma attached to it. She's always been a non-smoker but I think a lot of people's first thought when hearing the phrase "lung cancer" is that it's something that the person brought on themselves by their lifestyle choices. And I know there are a lot of people who feel the same way about HIV and AIDS.
On the flipside, however, I feel pretty good that there's a lot more awareness of colon cancer these days than there was a few short years ago. And a lot of the stimga attached to AIDS is slowly going away. Let's hope that continues... or that people shift their focus from individual types of cancer to cancer in general or, even better, to life-threatening diseases in general.
I guess it makes sense that people feel more of an empathy for others who are suffering from something that they themselves, or a friend or loved one, has dealt with. But part of the issue seems to be that there are "popular" causes that society gets behind, while the "unpopular" ones get much less attention. When I was a kid, everybody was talking about sending resources to feed the starving people in Ethiopia. A few years later, it was all the rage to feed the starving Cambodians and we never heard another word about the Ethiopians. Another few years later and it was some other country. It's great to get involved in these types of causes but not if they get completely abandoned as soon as the next latest and greatest cause comes along.
... Wow, this is my fourth post and I'm already soapboxing. Sorry about that.
Monkeyblam, you brought up a good point about the perception that some people bring their illness on themselves, ie lung cancer and AIDS. I had a conversation with a nurse years ago who said she had no sympathy for AIDS patients because they got themselves into their situation. She said that sitting there weighing at least 270 lbs. Now, I was a big woman myself for a while, and I'm sure it did me no good, but that's water under the bridge. We are where we are and dealing with what we're dealing with. Cancer, AIDS, heart attacks, diabetes. whatever, all have some lifestyle components. Nobody lives a perfect prevention oriented life. When we get sick, we get sick. Who cares how we got that way.
And some diseases are easier to rally behind. Colons are icky. Boobies are nice. Nobody want to hear about testicles. Lance Armstrong makes a nice hero, but nobody ever really mentions WHERE his cancer was. Do young men know that the peak incidence of testicular cancer is between ages 15 and 35? Probably not. We do backflips to get women to do breast self exams, but won't tell a teenage boy to touch himself to save his life.
Years ago I ran a cancer screening program and we had a video starring Harry Belefonte that addressed colon screening, and how hard it was for some people to talk or even think about because of social taboos about the icky area of the body. It was so good. We need more of that sort of thing. Katie Couric did a tremedous job of shining a light on the issue.
Saving the world is what my husband and I do for fun. We're activists from hell. I plan to take this on as my next big project.
And some diseases are easier to rally behind. Colons are icky. Boobies are nice. Nobody want to hear about testicles. Lance Armstrong makes a nice hero, but nobody ever really mentions WHERE his cancer was. Do young men know that the peak incidence of testicular cancer is between ages 15 and 35? Probably not. We do backflips to get women to do breast self exams, but won't tell a teenage boy to touch himself to save his life.
Years ago I ran a cancer screening program and we had a video starring Harry Belefonte that addressed colon screening, and how hard it was for some people to talk or even think about because of social taboos about the icky area of the body. It was so good. We need more of that sort of thing. Katie Couric did a tremedous job of shining a light on the issue.
Saving the world is what my husband and I do for fun. We're activists from hell. I plan to take this on as my next big project.
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