I thought the hair loss stemmed from modern treatment procedures, not cancer itself. Wouldn’t a 16th century cancer-stricken Mona Lisa still have all her hair?
A 16th century Mona Lisa would be dead.
She is still beautiful. Good luck to all those fighting the good fight against cancer. May they all win out.
LADY GODIVA sans hair would have been a more effective imagicon - Lady Godiva had lots of hair. More than Mona.
My views toward the ubiquitous pink ribbon campaigns have been sharply affected by the recent film “PINK RIBBONS, INC” which succinctly reveals the corporate greed that lurks behind the scenes of cancer walks and pink ribbon cancer promotions. I even know one cancer survivor who has completely avoided falling into the pink ribbon trap. She feels the pink ribbon money raising campaigns are vulgar and only perpetuate the myth that women with breast cancer are helpless victims who can only be helped by corporate sponsorship and 5k runs.The other day I opened a can of Campbell’s soup and it had some sort of exciting pink ribbon breast cancer challenge on the pop top lid…how strange - but I do know that many cancer families get comfort from the ubiquitous pink ribbons…pink ribbons on everything!
I’ve read the same thing about the pink ribbon campaigns, but I also have yet another objection to them. As someone currently undergoing treatment for pancreatic cancer (which has a far lower survival rate), I object to the idea that one form of cancer is any more important to raise awareness for than any other. In the end, they all suck.
Isn’t cancer pretty much its own awareness campaign anyway? Like, is there anyone over the age of five who is not aware of cancer?
I feel like if people want to throw money at cancer, “awareness” is probably the least useful direction in which to throw it. How about treatment, or basic research, or anything else
The worst financial scam perpetrated on American consumers is the “WOULD YOU LIKE TO DONATE TO BREAST CANCER?” button on the ATM card sliders at supermarkets. Yes, yes of course breast cancer needs to be eradicated sanely - but to shake down common working people for donations at a grocery store is tacky, sad and wrong. It’s even worse when the cashier verbally asks you “WOULD YOU LIKE TO DONATE?” in front of a line of fellow shoppers (“Uh, no…I guess I’m just heartless and worthy of scorn”)
So you know, I liked your post…and I’m a breast cancer victim (not yet in the rank of “survivor” except in the most immediate sense). Just because a pancreas isn’t sexy doesn’t mean research money should ignore it.
Well, treatment and research is what the awareness is SUPPOSED to generate. I’ve participated in several awareness related events, and even ran a 5K for pancreatic cancer awareness and research while undergoing chemotherapy. Those events generate media interest and hence donations. You just have to hope most of the money is going towards the research and not into someone’s pocket.
When such corporate-sponsored cancer events and product fundraisers are generating 10s of millions of dollars, a person who donates should know exactly what money is used for research and what money goes into a sponsor’s bank account.
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