The Assertive Cancer Patient

How LOW Will Komen GO?: The 2009 Winners

Choosing the winners in our third annual competition to find the tackiest, most trivial, most offensive pink-ribbon products wasn't easy. As readers of this blog know only too well, during October we are overwhelmed by displays of tacky pink crap whenever we venture into most retail establishments. 

It was especially difficult for me this year, because my good friend Debutaunt, who won both of the previous two contests, died last spring. Every crappy pink ribbon product made me grieve for Deb, who was not here to share my outrage. 

As always, The Assertive Cancer Patient suggests that you fight back by voting with your wallet. Don't shop at stores filled with pink-ribbon merchandise, and do patronize stores that refuse to be pink-washed. 

Grand prize: to Karla, for the Ashton-Drake Breast Cancer Awareness Dolls 

Karla wrote: I couldn't pick just one of their products, because they have a ton of them, and all of them are equally awful.

There's the "Walk for the Cause" doll, to be followed by a two-doll edition, "Sisters Walk Together." ... There are basketfuls of baby dolls: For example, the "Cuties for the Cause," which include "Crawl for the Cause" [see photo] and the promised upcoming "Hide and Seek for the Cause." 

... Not enough for you? Take a look at the "Tiny Miracles" series ... Why are they breast cancer dolls? Because, you see, babies are little miracles, just like recovering from breast cancer is ... a MIRACLE!! 

But, best of all, as you can read, a portion of the proceeds from the sale of each doll "will benefit the fight against breast cancer." What portion? How much? How will it benefit? Who is getting the money?

All these questions go unanswered, but, oh, by buying these dolls you "can express your hopeful and nurturing nature." Well, that's what this is really all about, right?--Showing what hopeful, optimistic, nurturing, giving people we are by ... BUYING SOMETHING!!!

These dolls are contest winners, every one! See: DOLLS FOR THE CURE

Karla, contact me to claim your prize. 

First prize: to Teri, for PGI, a company which sells pink products and donates NO money to any cause

PGI sent out e-mails, suggesting that its customers should buy pink products "to show their customers that they support awareness." In other words, buy this pink schlock and either give it away or resell it, with NO money going to support any cancer organization. 

Seems like the ultimate in chutzpah to me.

Here's the link to their list of pink products: PGI PINK PRODUCTS

Teri, your prize will be on its way to you shortly. 

Second prize: (entered by me), to M&Ms for its continued celebration of Breast Cancer Awareness Month

I admit that the pink M&Ms really piss me off. That's why I used them to make a mosaic of what breast cancer actually looks like. See: M&Ms and Cancer: The Mosaic

Think about it. Every Halloween, the M&Ms folks sell black and orange M&Ms, to celebrate. Every Christmas, it's red and green. And at Easter, pastel M&Ms. Why are we celebrating breast cancer with pink M&Ms? I've never been able to understand it. 

Then this year, M&Ms went even further in its celebration of breast cancer, with pink ribbon mylar balloons! If you bought two bags of pink M&Ms, you got to take home a balloon for free. The balloons were shaped just like a pink ribbon, but to me they resembled nothing more than a life jacket. I wanted to get a photo, but I was home in bed with a bad cold yesterday, so didn't get a chance. 

Thanks to everyone who entered. 

Also, a note about the name of the contest: Not all of our contest entries or winners actually give money to Komen. I know that, but the contest is named for Komen because that nonprofit is responsible for the current pink-ribbon-cause-marketing-run-amok Festival of Crappy Pink Merchandise that we women with breast cancer have to endure every October. 

Until Komen takes responsibility for its actions, and polices itself better, the contest will continue to be named "How LOW Will Komen GO?" 

NOTE: Apologies for the varying font sizes. It's a problem with Typepad that I haven't been able to fix. 

@ Jeanne Sather 2009. 

More Contest Entries

Just one day to go in this year's "How LOW Will Komen GO?" contest, so send me your entries, as a comment in the box below if at all possible.

I'll announce the winners Saturday morning, October 31. 

A reader and friend sent in a couple more entries to our "How LOW Will Komen GO?" contest. 

Ellana's first entry: A Pink Ribbon Police Car

Her second entry: Pink Capitol Dome

Don't know what I'm talking about? See: 

OK, I Cave, We Need a Contest After All

Got an entry? Please post in the comments box below, with a link to a photo if possible. I will announce the winners on October 31, and then we can all get back to normal for another year. 

@ Jeanne Sather 2009. 

The F&ck Awareness T-shirt

I've had a lot of requests from women who want to get the T-shirt that I'm wearing in this photo. 

I bought it a couple of years ago. I believe I got it from the cafepress.com Web site, but when I went there just now, they didn't have the exact same shirt. I believe that is because the woman who designed my shirt has died, or so I was told by a reader.

Yes, women do die of breast cancer. Even young, tough, assertive women who give everything they've got to the fight. 

In any case, cafepress has a shirt with the same language, although not the same design. Or you can use that site to design and order your own shirt. If you do that, please e-mail me a photo of you wearing your shirt. I'd love to see it. 

Here's the link: F&ck awareness

If I were designing my own shirt, I would have it say, "Fuck awareness. Get serious about prevention." But that's just me. What good does it do to keep developing new cancer treatments when we aren't serious about preventing the disease is the first place? 

That makes no sense to me. 

Support this blog:

@ Jeanne Sather 2009. 

Pink Ribbon Overkill: On AOL

I did an interview a week or so ago with a reporter from one of AOL's sites, Daily Finance, and the story went live today. 

It's a good piece, and strengthens my feeling that the tide is turning on pink marketing. 

Read: Pink Ribbon Overkill

A note on the photo: That's me, blogging at a coffee shop in Honolulu last February. Note the T-shirt. It says, "Fuck awareness, find a cure," and the letter U in "fuck" is a little pink ribbon. 

However, I actually feel that rather than "raising awareness" or even working so hard to find a cure, we should be working to change behavior. We are never going to cure breast cancer as long as our environment and our lives are so toxic. 

1. Don't smoke.

2. Exercise regularly.

3. Maintain a healthy weight. 

4. Limit red meat. Eat organic when possible. 

5. Avoid environmental carcinogens, including workplace carcinogens. 

I would like to see a big chunk of the money going for cancer research shifted over to research on cancer prevention. 

@ Jeanne Sather 2009. 

OK, I Cave, We Need a Contest After All

My friend Megan, who lives in California and who is relatively new to the cancer lifestyle (how's that for an offensive euphemism?), sent me this one, along with the comment: 

"Twenty-two days to go [till the end of October]. I'm so aware I could puke."

She snapped the photo of this pink ribbon hot chocolate at a little specialty store in Corona, California. 

It doesn't get more trivial than this. Pink ribbon hot chocolate! 

Well, actually, all I have to do is stroll into my kitchen to take a look at my "Wall of Shame" to find: pink ribbon saltine crackers (love that one, remember your last bout of nausea? Have a cracker!), pink ribbon Campbell tomato soup (I haven't bought Campbell's soup since this one came out), and pink ribbon laundry soap, "Clean for the Cure" it says on the label.

So this post is to announce that the "How LOW Will Komen GO?" competition is officially open for one more year.  Let's do it in memory of Debutaunt, who never met a pink ribbon that she couldn't make fun of, and the winner of my contest for two years running. 

Send your entries my way, with a digital photo if at all possible. Remember, we are striving to showcase the most trivial, most offensive pink-ribbon products!

Here are last year's winners:

2008 Winners: "How LOW Will Komen GO?"

And the year before:

2007 Winners: How LOW ...?

@ Jeanne Sather 2009. 

From the E-mail Box

One really great thing about the increased traffic to my blog that resulted from the Boston Globe story--and also because it's October--is all the interesting mail that arrives in my in-box!

I'm sure I'll make a few new friends as a result, and also be offered some interesting opportunities. 

Here are a few examples:

Another Radio Interview

I did one radio interview on October 1, and I'm booked to do another one on Friday the 16th with the Morning Show at radio station WMJI in Independence, Ohio. This is about pink-ribbon cause marketing, of course.

For my earlier interview, see: Talkin' on the Radio ...

Meeting New Cancer Bloggers

Another thing that happens when I get a lot of traffic is that other cancer bloggers find me. A man named David who was recently diagnosed with lung cancer sent me the link to a post he wrote, inspired by my anti-pink-ribbon campaign. 

Here's the link to David's post: The Color of Cancer

And you can read more about David, whose friends call him "Beach": David Beach

About That Increased Traffic 

On Friday, October 2, my blog clocked more than 2,400 page views. That's an all-time record for me. The next day was 1,700, and it's gradually tapered off since then. More typically, my blog gets 600 to 700 page views a day. 

My jewelry blog also saw a jump in page views, to 274 on October 2. This hasn't resulted in an increase in jewelry sales, unfortunately. 

Also, no increase in donations to support my blog. That surprises me a bit, but the people who support my blog (and me) tend to be the ones who themselves are struggling financially and/or living with cancer. They give me money because they understand.

A college student sent me $10 last week, and apologized for not being able to send more. 

I'm not whining about the lack of donations, I'm just a bit surprised by it. See: Support This Blog, Please

I have heard from several people who would like to advertise on my blog, or get their content on my blog, but I'm not interested in that. 

Fears Caused by Pink Ribbon Marketing

I received a touching e-mail from a man whose wife in obsessive-compulsive and, he says, "cancer phobic."

Here is part of what he wrote:

"She has lost close friends and relatives to cancer ... as I have ... she can't even examine herself ... I do it for her ... nine times a day, 365 days a year ... for the last nine years.

She hates October ... it drives her absolutely crazy ... the constant bombardment and marketing and reminders always in your face ... stoking her own fears." 

Komen, are you listening? How about the people who make the pink TicTacs? Or the pink M&Ms? Or that awful pink ribbon Chevron car? Who in their right mind would want a breast cancer toy?

@ Jeanne Sather 2009. 

Has the Tide Turned on Pink Ribbons?

I'm an optimistic person, and I really thought a year ago that the tide was turning on pink ribbons. 

But, despite a number of news stories in 2008 that examined the whole cause marketing issue in greater detail than in the past, I was forced to conclude that the tide had not yet swept away the sea of pink schlock that makes shopping such an ordeal at this time of year for those of us living with breast cancer. 

Now, though, I think I can say THE TIDE HAS TURNED.

Why?

Because Good Housekeeping magazine, politically conservative, socially middle-of-the-road Good Housekeeping, ran an article this month titled:  Who Needs Pink Ribbons With a Friend Like You?

It's a good piece. I don't even mind that I've been saying these things for five years or so now. Thanks, Good Housekeeping.

@ Jeanne Sather 2009. 

Boston Globe: Sick of Pink

Here's the article in the Boston Globe Magazine that I mentioned yesterday. It appears in this coming Sunday's paper. 

It's good article, and I was happy to be interviewed for it.

Read: Sick of Pink

Anna, who was interviewed in the piece is a reader of this blog and an online friend of mine. She's popped up on my blog from time to time. See: 

Anna's Letter to Komen

I have only one nit to pick about the Boston Globe story: That "one in eight" statistic popped up again, and it simply isn't true. Here's my post on that: 

What Happened to One in 8?  

@ Jeanne Sather 2009. 

Talkin' on the Radio ...

I didn't have time to publicize this in advance, so apologies for those of you who live in New Hampshire and surrounding areas who might have wanted to listen, but I did an interview with a radio station this morning about pink-ribbon cause marketing. 

The interview was with a program called Word of Mouth, on New Hampshire Public Radio, and you can listen to it here: Jeanne on Word of Mouth

I was a bit squeezed for time and didn't get to make all the points that the producers had prepped me for, but that's because they interviewed someone else during the same program, Kris Frieswick, who interviewed me for a story in the Boston Globe Magazine. I don't have a copy of that story, and haven't actually seen it yet, but I believe it runs this coming Sunday. 

If you live in the Boston area and can save me a couple of copies, I would appreciate it. 

The producer for the radio show told me that the Atlantic picked up the story as well. Here's that link: Are Pink Ribbons Bad for Breast Cancer Awareness?

OK. October is officially here. Take to the bunkers, ladies. It will all be over in 31 days!

The photo: For those of you who have breast cancer, or are breast cancer survivors, wouldn't it make you feel MUCH BETTER about your cancer if you baked cookies using a PINK mixer? That's what the manufacturers seem to think. And look at the price, $299!

@ Jeanne Sather 2009. 

Lowering the Bar

Yesterday was one of the toughest days I've had in months. I didn't sleep well Wednesday night, and I threw up in the middle of the night--the second time this week. 

So I spent the entire day in bed, reading, nursing a very sore back, and being waited on grudgingly by younger son. 

Not my favorite kind of day. 

The crash was the result, indirectly, of a conversation I had with my therapist on Wednesday. It was one of those "come to Jesus" conversations where I finally faced something that had been dancing around the edges of my mind for weeks, if not longer. 

The reality that I need to "lower the bar." 

My health is continuing to deteriorate, slowly but surely, and I can't do all the things in a day that I did even six months ago. I can no longer travel unless someone goes with me. 

That is frustrating. It is also tremendously upsetting. But it is true. 

It's especially difficult because I don't have a caretaker. 

I don't have a partner, and Younger Son will be moving back into student housing this weekend. Older Son lives at home, but he works full time. And I don't see myself asking my kids to do much more than they already do for me.

So I had my crash yesterday. And, yes, it was in part a pity party. I did feel sorry for myself, big time. 

But now that's over, and I will bring myself to face the fact that I need to come up with a plan for this next stage of my life. I need to learn to accept that I have four hours or so of "good energy" most mornings, and then I'm done. 

After that, I need to just chill on the couch and read or watch movies. 

Now, it's hard to get everything done that I need to do in three or four hours, but that is the new reality. That is where the bar needs to be set. 

The hardest part for me is dealing with my own frustration. 

And--as my therapist pointed out to me--my sense of loss. 

Because I have always had LOTS of energy. I've been a ferocious multitasker. And that is gone now. 

Today, the plan is to do a few things around the house and walk Connie, at least a short walk, and then get ready to go in and see Dr. Lee and get treatment. Dr. Lee and I have more treatment issues to discuss, but I won't go into those here--no bandwidth for that right now. 

As always, I am not looking for advice or suggestions. Support and solidarity is welcome. 

A P.S.: I will not be carrying the banner for the Boycott October campaign this year, so if someone else wants to pick it up and run with it, please let me know. See: Pink Ribbon Fatigue

@ Jeanne Sather 2009.