| Author | Message | ||
     Valley_girl Citizen Username: Valley_girl Post Number: 136 Registered: 12-2004 |
It's almost that time again--Breast Cancer Awareness Month. A whole month. Of awareness. I'm aware. I'm plenty aware. I think most people are. But soon, we'll be treated to another onslaught of perky pink ribbons chirping "Breast Cancer Awareness" on anything that moves, and anything that doesn't. Coffee mugs! Tedddy bears! Rhinestone pins! Mylar balloons! In the grocery store! The drug store! The department store! The makeup counter! I just find the whole thing SO patronizing and offensive. The other day I saw a line of clothing with pink ribbons stamped on all the tags. Would anyone even consider putting "Prostate Cancer Awareness" tags on the clothing in the men's department? | ||
| Project 37 Citizen Username: Project37 Post Number: 355 Registered: 3-2006  |
What do you think of the Live Strong wristbands? | ||
| Rosiegirl Citizen Username: Rosiegirl Post Number: 51 Registered: 5-2006  |
When people are knowledgeable of Breast Cancer it leads to early detection. Early detection of Breast Cancer significantly increases your chances of survivng Breast Cancer; it's a fact. Early detection is what saved my mother's life, so I'd paint a big pink ribbon on my house while I'm wearing pink ribbon clothing with pink ribbon jewelry singing pink ribbon songs every day for the rest of my life. Personally, I didn't think the pink ribbons were that intrusive or offensive. | ||
| LilLB Citizen Username: Lillb Post Number: 2332 Registered: 10-2002  |
I don't wear ribbons, pins or wristbands, but I understand that they are meant to raise awareness, and I don't see how that can be a bad thing. | ||
| Cynicalgirl Citizen Username: Cynicalgirl Post Number: 3148 Registered: 9-2003  |
Valley_girl, its brown for colon cancer (heh-heh). I refuse to wear a brown bracelet or ribbon for my husband, though (and so does he) I don't begrudge any person with cancer or their loved ones from wearing the paraphanalia of their chosing. Personally, I don't like the stuff at all and think it's become cliche and no longer communicates much. But that's just me. A middle aged male work friend wears a Live Strong. His teenage son has leukemia, real bad. Whatever floats the boat. | ||
| Flameretardant Citizen Username: Flameretardant Post Number: 47 Registered: 9-2004 |
The whole ribbon/band/color thing is really old. If it helps raise funds for research, great, and I'll do it and support it ... but I think most people ignore that stuff by now. | ||
| Valley_girl Citizen Username: Valley_girl Post Number: 137 Registered: 12-2004 |
I think the Live Strong band was to raise money by making everyone want one. I think it was a good idea. The first time. I read an interesting article about how odd it is all the "Breast Cancer Awareness" hype is over "Early Detection," and not "Prevention." Then it listed all the corporate sponsors--the very same ones whose chemicals cause cancer. CynicalGirl--that's a joke--right?! | ||
| greenetree Supporter Username: Greenetree Post Number: 9332 Registered: 5-2001  |
It's hard to prevent breast cancer. Sure, there are environmental factors, genetics, etc. But at the individual level, it is about detection. Screening tests (of any kind) are about detecting early enough to intervene. By definition, they are not preventative. A flu shot is preventatitve. | ||
| hch Citizen Username: Hch Post Number: 374 Registered: 8-2002 |
Ribbons and wristbands being used for various causes and charities have become so common that their meaning and effectiveness have been greated diluted. It's unfortunate that these ideas have been overused to the point they have become cliche. | ||
| Joanne G Citizen Username: Joanne Post Number: 599 Registered: 10-2004 |
It's worldwide - we're having the same thing here too, only I think our Month is earlier in the year, around May?. At least you've explained why Target are going crazy promoting their Pink Ribbon clothing. The trouble is, everyone wants you to wear a ribbon, joke nose etc for their cause. They're all producing cutesy nude calendars. Each month you can find several candidates for medical research Causes Days or Weeks. You feel guilty if you choose to support one issue and not another, simply because of low finances. The pink ribbon issue also fails to include the numbers of men who also have breast cancer - and this is a number that is slowly growing, I believe. I find myself concetrating on the other survivor activities such as Dragon Boats, and our lcoal combined cancer/combined services/combined cities and states support initiative. (As soon as you're diagnosed you're referred to the service which sets up all kinds of support including someone to sit with kids or clean house or walk the dog, so you can focus on healing - the service overcomes the cross-state border issues our regional medical services have to contend with, and also looks at all allied and complementary health options as well as specialist oncology). But this month is also child protection month (White Balloon Day) and Stop Family Violence month (Week Without Violence), Adult Education month, Cystic Fibrosis month (65 Roses Day) and a host of others...how do you choose? | ||
| argon_smythe Citizen Username: Argon_smythe Post Number: 925 Registered: 5-2001 |
I like those wrist bands where you break one off and get some or other kind of sexual favor based on the color of it. | ||
| Valley_girl Citizen Username: Valley_girl Post Number: 138 Registered: 12-2004 |
That's so bad!! | ||
| Case Citizen Username: Case Post Number: 1910 Registered: 2-2005 |
http://givemetoys.zoovy.com/c=9jZybhR5SxbrrdK4ID6Wn6aj7/product/AC_11590 | ||
| Valley_girl Citizen Username: Valley_girl Post Number: 139 Registered: 12-2004 |
 | ||
| cmontyburns Citizen Username: Cmontyburns Post Number: 1979 Registered: 12-2003  |
Reminds me of the Simpsons, set in the future, where they lure the estranged family back together for a benefit for "Awareness." | ||
| Cynicalgirl Citizen Username: Cynicalgirl Post Number: 3149 Registered: 9-2003 |
Yep, a joke valley-girl. Tasteless, perhaps, but there you go. Though I do wonder what folks would do if I started wearing a brown plastic bracelet, and hung brown ribbon outside of our house. (It's worth noting that mebbe a year and a half ago, greenetree started the greenetree's mom blog on mol cuz we were both bitching about the paucity of appropriate, snarky cancer humor and responses to same.) The dragon boats thing that Joanne G cites sounds interesting. Could've used something like that betimes, but nothing much exists around her for non breast cancer so far as I was ever able to discover. Guess sisters are doing for themselves, and more more to them. I think that stuff is well worth doing (more than some freakin' bracelet or Target T Shirt or a bunch of models in pink clothes). | ||
| Jersey_Boy Citizen Username: Jersey_boy Post Number: 1773 Registered: 1-2006  |
I think the ubiquity of these reminders does loads for creating awareness. The question is, "do women do breast self exams, get their annual doctor breast exams, and their mammograms?" If this is happening more frequently, perhaps the pink campaign can take the credit. If some women are still not doing the screening, then it is still necessary to generate "awareness." Do you women do breast self exams? Every month? Sure sometimes it's a marketing gimmick, but hey, there are worse gimmicks out there. J.B. | ||
| Brookklyn54 Citizen Username: Brookklyn54 Post Number: 2 Registered: 3-2006 |
valley girl, I really hope that it never comes down to someone in your family having breast cancer, and there is not enough money for anymore research because 1 person felt that 1 month out of the year was annoying. You really need to find something solid to complain about! If this is the only thing you have to worry about then you have a really good life. | ||
| Paula Robinson Citizen Username: Mph Post Number: 8 Registered: 8-2006 |
Clearly and luckily for you- most of you making a joke out of this have not had to deal with a family member, close friend or yourself suffer from breast or another type of cancer. These awareness months or weeks give hope to those suffering or who have suffered- it is a wonderful time for people to come together and fight for a cause. Someone who doesn't know what else can do can donate money, wear a ribbon and know that in some way shape or form that their dollar is going to an amazing cause. Please don't knock someone for wanting to belive something- when they are suffering and sick on the inside. It makes me sick to think that some of you are walking around and seeing too much pink... GROW UP! Be thankful that you are not suffering... | ||
| Paula Robinson Citizen Username: Mph Post Number: 9 Registered: 8-2006 |
And Valleygirl.... offensive? Patronizing? To who? you who have not suffered? Honestly... debate as you want... but this cleary doesn't seem that it should be a topic over debate mixed in with topics such as 'kids in bars' or 'we are in the wrong line of work' | ||
| Stevef Citizen Username: Stevef Post Number: 227 Registered: 5-2005  |
Bad karma to start this thread, IMO. Good luck to you. | ||
| greenetree Supporter Username: Greenetree Post Number: 9336 Registered: 5-2001 |
Don't assume that people with varying opinions are not very, very close to this issue. | ||
| Joanne G Citizen Username: Joanne Post Number: 604 Registered: 10-2004 |
well, to the nay-sayers who think we haven't suffered - my mum died of cancer (we support cancer research but don't wait for Pink Ribbons or Daffodil Day etc), I've lost several babies in utero (don't need to buy a joke nose for SIDS, I've donated despite my issues being ignored by local researchers), a close friend's child has cystic fibrosis (we donated long before 65 Roses Day), we're nominated organ donors long before the requests became almost mandatory because family friends needed organs...I've rescued animals, delivered meals on wheels and volunteered in hospitals and on radio services for the print handicapped. I don't buy raffle tickets - I think it's wrong to gamble to fund programs including health and social wellbeing. I'll donate if the cause is big enough in my priorities at the time, but I won't buy a raffle ticket. I roll up my sleeves and work for a cause - I've Reclaimed the Night, dressed dead bodies for funeral, worked with victims of crime as a volunteer. I've learnt sign language, and I automatically produce my printed documents in alternative formats for the print handicapped. And I can make gentle jokes about some of the campaigns, and I can get bored with others. Because we do live in democracies and we do supposedly have social consciences. I don't need to buy gimmicky stuff that falls apart after one week to make a point. And some campaigns don't need to be cheesy or endlessly repeated to be effective. | ||
| cppkqp Citizen Username: Cppkqp Post Number: 169 Registered: 8-2002 |
I agree with all who have said that it is unfortunate that ribbons and plastic bracelets for various causes ahve become so common as to reduce their effect. All kidding aside, the symbol for colon cancer awareness and remembrance is not a ribbon, but a star. I have seen tasteful silver and/or blue crystal star jewelry sold to raise money for colon cancer research. Several years ago I bought silver stars for myself, my mom, and my aunt. Although I don't wear any ribbons or plastic bracelets, I wear my silver star pin fairly often and think of my father and grandfather every time I do. My close friends and family know my family's history of colon cancer and that I get screened regularly; they are very supportive. When asked about my pin, I tell people that it was sold to raise funds for research and what it symbolizes to me. | ||
| Case Citizen Username: Case Post Number: 1912 Registered: 2-2005 |
I think we need to introduce some cheese to this thread, to accompany all the whine. | ||
| Project 37 Citizen Username: Project37 Post Number: 360 Registered: 3-2006 |
Joanne G - that was a lovely post. While I don't disagree with the noble ambitions of charity and awareness drives, I also don't think it's unreasonable to feel overwhelmed or even burned out, *especially* when one organization employs a successful method used by another. We've seen this happen before. When the charity single concept began with Band-Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?", there was a *lot* of heart that went into it. It was an earnest effort to try seeing outside of ourselves, to acknowledge that there's a bigger world than the small section of it we see on a daily basis, to admit that there's a lot of misery out there and that a lot of us have it far better than a lot of others (taking little things like food and shelter for granted). Band-Aid inspired USA For Africa's "We Are The World", and eventually Live-Aid. I was recently watching the DVDs of that concert and saw that back then, it wasn't necessarily all about rock stars getting their name in the press. Rather, it was an exciting time of trying something new - trying to bring people together to make a positive change for the world, not just themselves. How much they actually achieved during those years is a topic for another thread, but my point is that these types of events were promoting a selfless ideal: Helping our fellow man. More people latched on to that idea and tried things like "Farm Aid" or Amnesty International's "Concert For Hope." The momentum was building, but suddenly there were a lot of causes, and burnout was inevitable. I blogged about charity bandwagonning during the surge of last year's post-Katrina drives (http://www.project37.net/index.php/2005/09/12/do-the-right-thing/ ) as a way to figure out why some causes get more coverage that others and why some people get burned out in the meantime. Personally, I choose to do what Joanne does and get involved directly as often as I can. To me, that's more satisfying than wearing a wristband or handing over a check. It's important to make it clear that I don't personally have an issue with those that gain comfort from donating funds, or wearing a pin or another reminder. We have to do what's right for us. Even if a campaign is particular strong for a few weeks out of the year, I don't understand how that makes it "offensive." What's wrong with wanting to make a positive difference in the world? | ||
| Case Citizen Username: Case Post Number: 1913 Registered: 2-2005 |
This has nothing to do with Project's post... or ANYONE'S post, for that matter... I just thought it was funny: http://www.supportourribbons.com/maker2_show.php?id=2379 | ||
| Joanne G Citizen Username: Joanne Post Number: 615 Registered: 10-2004 |
could be a handy link! Thanks for the comments, Project 37. It's not that I am against special campaigns etc just that there are so many and for a lot of people around me it's like going to church once a year - the problem is all fixed because 'I' donated $10 and now I can get on with my life. Well, that's not true and we all know it - but if you're sincere about the sentiment, then you'll do a little more: talk about it with friends and family; volunteer a bit; donate outside the prime time etc. And I think that's all that Valley_girl was saying: pink is cliched, and there's too much of it around all attached to commercial interests. Some of us find it a bit too much in one hit. My town is White Ballooning next week for child protection; whole town sporting white balloons everywhere for the week. On another note, looks like I'm going to have to check out this blogging thing too - I keep trying to ignore it but everyone around me is getting into it. To me it's too much liek having the world read your diary and then correcting it too. | ||
| Royce Citizen Username: Royce Post Number: 23 Registered: 1-2004 |
Joanne, I agree with you, but I think valley girl's choice of words was insensitive. If you're not into wearing pink ribbons, don't wear them, but many people derive some comfort from wearing them and from seeing others wear them. I don't think it's surprising that some posters were offended that this apparently makes valley girl gag. | ||
| Case Citizen Username: Case Post Number: 1914 Registered: 2-2005 |
On this board, taking offense seems to be the status quo. I wonder if people are this sensitive in real life, or just online? | ||
| Royce Citizen Username: Royce Post Number: 24 Registered: 1-2004 |
If I was wearing a pink ribbon and someone said to me in real life that it made her gag, I'd be offended. | ||
| Tom Reingold Supporter Username: Noglider  Post Number: 15522 Registered: 1-2003  |
I would, too, but no one here has done that. | ||
| beppolina Citizen Username: Beppolina Post Number: 146 Registered: 3-2002 |
My husband just got a t-shirt that says "My oncologist is better than your oncologist" from this group: gotcancer.org It made him happy. There aren't any ribbons or bracelets for the wacky cancer he had to go and get. In fact I think he deliberately got the only cancer for which there are no accessories at all.  | ||
| Valley_girl Citizen Username: Valley_girl Post Number: 140 Registered: 12-2004 |
Someone very close to me IS battling cancer. The thought of buying him a Hodgkins Lymphoma teddy bear is hideous. So is the thought of wearing a Hodgkins Lymphoma button when we go out to dinner so we don't forget. We need prevention and a cure. Not a month of gratuitous symbols to raise "awareness." | ||
| Valley_girl Citizen Username: Valley_girl Post Number: 141 Registered: 12-2004 |
Bep--that is funny! | ||
| LilLB Citizen Username: Lillb Post Number: 2353 Registered: 10-2002 |
I wonder though if the increased awareness = more money donated to the cause. Isn't that really one of the hoped for results of raising awareness? This makes me think of political lawn signs. As much as I hate them, I do think they make a difference. I think there are a lot of people who haven't fully researched the candidates or are on the fence about who to vote for. They happen to see that 80% of the town has signs up for candidate X. So, since they really aren't sure, they'll vote for candidate X because he seems to be good enough for other people in their town. (I'm not saying this is how I vote, but I'd bet quite a few people do.) So, if I give to charity every year, and I'm thinking of what causes I'll be donating too, I may think "Hey, breast cancer seems to be something that really needs our attention to find a cure or help educate women about early detection. Maybe I'll give to that cause this year." I may be thinking that because I've seen a lot of the pink stuff and it's just tucked away in the back of my mind. I realize that this is all just theory of course, but I wouldn't doubt if there's some truth to it. | ||
| combustion Citizen Username: Spontaneous Post Number: 504 Registered: 4-2006  |
Is anyone aware that more women will die from cardiovascular disease than from all cancers combined? I think breast cancer gets so much coverage because it's so scary, but it is no where near the number one killer of women. According to the CDC, in 2002 (last year numbers were available) 36.6 % of women's deaths were caused by heart attacks and strokes. 21.6% of women's deaths were caused by cancer. Not just breast cancer, all cancers combined. Also, women who go to the emergency room with a heart attack are more likely to be mis-diagnosed or have treatment delayed. For anyone with breast cancer, or with a family member afflicted, please believe me, I mean no disrespect. I just feel it's important for women to take better care of their hearts. Men aren't the only one's who get heart attacks. | ||
| Royce Citizen Username: Royce Post Number: 25 Registered: 1-2004 |
Tom, perhaps I misinterpreted the title of the thread | ||
| Tom Reingold Supporter Username: Noglider Post Number: 15525 Registered: 1-2003 |
Royce, I think it's fair to say a trend troubles you. I don't think it's equivalent to telling an individual's action is annoying. I'm troubled by all the SUV's on the road, and I say so often, but I don't tell any SUV owner that he made a mistake in his/her purchase. Does that make it clearer? Anyway, I wore a pink ribbon soon after my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer. (She's fine now.) My reason for doing so was that I was rather devastated and needed a way to say so without blurting out "My wife has breast cancer!" to everyone. Raising money is probably at least as important, but it wasn't foremost on my mind, since that money wouldn't have helped my wife at the time. | ||
| Strings Supporter Username: Blue_eyes Post Number: 915 Registered: 4-2004  |
Combustion - yes. We had a health and wellness in-service day at my job and that's were I learned that it's a bigger killer than cancers. However, now you see those "Red Dresses" everywhere which will hopefully bring some attention and awareness to cardiovascular disease in women. The attention is needed. These ribbons, bracelets, pins, etc DO serve a purpose. Money made from the items sold with whatever icon printed on it usually go towards research, awareness, and education for whatever disease it's associate with - if you're "offended" by that, by contributing to charity, then don't buy it. Simple enough. Unfortunately, not everyone is willing to simply donate money without receiving something for themselves. If a portion of a purchase with a ribbon on it goes to a good cause, then I personally don't see it as revolting. | ||
| Cynicalgirl Citizen Username: Cynicalgirl Post Number: 3153 Registered: 9-2003 |
beppolina, thank you for that site. I never came across it before. I like the chemo shirts, and I think my husband would wear one. I'd be more inclined to one of these than the other stuff, but then I'm kind of the cranky type. http://www.gotcancer.org/store/detail/52687850/169/iChemo-(green)-Long-Sleeve-T-Shirt I do get that some days all the ribbons etc. on all kinds of folks feel a little like the pop culture stars and Africa. It's great that they give some money/time/awareness, but some days it can start to seem trite or insincere. I still gratefully and fondly remember last year saying something snotty like "screw the good wishes, ribbons and repetitive web sites -- come and clean our bathroom" -- and a number of dear MOL-ers offered to do just that, and did much, much more for us. Meant TONS, and still does. | ||
| Royce Citizen Username: Royce Post Number: 26 Registered: 1-2004 |
OK, Tom, but I don't think the trend toward SUV driving is comparable to the trend of promoting cancer awareness. She thinks the focus should be on something other than awareness, but is awareness really a bad thing? I'll even agree with her that it is a little strange that some companies use the symbol to sell things, although it is my hope that those sales raise money for cancer research. I still think her choice of language -- especially in the title of this thread -- is insensitive given the subject matter. | ||
| Cynicalgirl Citizen Username: Cynicalgirl Post Number: 3155 Registered: 9-2003 |
I think we spend too much time in this town being sensitive, sometimes to where we can't talk honestly about squat. Or talk, except about g-d historically correct windows. Look how she got us discussing what's really needed? Some may be offended who have cancer or are immediately affected. Some not. I'm not, and I have some very current street cred on the subject. | ||
| Tom Reingold Supporter Username: Noglider Post Number: 15528 Registered: 1-2003 |
Maybe, maybe not. I am under the impression that the disgust is not over the hope to raise awareness but the media (ribbons and other paraphernalia) used to raise awareness. Note that some here are cancer survivors or people married to cancer patients. Some of us say they don't like the ribbons etc, so it's not that we don't care about cancer at all! Nor do we oppose raised awareness. | ||
| Tom Reingold Supporter Username: Noglider Post Number: 15529 Registered: 1-2003 |
My response above was to Royce, not Cynicalgirl, in case that isn't obvious. | ||
| Cynicalgirl Citizen Username: Cynicalgirl Post Number: 3156 Registered: 9-2003 |
I meant the thread title! As to the ribbons and the Target pink clothing etc., I'm neutral. Just part of the commercial landscape. I can see where one could worry that too much of it dulls the awareness rather than raises it because it's so ever-present and same. Kind of like perhaps they need to alter the advertising message/approach because people get inured to it and don't "see" it anymore. So don't get the exams, or give the money, or assume that it's always curable (where "it" is many kinds of cancer). | ||
| Cynicalgirl Citizen Username: Cynicalgirl Post Number: 3157 Registered: 9-2003 |
Oh, and I thought we were having a tiff...! | ||
| Royce Citizen Username: Royce Post Number: 27 Registered: 1-2004 |
I'm frankly not sure what the disgust is about. I happen to have very recent street cred on this issue myself, and while I didn't start wearing a livestrong bracelet when my husband was diagnosed, my mother in law did -- and if it had been her daughter, I'm sure it would have been a pink ribbon. I guess it gave her some comfort to do it, and it just sticks in my craw that someone would feel any level of disgust that these "gratuitous symbols" exist. | ||
| Dr. Winston O'Boogie Citizen Username: Casey Post Number: 2420 Registered: 8-2003  |
I guess the problem is the weird thread title, because my response is that the ribbons won't gag you if you'd just stop trying to eat them.  | ||
| beppolina Citizen Username: Beppolina Post Number: 147 Registered: 3-2002 |
Cynicalgirl, Royce, Tom R, I think MeandtheBoys has a thread somewhere about getting a tattoo....my equivalent of a pink ribbon, Mr Bep and I have joked, would be some sort of tattoo to complement Mr Bep's surgical scars. I'm with Royce here -- there's this fundamental need to acknowledge, to commemorate, to recognize others in this predicament. It wasn't that long ago, after all, that "cancer" was not something discussed out loud. I'm sure that most people with a ribbon or a bracelet have no more sinister motives than that. Maybe not always in the best of taste, but just wanting to do SOMETHING. (Now....what should I get as a tattoo? something that won't droop or morph along with my surface gravity...hmmm.....) | ||
| Joanne G Citizen Username: Joanne Post Number: 622 Registered: 10-2004 |
glad some of the heat has drifted away - my concern is that all the commercial hype is actually counterproductive (as opposed to 100% practical) and also that peer pressure makes it hard to choose which symbols you're actually goning to wear. Personally, I find SIDS Day, those prayer days for dead babies, Daffodil Day and Diabetes Week really really really hard and couldn't possibly wear any identifying symbols. I do donate in my parents' names, however, and work in my community to help the current crop of people with those burdens in their lives. | ||
| Cynicalgirl Citizen Username: Cynicalgirl Post Number: 3159 Registered: 9-2003 |
beppolina, too MUCH!! In Dec 2004 when my husband was diagnosed with it again, I talked to him about me getting a tattoo. Which, if you knew me, is pretty radical as I am totally old and a one hole per ear person, and would never ordinarily get one. Just can't figure out what the tatoo would be, either. For now, it'll have to be my jaundiced eye, so to speak. Mr. Chemo Sabe, my husband, has 2 tattoos. The big chevron scar from his Whipple procedure for most recent cancer, and his ileostomy from the prior. He's too old school to do more than that. And he identifies more with his Viet Nam veteran status anyway... | ||
| Stephanie N. Citizen Username: Stephanie_n Post Number: 21 Registered: 1-2006 |
When the nonprofit advocating for my relatively rare of cancer came up with their own rubber bracelets and ribbon pins, I joked that yes, we even jumped on the band wagon http://www.thyca.org/Spirit_Items.htm - However (and sorry for using this thread to make a pitch!!) - I would actually love to see more people wearing the tri-colored ribbon pin (on the bottom of the page), since proceeds from those purchases go directly to research, and there is an increasing number of thyca patients who are not responding to what treatment is currently available. A few years ago, I was communicating with the wife of a man (who since may have passed away) with advanced thyroid cancer, and they were practically begging for experimental chemo, but I don't think there were many clinical trials going on at the time, due to lack of funding. And ironically/coincidentally - September is also thyroid cancer awareness month. http://www.thyca.org/awareness.htm The conversation about early detection is extremely appropriate here. If thyroid cancer is not caught early enough, research seems to indicate that papillary thyroid cancer can morph into anaplastic thyroid cancer. Papillary is very slow growing and non-lethal. Anaplastic thyroid cancer is probably the most fatal of any cancers and people usually die within months of diagnosis. At this point in time, there is no effective treatment for anaplastic thyroid cancer. Many times, treatment is just done to increase the comfort of the patient. Thyroid cancer is still a fairly small percentage of all cancers, but the number of cases is steadily increasing each year. And the number of cases failing to respond to traditional therapies is increasing as well. Once again - sorry for being opportunistic with this thread, but I felt this was sort of an appropriate place in the conversation to insert this. thanks. | ||
| Joanne G Citizen Username: Joanne Post Number: 657 Registered: 10-2004 |
good cause, good site - am passing on message in today's work newsletter. I love the bookmark with Neck Check! So easy to use! Will also be including the Australian contacts, for bovious reasons - I urge all non-US MOLers to do the same. |
