Pinkwashing

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/leisha-davisonyasol/october-pinkwashing_b_4102424.html

Here's a new phenomen - pinkwashing.  It's Pink October, you probably haven't managed  not to notice.  It's been a bit weird for me, being so close to my operation and all the after-effects, and having millions of people doing stuff for breast cancer at the same time and seeing all the pink products in the shops, although I'm not well enough to go into Paris to see if the department stores have stocked up on pink products.

I think it's great that people are willing to get sponsors and run to raise money for cancer (not sure about getting your breasts out to 'support' cancer though, I just don't get it that flaunting the things that I have lost are going to make me feel better) and have coffee mornings and stuff and I absolutely support the idea that people are more aware of breast cancer, that bc is less of a taboo to talk about, that women might be more likely to check their breasts or have a mammogram whilst they're being bombarded with pink.  This is a brilliant effect of Pink October. 

I think it's a little more suspect that companies are getting on the bandwagon sometimes not giving any of the profits whatsoever to research or bc organisations and just getting us to salve our consciences with a 'pink purchase'.

So, check where the profits are going before you buy if you want to buy.  I admit that I did buy some Essie pink nail varnish last October because some of the profits went to bc research, but I didn't check which organisation.

If you want to do something more directly, send a donation to a cancer charity.  I remember when my Grandma died of breast cancer, my Mum asked for no flowers but for people to donate to Macmillan Cancer.  Or, if you really want to help, volunteer for a local organisation or hospital that helps cancer patients directly - I wonder about delivering a small care package to give to someone who is encountering a bc related surgery, or even better, do what my lovely friends are doing - bring a meal round to a neigbour, or a box of green tea, an old paperback, a DVD, today's newspaper, a plant or a bunch of flowers or some chocolates if you don't know them very well or something for their children, offer to take them to an appointment, look after their children, do some small shopping for them, do their ironing.  That is truly helping with the cause of breast cancer, I promise.

In that vein, I thank the lovely B who has ironed a big bag of ironing for us and tonight brought round a deelish quiche and a supper for us.  She even went to the trouble of stiching up a pair of Théo's shorts that needed mending and were accidently put in the ironing pile.

If you're thinking of donating and you're in France, I could only reccomend, so far,

étincelle - www.etincelle.asso.fr because I had a great experience with them on Saturday (I will blog about this later)

or La Ligue nationale contre le concer - www.ligue-cancer.net because they produce really great, informative booklets telling you all you need to know about all the aspects of cancer.  I received a useful one 'comprendre la radiothérapie' on Saturday

And in UK

Breast Cancer Care or Macmillan for their informative web site and fabulous helplines

I found the picture accompanying the article shocking.  This poor girl has evidently had chemo because her head is shaved, maybe to shrink the tumour before the operation.  Double mastectomy, how shocking for her, and I was chilled to hear that her lymph nodes had exploded because they had been invaded so much by the cancer - what a horrible image to imagine.  The bottles she has are drains fixed in her back to evacuate her wounds.  They are unpleasant and annoying and hurt when they come out.  Her plight makes me glad for my current situation.

Apologies to any FB friends who have already read the article.