Dear Pandora: Think Before You Pink

This being October, we seem inundated with corporations and sports teams acknowledging Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Just before our trip down to Disney World, I received this email from the company that makes Pandora jewellery with a special offer of a free pink bracelet with a $100 purchase and a note that "a percentage of proceeds from the retail price of select charms, necklaces and pendants benefits the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation..."

Of course, I'm not asking you to rush down to Pandora. I'm not advertizing, I'm asking you to think, before you pink. As you know, I too support the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, and I encouraged you to support it through my participation in the Run for the Cure. My concern about Pandora's support is that the company doesn't tell us how much it is donating for each purchase. Some companies give a set amount and our individual pink purchases don't raise the amount. Pandora gives an amount per purchase. However, it isn't specific about which products trigger a donation, nor what is the percentage of proceeds donated. That bothered me.

Farther down, you will see my email to Pandora asking the company to take this opportunity to provide more information for those of us who think before we pink.

As I mention in my email, for my birthday last fall, just after my diagnosis, Sweetie and the Bean bought me a Pandora bracelet with a pink ribbon charm. The bracelet has become a special way for our family to commemorate our life together -- my favourites are the soccer ball and the teapot. I like the Pandora products. But wouldn't it be nice if Pandora took an extra step towards transparency in its support for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation by providing details on how much it gives from which purchases. I've asked them to do it.

And I ask you to think, before you pink.

PANDORA Club <pandora@club.pandora.net>
To: xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sent: Monday, October 1, 2012 4:18:03 PM
Subject: Receive a Pink PANDORA Bracelet during October

My jewelleryMy wishlistMY DESIGNSMY STORES

	Show Your Support Against Breast Cancer with PANDORA Dear Katherine, There are many ways to show your support in the fight against Breast Cancer, and none are as beautiful as our charms. For the entire month of October, when you purchase $100 or more of PANDORA jewellery, you’ll receive one of our pink leather bracelets* (a $50 retail value). A percentage of proceeds from the retail price of select charms, necklaces and pendants benefits the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation’s vision of creating a future without breast cancer. Visit cbcf.org for more information. * See participating stores for details. Good while supplies last. Limit one per customer. Find your nearest PANDORA retailer by clicking here. Kind regards, Pandora Club

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
To: "CAConsumer@PANDORA.net" <CAConsumer@PANDORA.net>

Sent: Tuesday, October 16, 2012 11:40:19 AM
Subject: Re: Receive a Pink PANDORA Bracelet during October


I appreciate the support Pandora is offering to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation through this offer, however your company could be more transparent about it's actual level of support. More and more, women like myself with breast cancer are encouraging our friends and family to "think before they pink." 

What I mean is that before purchasing the obiquitous pink merchandise, we should inform ourselves about what exactly our purchase is supporting. It is helpful that you have been clear that you are supporting the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. Consumers can easily confirm that this is a legitimate charity which publishes information about its administrative and fundraising costs, as well as it's major areas of spending. But how much is Pandora providing? From your email, I don't know if Pandora is giving five cents per charm or something more significant. I don't know if your donation is capped or if when I spend more, you really give more.

If you take a look at recent postings in social media, you can learn about the growing concern about the "pinkification" of breast cancer. From there, Pandora has an opportunity to improve the nature of its support. It would be very much appreciated by the breast cancer community, and particularly by me. Pinkification has given many North Americans the impression that a breast cancer diagnosis is the entrée to a happy club. Don't let your company be fooled. There is no cure for advanced breast cancer. I too support the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation because it supports research that may find the cure that will save my life.

Last October, I was diagnosed with advanced breast cancer. A month later, on my birthday, my husband and young daughter bought me my first Pandora bracelet, with a pink ribbon charm. If Pandora would take this opportunity to be more transparent about what it is donating, or has donated, to the Foundation, I would wear my bracelet with even more pride.

Thank you for considering my request.

Katherine Moynihan
(see my Kate Has Cancer blog at http://katebreastcancer.blogspot.ca/)

Metatastic Breast Cancer Day

Yay! Today is the official day to, um, celebrate, or perhaps to recognize, metastasized breast cancer.  Hooray!

If you really want to do something about metastasized breast cancer, find a way to contribute to finding a cure.  Don't wear pink for me, though I do appreciate the thought.  If I am to live to see my grandchildren, what I need is a cure.  Please consider giving to an organization like the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation which contributes a significant amount of its fundraising to research.

To all of you who pledged your financial support for my participation in last month's Run for the Cure, thank you.  You have made a difference that just might save my life.

Please think before you pink.

CIBC Run for the Cure, September 30, 2012 -- I'm Running for My Life

On Sunday, September 30, in Ottawa, I will be walking the five kilometre CIBC Run for the Cure with my loving husband and daughter.  Over the last several weeks, the Bean and I have been training, quickly working our way up to a 5k walk through our lovely neighbourhood.

At the Run for the Cure, we look forward to joining the St. Bernard Bosom Buddies Team.  This team, captained by Mrs. Rhonda Gillam of the Bean's school, has been the city's top elementary school fund raising team for six years running.

When I was so sick last fall and beginning chemotherapy, the St. Bernard School family gave us more support than I could have imagined.  They looked out for the Bean as she dealt with having such a sick mommy.  They prayed for us.  They filled out freezer with lovingly prepared food.  And they were there with the smiles and hugs whenever they saw us.  Joining the St. Bernard Bosom Buddies Team is a small way of giving back to our school family.

The CIBC Run for the Cure, which has runs going in cities across the country, is raising money for the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.  In 2011, over $30 million was raised by the Run, with funds go to support "groundbreaking research, education, awareness and advocacy initiatives."   To learn more about the Foundation and its work, visit www.cbcf.org.

As you know, my breast cancer has already spread to my liver and bones.  At this point, metastasized breast cancer has no cure.  CIBC asks, "who are you running for?"  Well, I'm running for my life, for a cure for me and prevention of this disease hitting my little girl.

I am humbled by the generosity of friends and family who have already donated more than I expected.  But as of this afternoon, the St. Bernard Bosom Buddies Team is only a third of the way to it's goal.  Your online donations would also be most welcome to the St. Bernard Bosom Buddies Team at this link. You can donate directly to my run here, to my Sweetie here, or to the Bean here.

Thank you for your continuing support, and please consider participating in your local CIBC Run for the Cure.

Fuck It! Cancer, that is

As I mentioned in an earlier post, when my GP told me I likely had cancer, my reaction was "fuck."  But that isn't the only use of the word with cancer.  A friend recently sent me a link to an article in the Globe & Mail "Dropping the F-bomb on late-stage cancer" about a cancer education charity established by Yael Cohen.  The article says the charity has sold 10,000 "Fuck Cancer" and "F--- Cancer" t-shirts and raised $1 million.

I like the idea of telling cancer where to go.  With apologies to my tender-eared readers: Fuck Cancer!  Even better, is the goal of the charity, which you'll find on its website:

Fuck Cancer is a movement that activates Generation Y to engage with their parents about early detection of cancer. Over 90% of cancers are curable if caught in stage one- why the Fuck don’t more people know this? We’re creating a generation of early detection ambassadors who, by learning about what to do to stay healthy, what to watch out for, and what questions to ask, are taking control of their own health and the health of their parents.

Fuck Cancer is focusing on early warning signs and detection to focus on catching cancer when its curable.  Believe me, I sure wish my cancer had been caught when it was at an earlier stage.  Anything Fuck Cancer can to to help others avoid a cancer diagnosis, or catch it early, is good work indeed.

Check out Fuck Cancer's website to get more educated about various types of cancer.  For most types of cancer, the website offers a cheat sheet and infographic.  For breast cancer, information on self-examination is also there.  You know how I feel about breast exams:

If you want to fuck cancer, check your damn boobs!

If you want your significant other to do the checking, that's fine with me.  Fighting cancer is a team sport.