off topic: breast cancer visibility versus prostate cancer

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  • godblessourhome
    godblessourhome Posts: 3,892 Member
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    However, in that 6 years, my personal feelings toward the Komen fund/Breast Cancer awareness have become a bit resentfull.

    congrats on being home this year to participate! i totally know what you mean about this. sometimes, i am resentful about all the pink too. but i tryt o remind myself that the more money breast cancer receives, the more all cancers benefit. for example, recently a gene has been found to predict breast cancer. the male offspring of these women have a higher chance of having prostate cancer.
    I really hope I am not coming across as uncaring or unfeeling for those who have battled breast cancer, but to relate to the OP, my grandfather passed away from lung cancer. Even the American Lung Association doesn't give great coverage to this cancer! Yes, in many instances (including my grandpa's) it is "self caused" through smoking, but it didn't make it any easier to watch him wither away or lose the ability to even breath.

    i am sorry about your grandfather. my husband's grandma died from lung cancer as well. i was surprised that it was the number ONE cancer killer in both men and women because it barely gets any publicity. i don't care if it is 'self-caused' or not, that is sad.

    thanks for taking the time to reply!
  • godblessourhome
    godblessourhome Posts: 3,892 Member
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    You are doing a great thing by speading awareness. And I believe your father is very proud. God Bless.

    thanks for the encouragement! it means a lot.
  • godblessourhome
    godblessourhome Posts: 3,892 Member
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    Thank you so much for giving us this information. Cancer is a dreaded thing. My father died in 1995 from Malignant Melanoma, and it shook my world. Cancer knows no boundries. It is horrible, and affects us all in some form or fashion. Whether it be a family member who has it, a friend, or our personal self. I agree, we all need to be aware of the different types of cancer, and it would be great to get support and financing for research for all types.

    We need to be educated about the types of cancers there are, and takes steps in preventing them from happening to us. Knowledge is very important.

    I'm so glad you brought this to our attention, and I will be praying that your advocacy will open the eyes and hearts for many to get involved.

    God Bless

    i agree, cancer affects us all. i'm sorry that you lost your dad to this horrible killer.
  • godblessourhome
    godblessourhome Posts: 3,892 Member
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    beebee and shirley - thanks for chiming in!
  • Nich0le
    Nich0le Posts: 2,906 Member
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    Prostate cancer doesn't get talked about for many reasons, one being that with each decade the chances of prostate cancer goes up by that percentage. In other words, if you are in your 40's there's a 40% chance you will get prostate cancer, 50's yo uhave 50% chance and that by age 100 you will either have had or have prostate cancer.

    My husbands family has a history of early prostate cancer and although he is adopted his biological father sends him information on tests that can be done to see when he is at high risk of prostate cancer. His grandfather had it and his father just had his prostate removed about 2 years ago.

    I agree that with such a great risk there should be more talk about what can be done to prevent it. I think it boils down to media, if the media picks it up and runs with it then it becomes the issue of the decade. Breast cancer has had a lot of media, a lot of survivors willing to go on TV and talk about their journey if you will. Men are not always as willing to share their life with people and especially on national television. Kind of how we can talk about birth control and tampons and how to make your penis larger but condoms are not advertised because it "may cause embarassment" but birth control pills and tampons, or worse yet those old summer's eve commercials don't?

    When it comes to aids walks, breast cancer walks etc it takes a special group of people to kick start those, they often spend a lot of time organizing, hunting down sponsors, dealing with city and local officials for permits and finding ways to get the word out. Once this is done you have to turn around and start it all over for the next year and eventually it becomes a full time job. You might want to find out if there is a walk for prostate cancer in your area and try to help by volunteering to help during the event and to spread the word. Nobody pays attention unless someone is shouting "hey, we have a problem here" .

    KNowing my husbands early risk factors it is always on my mind. I will keep those of you currently going through this process with a loved one in my thoughts and prayers and now I will go look up on active.com if there are any walks or runs for just this cause in my area and if not maybe I can be the first in my area to start spreading the word!

    :heart:
  • godblessourhome
    godblessourhome Posts: 3,892 Member
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    When it comes to aids walks, breast cancer walks etc it takes a special group of people to kick start those, they often spend a lot of time organizing, hunting down sponsors, dealing with city and local officials for permits and finding ways to get the word out. Once this is done you have to turn around and start it all over for the next year and eventually it becomes a full time job. You might want to find out if there is a walk for prostate cancer in your area and try to help by volunteering to help during the event and to spread the word. Nobody pays attention unless someone is shouting "hey, we have a problem here" .

    KNowing my husbands early risk factors it is always on my mind. I will keep those of you currently going through this process with a loved one in my thoughts and prayers and now I will go look up on active.com if there are any walks or runs for just this cause in my area and if not maybe I can be the first in my area to start spreading the word!

    there is so much work involved with setting up a walk or run. if you do it, i wish you the best of luck!!! i participated in two prostate cancer runs during september; one was the first annual and it was exciting to be a part of the 'ground movement' so to speak. there is also another prostate cancer research run in december here called the rudolph ramble that i will do. i figure that if every person that participated last year brings one friend, the event and the publicity will grow and that can only help all cancer research. i think i might call them and see if they need volunteers. great idea!
  • godblessourhome
    godblessourhome Posts: 3,892 Member
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    too important not to bump.
  • godblessourhome
    godblessourhome Posts: 3,892 Member
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    bump.
  • ivyjbres
    ivyjbres Posts: 612 Member
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    Pen and Teller's Bull****! did an episode about cancer research and funding. A breast cancer awareness advocate said pretty plainly that women are concerned more about breast cancer because they have the tendency to define their femininity via their breasts. So even though breast cancer is the least deadly, its what women are most afraid of getting. We may be afraid of dying, but we're more afraid of living without breasts.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    My personal opinion is it's politically correct to support research for a cancer that is mostly suffered by women and not so much for a cancer solely suffered by men.

    I don't agree with it, but that's the way the world works these days. :-(

    So sorry to hear about your dad. My great-uncle has been living with prostate cancer for more years than I can count and is doing great, thankfully. He does so by getting involved in every prostate cancer study he can find. But it's not publicized enough and I don't think a lot of men know that's an option.

    I would definitely support more awareness of this cancer. Also, testicular cancer. A friend from high school died of it about a year after he graduated and another friend is in remission from it. You don't hear about that one, either.
  • MassiveDelta
    MassiveDelta Posts: 3,311 Member
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    My sister an I were discussing this the other day... We thought it was quite strange and really unfair considering the awesome shirts they could sell for other cancers.

    with Breast cancer you have the Save the Ta-Ta's shirts
    Testicular cancer could have "Save the Family Jewels"
    Rectal cancer shirts could read "Save UrAnus"
    Prostrate cancer could be... "Save the Male Gspot?" Well there has to a be a better one then that!


    It really is tragic that Breast cancer gets so much attention.
  • godblessourhome
    godblessourhome Posts: 3,892 Member
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    ivy, that is really interesting... and kind of true. i am having a terrible crisis knowing that my breast size is reducing and i kind of want to stop losing weight so i don't lose any more boobage even though i need to lose 15 more pounds. huh. it is crazy how we define ourselves.

    rml, i am glad to hear your great-uncle is doing well. my husband's paternal grandfather is the same way. he has lived with it for almost 18 years now. sorry to hear about your high school friend. :(

    mcope, i love your shirt slogans! they are great!
  • godblessourhome
    godblessourhome Posts: 3,892 Member
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    bump.

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