"Doing XYZ prevents breast cancer." aka a Lying Meme.

(Actually, I've sat on this post just to make certain I was being objective about my perspective.)

Since I was attempting to catch up on fakebook this afternoon, I was scrolling along quickly in between doing a bunch of stuff today.  I found a meme which made me angrivated in an angrivated way that only others like me would understand.  Basically, it's yet another meme circulating about breast cancer with a very false claim about how if humans stop using toxins, then breast cancer would be prevented.  (Note:  WOULD BE was implied as if it was set in stone in would be prevented for any and all diagnosed, implying that no use of toxins will keep anyone from being diagnosed.  There was no acknowledgement of the fact that men can be diagnosed with breast cancer also, which was another thing I found disturbing.)

So, I did what those of me do.  I sent a comment about what I saw and why I believed it to be putting out incorrect information.  (And this particular meme was from a group that is supposedly about "breast health," which makes it even more appallingly sad they're putting out incorrect information.)

I attempted to be polite, convey civility without being condescending, and didn't drop the F bomb.  (I know, right?  Wtf?!)

Here's what I sent:

This picture meme is misleading because it's not known what causes all the different kinds of breast cancer there actually is.  People who have lived "perfectly" have still wound up with one or another form breast cancer.  Men can get breast cancer, you certainly aren't acknowledging that.  

And before you get pissy with me about my comments, I've had breast cancer and I did everything "right" and still wound up with it.  It doesn't discriminate between yoginis who are hardcore vegans and breastfed or women who breastfed and ate the occasional burger or women who were raised on farms or in cities or who are in their twenties or in their eighties or used makeup or didn't use makeup, women who had a genetic pre-disposition to it from a family history or women who have no family history of it at all.  Cancer does not discriminate.

Regarding breast cancer, another lie is that early detection saves lives.  It does not.  Women who are diagnosed at grade zero, stage zero can go stage 4/mets at any time and eventually die from whatever form of breast cancer there is, just like some women diagnosed as stage 4 can survive for a few years, and some won't.  Breast cancer STILL kills.  People diagnosed, and I say people, because both men and women can wind up with breast cancer, can still wind up with mets/stage 4, even though they did everything "right," according to their doctors or did everything their doctors told them to do.  Cancer happens and it's a shit storm.  

Where's your meme telling people this sort of thing about kids who wind up with cancer?  Are you going to imply their parents weren't responsible enough with one thing or another and that's why their child wound up with that vile disease? 

You probably won't take it down or alter it, but at least I said something.  There are tons of people out there like me who are attempting to educate others about the gross misconceptions about cancer.  Toxic chemicals in any form are a bad idea--for anyone.  But to say protecting the earth from them prevents diseases like breast cancer is flat out not true.

Thanks for your time.

Of course I felt as if the reply given to me was standard response fodder, but at least someone did read my comments.

I've been chosen to participate in a really cool thing.  Bressante makes custom foob forms and amazingly enough, I was chosen to receive a pair.  This could be interesting, people.  They definitely appear to be an improvement over the old kinds on the market.  Here's information about Wendy's Kickstarter page.  She's doing this to help people like me.  

Building a Better Prosthesis  That dot in the center of the U.S. you see on the map?  That's me.  I'm hoping that the funding will come through from kind souls who believe this is a project worth contributing to.

There's a few links I'm going to share to some posts/articles related to various cancer related shit since cancer is a shit storm.

Want Attention?  Just Say Breast Cancer.  (This is a lovely commentary about the ribbon versus ribbon stuff that seems to now be going on.  Thanks ever sofa king much, Big Name Pink Ribbon Foundation for being divisive instead of helpful, since ALL cancers can and do kill people.)

Something I Can Use  (More cancer patients versus cancer patients commentary, communicating about what cancer patients really need, and included in this are some thought provoking statements about head shaving.)

Cancer Charities Scammed Millions of Consumers  (Yes, it can and does happen, people.  Please think before you pink, or pay attention to where you're donating.  There is no fucking way I'd donate anything to the Big Name Pink Ribbon Foundation or The Other Big Name Cancer Society.  Neither have ever done ANYTHING for anyone I've encountered who's had to deal with cancer.  They sure as fuck won't get anything from me.  Am I saying not to donate?  Nope, not at all.  I'm just encouraging you readers out there in HorseDoovers Land to check around, ask questions, do a bit of research first, and then donate.)

Living With Cancer; Patients On Our Own written by Susan Gubar says "At one point or another during and after radiation and chemotherapy, the women in my support group have needed physiological, psychological, dietary, cognitive, sexual, child-raising, financial, or housekeeping guidance that none of us received.  Of course we address these matters among ourselves, but why don't cancer centers provide professionals to advise us?  If nothing else, such supplementary counseling would give cancer patients the boost of knowing that we are doing what we can to help us cope with difficult circumstances."  (I have a comment or two about that wonderfully put paragraph.  It's because it's all about money and nobody but others like us really give a fuck about our functionality and quality of life once it's fucked up from the shit storm that cancer is.)

My Life on Xeloda  Commentary about why is treatment still so primitive?  This was an outfuckingstanding read.

Not Long and Beautiful  Interesting thoughts on losing hair and breasts.

Living With Stage Four  The breast cancer nobody understands.

And because I always want to share options I've found for those of you who want foobs, here's a couple of links.

Super Gel Breast Forms  These look like they could be interesting, maybe more comfortable than the old silicone foobs which are pawned off on so many of us as replacement foobs.  Eventually, I would like to try a pair and then share my thoughts on them here for you people who are interested.