Pink Month

[SharkHawk]

I'm not going to respond to all of your comments, because well.... it's a waste of time. But the big emphasis on breast cancer is because awareness is the biggest issue as of this moment. Make women and those who surround them AWARE that early detection saves lives more than any other "certain death" disease, and you've officially solved (at least temporarily until a cure is found) a huge health issue in this country. As they work on cures, the best way they can spend money and help with what has reached a crisis level worldwide is to promote awareness. There are tests that take a matter of minutes that can determine treatments that can save lives almost immediately. Not just prolong by slowing the disease, but remove it entirely and save that person's life.

Sorry that pink "looks dumb". Maybe someday your wife, mother, or daughter will get the reminder from somebody or just be asked the simple question of, "have you been screened" and have an extra 30 to 40 years added on to their life. Then maybe "Freakin' pink" won't "look dumb" to you.

There are lots of forms of cancer out there. Most aren't as easily detectable with an initial screening, or as easily removed, or have nearly as high of a survival rate. The money raised "for the cure" is used to cure CANCER. Breast cancer is a great starting point, because many of the tremendous discoveries in cancer treatment have come about because of breast cancer treatments that have been used experimentally.

 

[GeekHawk]

The fact is, I'm already aware of breast cancer. Nothing that anybody wears can possibly make me more aware of breast cancer. Capiche?

 

[Giblien]

1) I have multiple relatives who have survived breast cancer, so don't misunderstand my sensitivity to the issue.

2) Pink looks dumb. I'm sorry, it just does...

3)...but even more important is: where will this end? Are we going to start wearing a different color each month for each cause? I just want the game left pure, without the influx of any more organized corporate, social and political statements (something a previous poster already alluded to). It's bad enough every 5 second stat report is sponsored by coke/Budweiser/Toyota, but when we start to introduce more and more elements like this, the game starts to drown in a sea of commercialism and activism, and that's not what football is about. It's a game. If people are that concerned about the company/cause, turn it off the game and go volunteer and raise some money for it.

 

[LymonHawk]

The color pink may look dumb to many folks, but I tell you what I see when the pink is worn.

Those shoes, gloves, etc. are given to raise money for various BC charities. Charities like Susan G. Komen, have given hundreds of millions to BC research. Others like Young Survival Coalition, offer support groups so the those with BC don't have to face it alone. Gilda's Club, offers family support. Etc, etc.

Today, my daughter is ALIVE because of research paid for, and support provided by these charities. That's right, my baby, my only child, would be dead if it weren't for "The Pink People."

I could go on, but just let me finish with: You don't like the pink? I could give a shite less!

 

[Tailspin Hawk Fan]

I don't think it has a bit of "trying to pander to female fans". I think it is an issue that all sports have taken to heart and supported (baseball started it with I believe the pink bat weekend).

The facts are that breast cancer has a high cure rate if caught early. That is the big point. OF all cancers, it is very survivable if caught right away. That is why they want to start the mammograms at 40. Add to that, I have yet to meet a person in my 39 years that hasn't been personally impacted by breast cancer. When the issue comes up (as we raise money for leukemia and lymphoma since my dad had it and my best friend from teaching is a survivor and had two bouts by the time she was 25). It is just a matter of talking about it. Once we start talking, the discussion quickly turns to somebody who has had it.

The biggest issue with the awareness is that the NFL's main market (age wise) is right in the wheelhouse for those who need to be educated and get their wives, girlfriends, moms, or themselves out to get mammograms (40+, or less if the family history says so).

The NFL has found a way to pool their resources and create a massive awareness campaign and on top of that a giant fundraiser by selling off game used memorabilia in pink (which brings in tons of money for research and treatment) and it creates another line of merchandise for them to sell, which is good for the league.

The NFL's support of the issue did another great thing and got people to start looking at the books of the Susan G. Komen foundation (sorry if the spelling was wrong) and people realized how little of their funding was actually going towards research. It was embarrassingly little. So just the awareness that was created by the NFL getting involved basically forced that charity to up the ante, and also got other companies involved who have promised a much higher rate of investment into research and direct help like in paying for early screenings and the like (Avon is one example that has stepped up big this year and put their money directly into research rather than sending it off to another company that pays a board in the 6 figures and has to relabel themselves as an "awareness organization" essentially due to their poor record on actual spending.

I could care less if the NFL went 100% pink including the turf on the field. Breast cancer kills people. It does it fast and it takes away way too many moms, sisters, aunts, wives, daughters, teachers, friends, etc. etc. If it is caught it can be treated and those lives can be saved! Just like prostate cancer. But it has to be caught. If the biggest TV show (in numbers of total viewership for all shows/games weekly) in the nation can remind people to get checked and promised a chunk of the money they make to find a cure for all of those moms, sisters, wives, daughters, friends, etc. that we love then I say awesome for them. I never saw the cast of Jersey Shore offering up a percentage of what they make for research for an awful disease that kills people every minute. I did hear them gripe about not making enough per episode and saying they were going on strike. Same with the case of Friends and a lot of other shows that have high visibility. In this one case the NFL is walking the walk and I applaud them for doing so. They make plenty of dumb mistakes. Why not give them a pat on the back when they go out of their way to earn one and deserve it? How this can be an issue of contention and complaint towards the league seems really nitpicky at best.

Ditto.

 

[SharkHawk]

Preach on Lymon. Preach on my brotha. I also could care less about the football "we're tough" and "pink looks stupid" and "all football players are tough SOB's that will crush every bone in your body!" mindset anymore. That assclown that I used to be "died" 2 years ago, and frankly I'm glad he's gone. I may just be a totally different assclown now, but I prefer this one that I am now, to the one that I used to be, because now I care about human beings, my kids, healthcare, LIFE (not the cereal, although it's good too), and stuff that actually matters like leaving the world just a little bit better that when I got here and could care less about all of the bravado. It's just tired and I'm just tired of it. We're all so much more than we many times aspire to be and many times we pretend to be so much more tough and indifferent to the realities of life than we really are. Things change us, and it's hard many times to see how they change us for the better, but they do. Maybe we need to look a little harder sometimes.

I am so thankful that your little girl, and yes, she'll ALWAYS be your little girl, even when you're a thousand is here and that you're here to speak on the behalf of those who need somebody to tell them that has lived through it and understands WHY it is important and every penny spent and moment spent reminding and making others aware of these issues is time and money well spent, because it means that your little girl is still here! And that is wonderful and beautiful and we need a reminder of that, and now every time I see a big tough guy smashing people wearing pink I've got another person to think of on my list of gratitude for something that the NFL actually got very right.

 

[LymonHawk]

Thanks, Jon.

Let me throw in one more thing. My daughter Nicole was only 34 YO when she was diagnosed with BC. It is not just a disease for 'old' women.

So to the ladies on our forum, please, it's never to early for exams and such!

 

[SonicHawk]

We all know breast cancer exists.

This is pandering to women.

I don't care that much, uniforms are ridiculous enough as it is. Only thing worse would having to be a Dolphins fan and seeing their awful colors all the time.

 

[SharkHawk]

That's why the awareness campaign is such a big deal and I'm so glad you posted your daughter's age of 34. The "doctor's" advice was mammograms and screenings at 40. The really deathly cases happen before 40. They are the cases that seem to just attack the entire body and have spread into the bones and other organs before even being initially recognized. My best friend who I taught with (as I mentioned earlier) was 25 before her second round. It was crazy. She was first diagnosed with "a nickel allergy" by an incompetent doctor. But thank goodness for her listening to herself and knowing something more was wrong, and doing exactly what the patient advocate and awareness programs state so clearly.... "You know yourself better than anybody... if you don't feel well after seeing a doctor, then see another one! Advocate for yourself!"

My boss told me that in July after I just wasn't feeling well and was blown off by a nephrologist who couldn't figure out what was wrong with my kidneys and told me to come back in six months for another round of tests and see what was up. I tried to schedule the appt. and he said, oh just call in six months and we'll get you in. His waiting list is usually 3-4 months though. Fact is... my kidneys were just reacting to something else, that's why they were acting so weird and he didn't know what was up. I just kept hassling the family doctor until he gave up and had me see his PA. She immediately sent me to a different type of specialist. They determined I was completely septic and would have died within a few days (maximum) had I not seen them that day and gotten the nuclear blast of antibiotics and electrolytes (this was only 6 weeks ago). Thank goodness. I knew I was sick. Even the nephrologist knew I was sick. He just was too proud to admit that he didn't know what was up and it was out of his realm. I honestly think he said to come back a half year out meant he was fully expecting me to be dead. I fought with him from April - May and then gave up and got sicker and sicker. I went to work on July 20th with a 104 degree fever. Then went home and went to bed that night and spent my 39th birthday sure I was going to die. Thank goodness for some incorrect diagnoses in between then and 6 weeks ago that gave me just a sparse enough dose of antibiotics to keep me alive. They'd run out and the bacteria that had formed in my stomach grew stronger and stronger and stronger. Finally I'm winning. Bout time. Go Seahawks.

I'm proud of your daughter for being her advocate and making sure she got treated and is here to brighten everybody's life. It gives me hope.

And anybody who says this is pandering to women is a joke. If you want to call it something disrespectful, call it a tax write-off for the league. I don't see how reminding people of an awful disease on a weekly basis is "pandering". Pandering to women would be forcing a woman player on every team and assuring that at least one coach was a female. Apparently you folks who keep using the word pandering don't understand what it means. Creating awareness does NOT equal pandering. If it makes women happy then is it pandering? Come on. This is a league that panders to men on a weekly basis with cheerleaders, beer commercials and gambling opportunities. Cancer awareness is not a form of pandering.

 

[sc85sis]

As a woman whose grandmother died of breast cancer (when my mom was only 2), I am definitely in favor of breast cancer awareness.

On the other hand, I really detest pink.

 

[SonicHawk]

Pandering to women isn't necessarily a bad thing. But it's crazy to think that they are just doing it to raise awareness. Women aren't their main market. If they wanted to raise awareness why don't they have a testicular cancer month? That would reach their actual market.

 

[BlueTalon]

As a woman whose grandmother died of breast cancer (when my mom was only 2), I am definitely in favor of breast cancer awareness.

On the other hand, I really detest pink.

That's all I'm saying.

 

[LymonHawk]

BTW: If anyone has heard some BC public announcements this past month on KIRO radio, that is my daughter, Nicole.

Young Survival Coalition is this month's KIRO/Seahawks charity of the month, and Nicole is the Seattle affiliate manager.

Jon: She's actually the advocate, I'm just the proud poppa watching his child change other people's lives in a positive manner.

 

[Pstark3]

Whatever raises money for the cause, i'm down for.

 

[Hawkaholic]

Pink flags today!

 

[dunceface]

"But Ironhead, pink makes my team look sissy and makes me question the purity of the sport..."

 

[hawker84]

i too noticed the hawks had no pink on during the whiner game... thought it odd at the time, actually thought they went away from the month long thing, cuz the whiners had very little on as well, except for a spattering here and there...

 

[Sarlacc83]

My aunt has breast cancer, so when I say this, know I'm not being callous:

If you look at the funding for the National Cancer Institute, breast cancer has over 2X the funding of any other type. Maybe, just maybe, it's time to focus on a few other killers like lung cancer (which is the leading cause of cancerous death)? Maybe?

 

[HawkFan72]

The thing that is dumb to me is that if a player tries to raise awareness for a different type of disease (see Reggie Wayne for example: http://www.usatoday.com/story/gameon/20 ... s/1621207/), they are fined.

I don't get why Breast cancer is is given a whole month, but every other type of cancer or disease is somehow beneath it. Instead of a whole month to one type of cancer, why not one different type a week for a month, or let the players decide which disease they want to raise awareness for during one week?

It is good that the NFL raises awareness for breast cancer, I just think it is dumb and somewhat offensive that that is the ONLY disease allowed to be promoted, and not only that, but they do it for a whole month EVERY YEAR. Maybe time to show some support for people dealing with other types of disease too?

 

[Sarlacc83]

The thing that is dumb to me is that if a player tries to raise awareness for a different type of disease (see Reggie Wayne for example: http://www.usatoday.com/story/gameon/20 ... s/1621207/), they are fined.

I don't get why Breast cancer is is given a whole month, but every other type of cancer or disease is somehow beneath it. Instead of a whole month to one type of cancer, why not one different type a week for a month, or let the players decide which disease they want to raise awareness for during one week?

It is good that the NFL raises awareness for breast cancer, I just think it is dumb and somewhat offensive that that is the ONLY disease allowed to be promoted, and not only that, but they do it for a whole month EVERY YEAR. Maybe time to show some support for people dealing with other types of disease too?

Honestly, the whole thing reeks of marketing and not concern.