"I like supporting causes I believe in by donating money, offering support or volunteering my time. I don't like supporting a cause by participating in a viral social campaign insinuating my preferred location to have sex (I mean keep my handbag) which goes about as far as a primary school chain letter for all the good it does."
I shared that little thought in the Spring of 2010. I'm appalled to say that since then there have been two more equally ridiculous campaigns to "raise awareness for breast cancer".
Now, let's be serious here: these are superficial chains passed between females (the "rules" specify that it must only be passed on to girls) that, if the participant actually intended genuine support of the cause, are the lamest excuse for cancer support I have ever heard of.
The chain letter is passed on using private messages on a social network where recipients are advised to write an ambiguous or provocative status update publicly, with the purported aim to "keep the guys guessing".
What purpose this serves in "raising awareness" is beyond me.
Cancer is a truly horrible thing and it can ruin lives - not just for the 1 in 2 Australians that will be diagnosed with cancer by the age of 85 but also for the families and loved ones of cancer sufferers.
As a loving family member of a cancer sufferer I hope that cancer research will continue to be genuinely supported by the public, and that we raise awareness for all cancers and not just the more common cancers.
More than half of all cancer related deaths in Australia is caused by less common cancers such as pancreatic cancer, stomach cancer, and bone cancer, amongst others. It would be great to see the profiles of these cancers raised in the public consciousness and Cancer Council Victoria are now focussing on learning more about these cancers for future prevention through the Forgotten Cancers Project. The project calls for Australians diagnosed with one of the targeted cancers to participate in a study focussing on the causes of these less common cancers.
You can help raise much-needed awareness by sharing this post with your loved ones and consider helping in the Forgotten Cancers Project in any way you can.
To donate to a cancer charity or support organisation please see the Australian Charities list.
No comments:
Post a Comment