I feel the need to post after reading a letter to the editor of the Sunday telegraph today that has really upset me. A very mixed up reader wrote " its up to funding bodies and the government to make sure that the less " sexy" cancers get the attention that they need." I wonder how many of my pink sisters feel that BC is a " SEXY" cancer. I certainly don't feel sexy as I see the scar running from under one arm, across my entire chest to the other under arm as sexy. I see it for what it is. The scar from the surgery that removed both of my breasts in the hope of saving my life. I understand that BC gets a lot of $$ for research, education etc compared to other cancers but I also know if we had a choice none of us would of chosen the " sexy " cancer or any cancer for that matter. I'm so disappointed that the writer had no sensitivity for cancer patients and survivors in general. I have written a letter to the editor stating the offence I took to the writers comments. If you feel the same please take the time to write too Thanks Mel :)

Good on ya Mel you go get that cretin who could possibly think that any form of cancer could be sexy. There is definitely some very very insensitive tossa's in this world. I am sure he has never been touched by cancer and especially breast cancer that he could call it sexy. What I am hoping is that there was a blooper in the typing of his comments otherwise I think he needs a bloody good education into the C word and I don't mean cretin I mean cancer. He has already been educated on how to be a cretin. Mich xoxoxo

Put this guy in a room with a picture of our scars or what's left of boobs and see if he really thinks we are sexy then. Dick head is all I can say. Adean

Less sexy cancer. What a weird thing to say. I cant say that my reconstruction looks sexy at all. Why would the paper publish such an uneducated item? What is an Unsexy cancer?

We can all relate to the crassness of this! Women have gotten off their backsides (Lyn Swinburn et al) to HELP us, and breasts used to be another part of our bodies that were not talked about. Nowadays people chat openly about cervical cancer, prostate cancer and even bowel cancer- well done! It would be good for BCNA to invite him to be educated! Love you all, sisters in pink, ANGRY Mandy

Just to add Here are the statistics from the Australian Bureau of Statistics - from 2002, 2006 and 2011 - There is no improvement in the number of womenand men dying fro the disease in that time. while diagnosis rates may have increased and proportionately it seems like less are dying, many new diagnoses are possibly cancers that would never have metastasised anyway. We are not winning this game at all. Breast cancer (C50) 2 716 people 2 643 people 2 937 people

BC.... The " sexy " cancer | BCNA Online Network

23 Replies

onemargie
Member
9 years ago
We should all write down our what not to say to cancer patients and encourage the book there are many of us who would have some classics. The dickhead who wrote that comment should be named and shamed in the book for sure. I haven't felt sexy for nearly 12 months! people are just so insensitive sometimes. Ill have to stop and think about all the shitty things that have been said to me but here's one to start the book off.

Was starting my first dose of taxol all hooked up and ready to go and in walks the breast care nurse no hello no how are you just Oh youre starting on the taxol, well you know you're going to get debilitating bone pain with that and wont be able to get out of bed and then she just walks off! my husband nearly got up and punched her in the face I was in tears and luckily got reassured by my chemo nurse that this does happen sometimes but not to everyone. There are others Ill just have to get my chemo brain to remember them!! And no I didn't get the Ignore bone pain, yes I had some aches and pains but nothing like she said I would get Margie.
primek
Member
9 years ago
PS. ..having said I think of the use of the word sexy as popular, to the cancer sufferer, and yes we are that, even if mentally only (only is a poor choice of words too) I consider the choice of use of the word sexy...as insulting and vulgar too, with no consideration of the impact. X
primek
Member
9 years ago
So agree. Only now is lung cancer even making headway in promoting early detection. .cough for 3 weeks , get an Xray. My father died of lung cancer. He was end stage when discovered. There was no treatment but we had wonderful palliative support. And we continue to donate to the local palliative team here 20 years later.

But I agree that all cancers need support workers. One day maybe we won't need them. Unlikely in my lifetime. Kath x
Afraser
Member
9 years ago
When I was a kid, no-one said the word cancer out loud, it was mouthed or hinted at. Because it was considered a "dirty disease'. I don't really know why - in Scotland in the 50s everything smoked - cars, chimneys, factories, people. Those cinema evenings with the film beaming through swirls of cigarette smoke! No-one mentioned passive smoking, possibly because it was inevitable. And yet I don't think the stigma was at all attached to smoking. Doctors smoked. I think it was just fear. Thankfully attitudes have changed. But those who have lung cancer (who may never have smoked) still cop it. In ways the overweight, over alcohol-ed, and generally utterly careless rarely do. It's not a fair world. But that's why I simply believe everyone needs access to decent health care. One report today says that 14 million Americans will cease to have this when ObamaCare goes. Not something to emulate.
Zoffiel
Member
9 years ago
OK, I could be guilty of a degree of confected outrage. I know what 'sexy' means in this context, but I still chose to be pissed off about it.

It is true that the hard work that has gone into the creation of support services for breast cancer patients has made our experience significantly different from that of people diagnosed with other cancers. My dear friend, Trish, died of lung cancer 5 years ago. I was genuinely shocked at how little support was available to her. I couldn't believe that a woman could be so left out in the cold because her cancer happened to be on the 'wrong' side of her rib cage. Don't even start me on the attitude of some hospital staff. I went with her when she was admitted to a major teaching hospital in Melbourne and the way she was treated by the admissions clerk-- 'I suppose you must be a smoker' -- sent me into a near apoplectic round of reports and complaints. Trish had a distinctly 'unsexy' cancer and she was reminded of that again and again.

None of us take our Breast Care nurses for granted and maybe the time has come for similar services to be rolled out for all cancer streams. The question is, who pays for that? Many of the services we count on are funded by tumour specific donations and bequests to philanthropic organisations. I don't think anyone who has benefited from the McGrath Foundation would argue that the money wasn't well spent, but the costs of providing Cancer Liaison nurses for everyone seems to be making the bean counters baulk. My local health care service has included this in their 5 year plan, but I worry it will be unachievable unless there is a change in State and federal funding. Not looking likely at the moment. Marg
Cosette
Member
9 years ago

primek said:

I took it as saying "sexy" as popular. We are unfortunately popular ...as breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths for women behind lung cancer. And unfortunately for us breast cancer doesn't discriminate... young, old, thin, fat, healthy, unhealthy, children, childless, breastfed or not...makes no flippin difference. We don't seem to be able to predict or prevent, for the most part we can't avoid. ..it's just a lotto with horrifying high chance of being picked. And that my fellow bc sisters is why we need so much funding. And fortunately what is learned for bc helps our male partners fight the horrible stats for prostate cancer as well. So yes ...sexy, popular...if it brings on the cash for no deaths for women with breast cancer ...then bring it on...I'll flash my scars if it helps. Kath x

Yes, that's what they mean: popular. This has become one of those marketing buzzwords to describe things that will get a lot of public support though using it in the context of cancer is extremely distasteful.

I also want to highlight that although it's true that breast cancer now gets a lot of attention and funding, this is a fairly recent phenomenon. Up until the 20th century, breast cancer was feared and hardly talked out. There was a lot of stigma around it and women often suffered in silence and alone. And it was women, and the feminist movement, that changed this through years of very hard work. I could go on and on about this...

Another problem with these kinds of articles is the assumption that government pours a huge amount of money into breast cancer. There are about 50,000 charities in Australia and they're all after government dollars. We get a very tiny slice of that pie. BCNA's work is made possible by the generous support of our partners and the community.
iserbrown
Member
9 years ago

InkPetal said:

What a tasteless thing for people to say. Gross.

@inkpetal Yes it is gross to use sexy in that context and I understand the hurt that it has caused. The use of the word sexy has many forms!
from a dictionary on line, the use of sexy in the context of what I am referring to:
informal Very exciting or appealing.
‘business magazines might not seem like the sexiest career choice’

Take care and sending you a virtual hug xx
primek
Member
9 years ago
I took it as saying "sexy" as popular. We are unfortunately popular ...as breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths for women behind lung cancer. And unfortunately for us breast cancer doesn't discriminate... young, old, thin, fat, healthy, unhealthy, children, childless, breastfed or not...makes no flippin difference. We don't seem to be able to predict or prevent, for the most part we can't avoid. ..it's just a lotto with horrifying high chance of being picked. And that my fellow bc sisters is why we need so much funding. And fortunately what is learned for bc helps our male partners fight the horrible stats for prostate cancer as well. So yes ...sexy, popular...if it brings on the cash for no deaths for women with breast cancer ...then bring it on...I'll flash my scars if it helps. Kath x
InkPetal
Member
9 years ago
What a tasteless thing for people to say. Gross.
Afraser
Member
9 years ago
OK not a well thought through letter, and the use of the words sexy and hot to describe what's considered valuable drives me to distraction. I'm a grateful recipient of the benefits research into breast cancer has brought, but I can understand that many would like to see the same resources brought to bear on other cancers. And that's fair enough. It should never be a competition to see who 'deserves' more treatment than someone else.