Welthy Posted November 1, 2007 Share Posted November 1, 2007 Hi all, Just got back from the grocery store and had a mini-meltdown at the check-out. I actually peeled off the "pink" breast cancer promo that surrounded the credit card machine and held it up to the clerk. I asked if they would be putting clear ribbon info everywhere for November's lung cancer awareness month. I wanted to see the store manager, and of course, being nighttime, he wasn't there. I started lecturing this poor clerk about how lung cancer kills more Americans than yada, yada, yada. Tears were streaming down my face. (Poor guy, he was actually very sweet, but stunned at this middle-aged crying woman.) This would be a repeat scenario of what I did last year at this time. (No tears last year.) I did talk to the store manager that time and he told me to write the parent company, Safeway. I did and got some nebulous response. I sat my butt down again tonight and wrote another email -- ---------------- Once again, I've visited your store in Carol Stream, IL and was deluged with pink promotions everywhere for breast cancer awareness month. Tomorrow will be November 1, 2007 -- which is the start of Lung cancer awareness month. I wrote last year regarding your chain's lack of support for Lung Cancer awareness, and I can only assume that the PINK won't be taken down tonight at midnight and replaced with clear ribbons, lung cancer promotions and information. Lung cancer kills more people every year (men and WOMEN) than prostate, breast, colon, liver, kidney, and melanoma cancers COMBINED. Will Dominick's continue to turn it's back on the leading cancer killer in the United States? Please contact the Lung Cancer Alliance or LUNGevity for promotional information. CLEAR is the color for November. I lost my husband 2 1/2 weeks ago to Stage IV lung cancer and he is just one of the 160,000+ that will die this year alone from this horrible disease. Fifty percent of those diagnosed are FORMER smokers -- in my husband's case he quit 23 years prior to diagnosis. Another 15% are people who have never smoked. What is your chain's hesitancy about getting involved? -------------------- I don't think one voice will matter, but if we all blitz Safeway and their subsidiaries with these types of letters, maybe next year will be different. I noticed on the pink sticky thing that it was breastcancer.org, but who will provide or does ANYONE have these types of things for Lung Cancer? Are there people approaching these huge store chains with promotional information for lung cancer? What lung cancer group is coordinating efforts of this nature? Does this stuff even exist for lung cancer? Lately I've noticed commercials for ovarian cancer awareness, but have yet to see anything for lung cancer on the tube. I have so much swirling through my mind now and wondered if anyone knows these answers. All I know is AWARENESS is the key to any advances. We can walk til the cows come home (which is good too!), but until we solidify on a large scale, amass funds to get the information out there, scream for AWARENESS, and get lung cancer off the "taboo" list, nothing much is going to happen. I'm of the "if you build it, they will come" variety. Considering how many lives are touched by this disease, we should have huge numbers to accomplish great things. Oh boy -- long again. Sorry! (I know I've been out of the loop for this type of stuff too with my responsibilities at home, so this may be a real rehash of prior topics. I'm curious though.) Welthy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blaze100 Posted November 1, 2007 Share Posted November 1, 2007 Hi Welthy, I feel exactly the same way. Every time I check out at Safeway they ask if I want to donate $1 to bc or maybe prostate. I just want to scream, why do they need any money? They have 95% survival rates already. What about the rest of us? Face it. LC survivors are the be-damned. And nobody really "gets it" until they get it. Barb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nyka69 Posted November 1, 2007 Share Posted November 1, 2007 I LOVE YOU DEBI!!! I'm sorry you broke down in the store...I hate when that happens. But it happens to the best of us, especially this early in grief. Love your email to Safeway. Go you! You make me proud. I'm interested in seeing the responses to your questions. Thanks for this post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sis Posted November 1, 2007 Share Posted November 1, 2007 Debi, You are amazing. Thanks for speaking out. I love your spunk!!! Let's just see what happens on November 1st. Ellie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Connie B Posted November 1, 2007 Share Posted November 1, 2007 I wish there were SIGNS and BANNERS and FLYERS all over the place (stores, doctor's offices, bars, schools, offices, road signs, etc., etc., ) that say: NOVEMBER IS LUNG CANCER AWARENESS MONTHS! We don't have MILLIONS AND MILLIONS of $$$ to fork out for them like Breast Cancer does. When I walk into my Doc's clinic there has been a big banner flying about the entrance door that says: October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month! They put it up every year. I never see a banner for anything else! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leela Posted November 1, 2007 Share Posted November 1, 2007 Debi, You absolutely ROCK! You are my hero. I too am sorry you broke down in the store, but unfortunately sometimes strong emotions are the only way to get the point across. Your letter is wonderful! Love and hugs, Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick C Posted November 1, 2007 Share Posted November 1, 2007 WELL WRITTEN! Every shot in this battle gets us closer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandyW Posted November 2, 2007 Share Posted November 2, 2007 Sis and Welthy I ftya ge3t arrested call me OK? Tip jar money at chat is Bail money got it !? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barbara5452 Posted November 2, 2007 Share Posted November 2, 2007 Debi, could not have said it any better. You go girl.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendy Posted November 2, 2007 Share Posted November 2, 2007 Oh thank you so much for sharing this. The other day I stood in front of a display at the grocery store that included cake decorating items, bracelets, cake mixes, cookie cut outs, etc. all for breast cancer. Honestly I stood at the display for about 5 minutes wondering if I would get arrested if I just trashed the display and thru a fit..... needless to say, I didn't destroy the display. The fear of jail got to me finally Wendy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bam451 Posted November 3, 2007 Share Posted November 3, 2007 I too had the same argument with a sales clerk last year. This year I tried to avoid the grocery stores to save some poor soul of my melt down. Thank you for writing an email.. I wish I was more involved in the fight. I should be, it's taking my mom's life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J.C. Posted November 4, 2007 Share Posted November 4, 2007 Wendy, I have bc and I can't stand those ''Pink'' articles that always show up. First they use them the wrong way the V of them should be at the top for VICTORY and the 0 should be at the bottom is the tear drop. Never got arrested YET, but was very near when I went on a rampage in the parling lot of a big mall I took of all the pink signs from the antennas of the cars the police was called........but got away with it, when I told them there should be one for all cancers not only breast cancer, false advertising to get money for only one cancer cause when all the other cancers are ignored. My reason I have breast cancer and I'm alive, my husband had lung cancer and he is dead. Those ribbons should have been clear not pink. May try it again at another mall this year. Love Jackie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.