Weekly Round Up

Time for this week’s round-up of the best of the blog posts which I’ve read over the past week. These are the posts that have moved me, taught me something, inspired me, and which I’ve wanted to share with you. Don’t forget if you have written a post which you would like readers to see, just leave a comment below.

I am reporting this week from a land down under (most of you reading this know by now that I am spending the next 9 months in Australia on sabbatical) where I have spotted some inevitable pink ribbons, balloons and teddies but not much (thankfully) in the line of pinkwashing in the stores. Not so in the United States, where pinkwashing continues to exercise your mind..and your blogs.

Jen has link to a post by Daniele Farrisi  How do I hate Pinktober? Let me count the ways, Liza is seeing a reddish shade of pink, Ann is railing against a breast cancer fundraiser she finds particularly offensive, while Anne Marie bemoans the “motorboarding” breast cancer awareness-raising idea.   The Cancer Curmudgeon has been feeling “defeated” by the excesses of this month and Melissa Ross shares her story as guest writer for the Telling Knots Pinktober project on those living with metastatic breast cancer.

And in the interest of fairness, for I have always said this blog is about sharing differing points of view, an article in the Huffington Post by Lisa Masters which comes out firmly on the side of pink. Audrey is more measured in her approach and states her ambivalence in Pink Ribbon Blues.  It’s not always easy to stick your head above the parapet and challenge the current thinking, but Audrey’s post reminds us that like so many things in life, breast cancer isn’t a black and white (or pink!) issue. She also calls for less divisiveness and more collaboration in our work – something Chris echoes in his latest blog:

There is so much work, still to be done, in the complex world of cancer. The further I get into it, the more issues I can see. But one thing that gets clearer for me daily, is that collaboration in our work, is the one thing that will give us strength. There are many people doing great things out there, but we definitely need a much more joined up approach if we are to progress things in the longer term.

Yvonne is also writing of a topic which evokes strong opinions – tattoos. Her brilliant post Tattoo, Taboo. Oh how we judge you is a must-read this week.

Falling into the “it’s complicated camp” a very thought-provoking post on a woman’s relationship to her body by Elizabeth and a post full of mixed emotions which tore at my heartstrings by Catherine.

Elsewhere in the blogosphere…

Thanks to Dr Matthew Katz for alerting me to this interesting post on how the latest mamming meme may do more harm than good.

A powerful account by the Pink Underbelly of her visit to the Scar project exhibition in her home town. Meanwhile, in the UK, Ismena, who is currently undergoing treatment, has shown the world her scars in a photoshoot for Breast Cancer Care.

Jean has information on My Hope Chest – a not for profit organization that offers assistance in obtaining breast reconstruction surgery for the uninsured and the under insured.

Linda writes about her previvor guilt.

Katie shares a poem from my favorite poet, Mary Oliver.

Nicola has finished her last dose of chemotherapy.

The Breast Cancer Consortium is calling for your stories.

Lori is writing about her MedX experience, while Molly shares the reason she started her Consano organization.

Julia has joined the Sing To Beat Breast Cancer choir and they have released “You Raise Me Up” as a single to raise money for the Breast Cancer Campaign charity

Reminding us that men get breast cancer too, Nancy hosts a guest post by Oliver Bogler on male breast cancer.  

And finally, I loved Philippa’s reminder that we live in a fascinating and surprising world and Eileen’s love life project.  The last word this week goes to Eileen:

Let it be known.. I’m dating life

Until next week….

Think about how you could date your life.

Yours with love

Marie xxx