October 8, 2008

• Breast Cancer Awareness-The Non-controversial post.

  Why do i say non-controversial-do i dare? I say it because we can all agree that breast cancer is bad. I mean worse than black licorice bad. Worse even than kicking puppies bad. And that is why I am writing this post as an almost doctor on the breast cancer thing going on (aka xxxanga)

  So for those of you not following the latest xanga drama, some folks have been posting NSFW pics of themselves covered with the xanga logo in order to promotes awareness of breast cancer/and testicular cancer for cancer awareness month. Other people feel that this is an inappropriate way to bring attention to a serious issue.

  My thoughts: Lets face it people, nudity can sell just about anything. Yes, you can show photos of mastectomies, and maybe some people will say ZOMG what a horrible thing to have to go through and get up and contribute to breast cancer research or even go read up on it. But allow me to show you the average internet user

  

  There you have it. I am now aware of breast cancer because it has given me the opportunity to leer at boobies. I would argue that while posting these softcore photos does nothing to address the issue of breast cancer in and of itself, it does in fact raise awareness by driving traffic to such sites. Once there, if the authors have at least mentioned the risks of breast cancer (#1 cause of cancer in women followed by lung and colon, whereas lung has highest mortality-so stop smoking!) or indicated things that young women can do to help prevent breast cancer (yearly breast exams, self examination-although studies show it is not as effective, mammography yearly for women over 30) then they have been at least semi effective in their goal of raising awareness

  By contrast, those who are offended or at the least disinterested and think the proper way is to post mastectomy after-pictures; well that is a pretty effective tactic too, provided the same information is provided. Then again, it is a tactic most likely aimed at an entirely different demographic. Not that the two dont overlap, but realistically speaking, the reason there is a month designated to raise awareness for these causes is because the great majority of people will think about it, wear whatever color ribbon has been chosen for that month, and then never go beyond that. Too many individuals (myself included) simply lack the dedication to join a race for the cure, or involve ourselves in painstaking research-so our solution is to read a few articles here or there, jokingly offer free breast exams to our female friends if we are male, or maybe just remind our friends to self exam if they are female, and then get on with our lives.

  So whichever way you choose to raise awareness, I commend you for it. But please remember, whether you use the enticement or the scare tactic, please PLEASE impart true and helpful information. Statistics arent looked at by people as anything more than a high/lo ball-so remind people that if they have a family history of ANY kind of cancer, if they feel a lump or notice a discharge from one nipple, or skin changes/retractions that they should definitely go get checked out.

  As for the testicular cancer- well, lets face it, most men find an excuse to adjust their testicles at least once a day, so self screening isnt a problem. Beyond that guys, if something feels different-a firm lump, or one testicle seems to be much larger than the other, or doesnt transilluminate (go ahead stick a flashlight behind your testicle and shine it through watch your balls light up! its a good party trick) then go get yourself checked out. That turn your head and cough thing is for hernias, not cancer, so that wont cut it. Just like with the women, family history is a danger, as is a history of your testicles not descending from your abdomen when you were young (and i mean like 2 years not puberty) While testicular cancer is by no means as common as breast cancer, its still no walk in the park.

  So there is my two cents. Promote awareness however you like, as those of us here in our lofty ivory towers enjoy the view. Just make sure that you give out true and accurate information and remind people to go to their doctor with any questions. Becuase the internet is only as reliable as wikipedia, and if you folks keep getting all your medical information from there, I will soon be out of a job

  If there is any more info anyone would like included in this post, or questions you want addressed, just leave em in the comments box. It will make me feel important and more likely to answer you.

  -Almost Dr J
  

  • 3:01 am
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