1. Hi Jacki, thank you for writing about this here. I just wanted to cliarify one thing. The decision to go public was not in the interests of outing the Breast Cancer Society of Canada, but rather to seek out charities that would be willing to accept our donations. The BCSC is not the only organization that has declined us. In fact, they were the first cancer-specific charity to not decline us, last year when we approached them for our third annual exotic dancers for cancer event. This year, we assumed they would take our donation again, but due to the flack they received after last year, they chose not to. Many of the org's that are now coming forward publicly to say they'd accept our donation, have declined us in the past. So it is not an uncommon occurrence. The remarkable thing about all this is the opportunity it has provided the exotic dance community to challenge some of the stigma and stereotypes out there that we live with daily. I hope you and all those who read your blog will join us on the day of the event this year. It's March 4 from 4pm till midnight at the Drake Showlounge in Vancouver. We will be deciding on a charity in next day or so. Thanks again for writing about our story. Trina xoxo

Posted at 2:46PM on Feb 12th 2007 by Trina Ricketts

2. It's a shame that some organizations have an agenda that boils down to capricously choosing who benefits and who doesn't based on a prejudice. What's more innately immoral than denying a charitable impulse and refusing help for people in need?

I'll bet if you were to bypass the institutional gatekeepers and offer the money to an uninsured cancer patient who's being told by his doctors to bug off because he can't pay, he or she wouldn't let any preconceived notions of "morality" keep him from gratefully using that money to survive. When I went through cancer without insurance, I doubt I would have questioned the character of someone who was offering me help in good faith. And guess what... the doctors certainly wouldn't have cared where the money came from, as long as it ended up in their pockets.

Best regards,
Richard Day Gore

Posted at 7:31PM on Feb 12th 2007 by richard day gore

3. Great idea, Richard! I'm currently uninsured and still in debt from my original diagnosis and surgery. I applied for medicaid but was denied twice. Since then, I applied for patient assistance programs and was accepted (thank goodness). I managed to get enough funding together for reconstruction but that eventually failed when I developed seromas that leaked. I got patched up three times from that but on my last visit to the surgeon, he said "We can keep doing this but we're not getting anywhere. It's time for the expander to come out."

Needless to say, I was devastated. Now, I face a lifetime carrying around one large, large breast which throws off my balance and affects my upper back quite a bit. I'm considering trying to get funding for another mastectomy just to even me up.

Since I don't have insurance, I have other medical needs that could use attention as well. However, I do now have a job that has doubled my income since my diagnosis but it is only part time and even with the improvement in my finances, there is no way in the world I could even get insurance, nevermind afford it. That leaves me with begging for every dollar for every procedure I have done...mammograms, blood work, dr. visits, etc.

About the fund raising? It hurts me to know that these women have done the best they can to try to remember someone that was a part of their community and to help someone else with their efforts. It stinks.

Posted at 10:35AM on Feb 13th 2007 by MaryD

4. Speaking as a Ex-dancer and a daughter of a pancreatic cancer victim i feel as thought that any donation from any kind of career or profession should be taken . It pisses me off to think that someone would turn down a DONATION if it depended or contributed to more researh for cancer and a persons survial.

Posted at 12:30PM on Feb 14th 2007 by Eve

5. Ironic, considering a new ad campaign here in the States by the Susan G. Komen Foundation....

Another ad says, "We only focus on one thing. Or, depending on how you look at it, two." The print ads are appearing in People magazine and USA Today, and the posters will be in Atlanta; Boston; Chicago; Dallas-Fort Worth; Los Angeles; New York; Orange County in California and metropolitan Washington, D.C., the Times reports. T-shirts also will be sold as part of the campaign, featuring slogans such as, "If you're going to stare at my breasts, ... you could at least donate a dollar to save them." The campaign's Web site, which is separate from the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Web site, features an additional fundraising effort called the "Promise Ring," which sells rings in sets of two for $5 per pair. According to the Times, the campaign is "indicative of how nonprofit organizations are significantly revamping" the "tone of their messages" and the "methods they use to reach out to consumers." Chris Orzechowski, Susan G. Komen for the Cure director for brand marketing, said, "We felt like we weren't serving younger audiences and more ethnically diverse audiences." Janet Bustin, president at TracyLocke, said she thinks the rebranding will be effective because it implies that "we're so far along with fighting breast cancer, but we're not done yet" (Elliott, New York Times, 1/29).

Full article can be found here...
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=62054&nfid=crss

Posted at 5:15PM on Feb 13th 2007 by MAP

6. Ironic, considering the new ad campaign by the Susan G. Komen Foundation...

Another ad says, "We only focus on one thing. Or, depending on how you look at it, two." The print ads are appearing in People magazine and USA Today, and the posters will be in Atlanta; Boston; Chicago; Dallas-Fort Worth; Los Angeles; New York; Orange County in California and metropolitan Washington, D.C., the Times reports. T-shirts also will be sold as part of the campaign, featuring slogans such as, "If you're going to stare at my breasts, ... you could at least donate a dollar to save them." The campaign's Web site, which is separate from the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Web site, features an additional fundraising effort called the "Promise Ring," which sells rings in sets of two for $5 per pair. According to the Times, the campaign is "indicative of how nonprofit organizations are significantly revamping" the "tone of their messages" and the "methods they use to reach out to consumers." Chris Orzechowski, Susan G. Komen for the Cure director for brand marketing, said, "We felt like we weren't serving younger audiences and more ethnically diverse audiences." Janet Bustin, president at TracyLocke, said she thinks the rebranding will be effective because it implies that "we're so far along with fighting breast cancer, but we're not done yet" (Elliott, New York Times, 1/29).



Full article can be found here...

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=62054&nfid=crss

Posted at 11:45PM on Feb 13th 2007 by MAP

7. I encourage everyone to write a letter to the Breast Cancer Society of Canada. We can talk amongst ourselves but we are the 'converted'. Let's seize the opportunity to advocate for people who are stigmatized by our society. Below is a message that I sent to the Executive Director of the BCSC.

Dear Ms Xanthopoulo

I was greatly dismayed to hear that the Breast Cancer Society of Canada has made a decision to reject donations from the Exotic Dancers for Cancer. Stigmatization and discrimination seems to sadly be alive and well within an organization working to address a major health issue affecting Canadian women. ALL women are affected by this disease and ALL women must be shown respect regardless of their occupation.

Your organization had an opportunity to educate corporate sponsors but unfortunately, you have dropped the ball on this issue. As an employee of a community-based organization, I encounter some of the most stigmatized people in our community. Society continues to marginalize particular segments of our communities and unless those of us in positions of support grasp the opportunities to advocate for change on behalf of the marginalized populations, nothing will change.

It is never too late to reconsider poor decisions and judgments, I’m hoping the Breast Cancer Society of Canada will in fact reconsider this poor decision. I trust your response will show an indication of reconsideration.

Debby Warren

Posted at 5:13PM on Feb 13th 2007 by D Warren

8. MaryD,
You are in my prayers. Medically-induced poverty is emotionally devastating, not to mention the physical hazards. Keep fighting.
Love,
Richard Day Gore

Posted at 4:03PM on Feb 16th 2007 by richard day gore

9. Today was the first time I became aware of the Canadian Breast Cancer Societys' rejection of monies raised by a group of unselfish and empathetically motivated humanitarians such as the Exotic dancers.Had the donations been obtained by an illegal activity then perhaps I could understand, are we now going to judge people and thus deny them ,as in this instance, the privilege of aiding their fellow females. Are we not all sisters under the skin, are Exotic dancers exempt from Breast cancers ,were this so we should all aspire to be Exotic dancers.
Let us remember that we are working for the greater good which is the eradication of Breast cancer.
A Breast cancer survivor, Trudy Neilson

Posted at 12:26PM on Mar 15th 2007 by Trudy Neilson

10. I'd reject them, too. What they do is not respectful to the body or to women.

Posted at 2:24PM on Mar 12th 2007 by Sarah

11. do you know in Indonesia, there is a kind of onion name "umbi danendra" which used to kill cell cancer ? a lot of people already health from cancer and live without cancer because it works with burn the cell cancer and the methastase cell in the body of patient,so the people who has not the money come to traditional therapys and get health but the rich people come to doctor , take surgery,chemotherapy and die by cancer. i already see the people with stadium 4 breast cancer and the doctor said she will die soon but live health until now, people who get stadium 3 cervical cancer,already surgery for her uterus, ovarium, get health again after 1 month eat 3 umbi danendra per day.the cell cancer and the infiltrating cell has gone(MRI). and the cost only 300 usd, could you compare with the hospital cost? i believe with this onion because i already see the prove ,thats why i sell onion to everyone who need in this world

hope you are healthy

ichsan effendi

Posted at 7:56AM on Apr 29th 2007 by effendirahman

12. I would like to see exotic dancers with one breast or none lost to cancer get up their and dance. Lets see how many men will acctualy pay to see these women dance for them and just how much money this women would make. Exotic dancers are viewed as the perfect body that every man desires. These women exploite female bodies for the pleasure of men and money. If you want to fund raise as a stripper keep your cloths on and then donate what you raise or as I suggested above get your one or no breasted strippers to raise the money. This might be more exceptible.
Personal I do not think that anyone who exploites, degrades, dehumanizes or belives or participates in the degrading of women should be fund raising for this cause. That would be like excepting money form a child molester or rapest for fund raising for the victims of these crimes. Why don't exotic dancers fund raise for their own cause I am sure their are a lot of ex dancers or existing dancers with problems that money would help. I do not mean to sound unfair but lets get real.

Posted at 8:26PM on May 10th 2007 by linda