I guess I've just assumed that breast cancer organizations happily accept every donation they receive and joyfully funnel all charitable gifts into their noble endeavors. I mean, without money and research and programs and services and education, where would we be? We'd be uninformed and lagging behind the force of this disease instead of gaining momentum on its trail. That's where we'd be.Now, I've never assumed these organizations accept money obtained through illegal measures. But I've also never assumed they'd turn away money just because it came from a group of women whose profession and means of fundraising might be considered unacceptable. I suppose I shouldn't make assumptions. Because I seem to be wrong on all accounts.
The Breast Cancer Society of Canada has officially rejected a donation from a group of Vancouver strippers because of the controversial nature of their fundraisers. Exotic Dancers For Cancer these women call themselves, and for four years they have been raising money in honor of another dancer who lost her battle with terminal cancer.
Trina Ricketts, founder of the exotic dancer website nakedtruth.ca and recipient of the letter rejecting the donation, is shocked that people consider this contribution dirty money. And she is so bothered by this unfair judgment that she has been contacting the media and outting the Breast Cancer Society of Canada's discrimination practices. Her protests are working.
In a supportive turn of events, Ricketts has been met with an overwhelmingly positive response -- and she now has several organizations willing to accept all donations she wishes to offer.
This story is not nearly as simple as presented here. It's so much more detailed and touching and moving when told by Ricketts herself -- who happens to share her inspiring journey right here.
CORRECTION: Trina Ricketts reports that she did not seek out the media to out the Breast Cancer Society of Canada.
"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," she said.
Sometimes all it takes is a small gesture to warm the heart of a cancer patient. It doesn't take anything huge. It shouldn't cause any stress or discomfort. And it shouldn't require a whole lot of thought. It should be simple. Simply simple.
As women facing the challenges of a breast cancer diagnosis and the triumphs of living beyond breast cancer, we share our stories and ourselves in the hope that it will help other women facing the same challenges in the fight to survive breast cancer and the special issues of breast cancer survivorship. 
Olympus Junior High janitor Terry Birch is deaf and needs cochlear implants. Last summer, his wife, who is also deaf, was diagnosed with breast cancer. She is currently undergoing chemotherapy. After that, she will begin radiation therapy. The Birch's have four children. 
I have kept this post in the pending file for two days because something inside me is deeply opposed to giving
these groups any more media attention or blog time than they manage to attract on their own. But, as a breast cancer
survivor, I have become aware of an emerging new twist in the agenda regarding the fight to overturn the legalization
of abortion that is so disturbing and offensive, I feel compelled to share the observation more than I feel compelled
to denying these groups attention. This post is not about abortion. This post is about a group using cancer in a veiled
attempt to further the political agenda for overturning the legalization of abortion -- in what appears to be an
anything goes tactic of justifying the means to achieve the ultimate goal. 
