to have such a strong reaction to this advert for cancer?

[FarleyD]

I'm talking about the advert where people throw insults around, eg there's a little girl saying "you make me sick", someone else saying "cancer you twat", someone saying "we're going to get you" etc.

I don't watch much tv, and adverts barely register on my radar. I'm suprised at the strength of my reaction to this ad. I don't know what it is about it but it almost makes me feel queasy. Maybe it's the fact that the ad suggests the power is in our hands to "fight" this pernicious disease. It just doesn't sit right with me.

Does anyone else feel this way? Can anyone explain why I feel like this?! And aibu?

[FarleyD]

Sorry to those of you who might have been upset by this thread, and who have suffered losses through cancer. We have serious illness in our house also (dh) but not cancer.

Asheth - "belittles cancer" - it does doesn't it (the ad)? I think that's maybe what my reaction stems from, the idea that it's all so easy to deal with, we'll just shout a bit.

You never see, 'I beat my cardiovascular disease,' or 'Me- Transplant Recipient, Donor - dead'. Expat - so so true.

[cleofatra]

I also hate the concept of cancer being "personalised". It isnt an enemy or an entity. Its a whole lot of different and diverse types of malignancies. It has no feelings or thought. I dont know why but the ad makes me kind of angry.

[bulletwithbutterflywings]

Yanbu. I find the 'cancer's a cunt' thing cringey and the battle analogies insulting.
The falling down advert was so powerful, much more 'real' to me.

[bangwhizz]

They use the word 'twat' in an ad

[Creameggkr]

This is why I hate the race for life tbh. All those placards saying shit. I know it's unreasonable but I still hate it.
I had cancer and I didn't die because I was one of the lucky ones.
That's it really, no fight involved, in fact I was petrified and bloody furious.

[badguider]

I don't think it's about fighting on an individual level - many of the people are referring to people lost through cancer not those still suffering/fighting or those who have the all-clear. It's about fighting the disease on a population scale through research.
I have lost loved ones to cancer and I have a good friend who survived testicular cancer. I find the advert kind of noticable as in it didn't just wash over me, the anger in it didn't make me comfortable but I did recognise it a bit from moments during my friend's treatment and also my family members' deaths.

[BegoniaBampot]

I don't like it, not sure why but it just seems false and full of bluster but with no substance - don't believe the people actually believe it either.

The falling on is very powerful indeed.

[timidviper]

I also am really uncomfortable with this advert but found the falling down one very emotive. My Dad died from a rare form of tumour and yet still find cancer referred to as a cunt or a twat offensive and, yes my poor Dad was brave and strong and tried his best, the suggestion that this is a battle he could have won is abhorrent

[Shelly32]

It is an enemy and it needs to be beaten. The recent research that Metformin can stave it off and prevent it from beinf terminal is a massive breakthrough and more money needs to go into this type of research. I don't think the ad suggests that those who die from it are weak. In fact some of the people in it say they've lost people to cancer. We do need to beat it and together is the best way. The ad tries to unite people by evoking the anger, rage and gried felt by those suffering/who know people suffering.

[expatinscotland]

It's a disease, Shelly, with an absolute myriad of forms. Treating it is just that, not beating it. It's a failure of your own immune system most of the time. So do you beat yourself up? Because it's from you, it is you.

[expatinscotland]

'The ad tries to unite people by evoking the anger, rage and gried felt by those suffering/who know people suffering.'

Yet everyone on here whose loved one has or has had this does not feel anger, rage of grief from this ad. It makes them sick and turns them off.

And my child did not lose. She died. Ads like this revolt me.

[mrsbungle]

I also do not like the advert. My mum died a horrible death from cancer. Cancer is a shocking disease and, as others have said, no amount of "fighting" or "battling" would have saved her. I hate that terminology.

Maybe the ad does mean "fighting" cancer in terms of raising money and awareness but I don't think the advert comes over in this way well enough if that is what it means. It makes me really uncomfortable.

I did find the advert where the people fall down to be hard hitting in a good way.

[cleofatra]

The ad doesnt evoke the same anger as I have as someone who has a loved one suffering. It makes me feel angry as it appears to me a little ignorant and insulting.

[rumbelina]

I have also struggled with the 'fighting' and 'beating' cancer. Like the people who die from it didn't quite work hard enough. Like they could have done something.

I also, probably irrationally, get irritated when people go on and on about cancer sufferers who ran marathons etc. They are brave and determined, well of course they are but they are an enormous minority and...well I'm just sensitive I suppose as everyone I know who died of cancer was fucked from the start and never stood a chance.

So, yanbu. Calling cancer a twat does fuck all.

[Shelly32]

Sorry for the loss of your child. Nothing anyone says will make that better and no ad in the world will help. It is a disease and in my opinion an enemy. But that's just my opinion. I lost my Nan to cancer and my best friend. I like the advert and find it comforting as I am angry with cancer and terrified of me or anyone else I love getting it.

[rumbelina]

The falling down one made me weep buckets though.

[cleofatra]

I'd rather the message about research was along the tlines of "cancer, lets get it so no-one else will suffer" rather than "we're coming to get you".
I dont care that "we are coming to get" twatting cancer. Its too late for us.
I do, however, care that reserach will help prevent anyone else going through it. But not for a very long time.

[Shelly32]

Me too rumbelina. We are all likely to be affected by this insidious disease at some point. Getting cross with one another over an advert isn't going to help anyone.

[Shelly32]

Cleofatra Did you read the breakthrough research on Type 2 Diabetes drug Metformin??

[cleofatra]

Its not quite so breakthrough, there have been papers about metformin for a while now.

[Shelly32]

Danny Baker put it beautifully. He said he didn't beat cancer, but that his body was the battlefield on which medicine fought this disease.

[mrsjay]

I feel the same about this advert or any 'together we will beat it' ads I dont like the fight against cancer or winning against cancer, I have no personal expereince but these kids of phrases makes me really uncomfortable

[mrsjay]

kinds*

[Shelly32]

Well, there are 35 odd posters on here who are uncomfortable with the advert..I wonder how many people will be inspired by that ad to run Race For Life and raise some money for something we will all benefit from?We'll see.

[cleofatra]

The ad would not coax me to run the race for life, no.