To wonder how the no make up selfie raises awareness?!

[Weathergames]

ARGH!! We all know breast cancer exists - how does this help?!

I have to agree that there isn't really a need to raise awareness of cancer, we all know it exists!!! I have put a selfie picture on that featres my very prominent head and neck scars I have from getting cancer at age 23. I wanted it to remind people that cancer is a real disease that can affect anyone at any time and to never ignore your symptoms!

It's making me reassess a few people on my time line.

With the text message details, fine, but without? Why? What is the purpose? It seems designed for insecure people to get some 'you look gr8 hun!' messages and for people to say 'well I don't normally wear make up but here I am' (still looking fab!)

This is what I posted as my Facebook status:

This is why I do not participate in the FB games that purport to raise awareness of cancer.

Over the last 28 months I have had 1) a mastectomy, 2) 6 cycles of chemo, 3) 3 weeks of radiotherapy and 4) 18 cycles of Heceptin. I have been taking Arimidex for nearly 2 years and will continue to do so for another 3 years. Because of the potential side effects of the Arimidex there are other drugs I must also take. They also have potential side effects.

Also, I previously had DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma In Situ) in the other breast 21 years ago. I am now facing a Stereo Core Biopsy on Friday morning because a mammogram 3 weeks ago showed new areas of concern in the remaining breast.

I find these "games" deeply offensive. The cryptic status updates (remember the colour of your bra one or the where I leave my handbag one) and now the bare faced selfies do NOTHING to raise awareness of anything.

I think yabu to be honest. No one moans about movember selfies to raise awareness....

I've posted this on my fb. Although Cancer research has stated this selfie thing is nothing to do with them they are encouraging people to text a donation. One friend has posted her selfie while declaring how embarrassed she is. She has tagged every female on her page to help her get over her embarrassment.

Love you Zombie

I was an utter utter cunt to someone yesterday over these selfies and it resulted in her deleting and blocking me.

I'd earlier put up a rant about "Donating the cost of your make-up rather than just posting a pic" and she'd sent me a sarcastic PM.

Later on she did a selfie, and I just couldn't help but comment. But I wasn't exactly nice. I was a sarcastic, humourless cow to her and she probably didn't deserve it, but these things make me so mad.

Remember the "Change your profile photo to a cartoon in aid of the NSPCC" game? That was 2 years ago. So glad that so many people did it, I mean, no child has been beaten, abused or killed since have they?...... oh, wait.

Loads of these have appeared on my facebook this morning, the only one that made any sense to me was the one that requested a £3 donation to be made to a cancer charity (a text number was included, not sure if it is a con?) but I could see how that would help. My no make up selfie would be no different to most days, I am far too lazy to put make up on every day!

I have actually had a FB argument due to posting the exact same question yesterday.

A friend of mine who actually has cancer (but has not made the news public), and who has a strong family history of cancer commented that it was pointless, as a make-up free face says nothing about cancer whatsoever. She was then jumped on by a casual acquaintance who does not know her AT ALL (I am the mutual friend), saying that friend A "obviously had never been touched by cancer. Everyone who has would understand" and went on to mention her own breast lump scare last year, as if that qualified her to judge others on the subject.

I have lost both of my parents in their 60's, my grandparents and three friends to cancer so far. I also have a high risk of getting the disease myself. I give to Cancer Research UK, Macmillan and the local hospice on a regular basis. I am acutely aware of cancer & am absolutely all for raising awareness. I just fail to see how bare faces are doing this. There have been a few more posted today with the actual Cancer Research donation link attached, which is much better. The first ones though, had no such information and didn't even say why they were going make-up free!

goldenlula - the text donation details that are appearing now are totally genuine & have been set up by Cancer Research UK. They did not initiate this whole "no make up selfie" thing but, due to people asking them what it's all about, they have set up a way to donate to it for those who want to.

I really don't see the point at all.

I have had 4 friends post it already.

I hope they don't nominate me as 1. I think it's pointless and 2. I don't wear make up so that's pointless too.

I think some of the admiring comments are being sarcastic - drawing attention to the real motive of raising awareness of the selfie

Gimme you don't have to do it even if you do get nominated. If someone was to have a go at you for not doing it, just retaliate with the many good comebacks on this thread

I will admit I posted a sarcastic no-make-up selfie yesterday - it was a picture of a manatee as it's a running joke atm that I feel like a manatee - but didn't claim it was for cancer research.

And I will shamelessly admit to blogging this morning, posting a picture of my bump and asking people to consider that my 'bump selfie' and to look at the websites for, share the links to and consider donating to Tommy's, Count The Kicks or SANDS - my reasoning being that I've raised money in the past for SANDS, and intend to do so in the future for Tommy's too, but can't at the minute because I can't do any charity runs etc, and surprisingly few people I know are aware of the importance of counting their kicks, so if it raises awareness and a bit of money, it's all good. I'm guessing that's the motivation behind the no-make-up selfies when people have actually posted the link to donate - but those who've just said "it's for cancer research look at me without make-up on" are compliment-fishing and should be ignored.

I am in two minds about this. I have secondary breast cancer, now in my lungs and liver, which I'm being treated for though incurable.
I've just been on FB and seen my DN posting a no make up selfie, but has said it's for me.
I adore her, she's a darling though very hun and I was very touched.

Yabu !
It's got people talking and I for own checked my breasts this morning. A normal day I wouldn't think about it but this made me stop and think. Stop being so miserable!

I have now stepped away from Facebook. I have been torn to pieces and called names for being 'negative' about it. I've actually now deleted people.

one of my friends a mother of 2 young children is recovering from treatment, operations and complications after being diagnosed with cancer last year. She posted a pic of her donation.

Dp's best friend died last year after 4 years of cancer. He lived on a cancer ward with him for a lot of that time and dp and friends widow find some of these things so insulting. The funny thing is a lot of people posting them were the ones that were fuck all practical use when it was all going on.

Why did someones bare face make you check your breasts though? Great if it did but how? We see the word cancer every day somewhere or another why did this make a difference.

It's not miserable dellybobs, like I've just posted on the other thread:

The make-up less selfies started in October last year and was all about feeling good in your own skin.

The current selfies craze was started by celebs in support of an older actress that appeared at the Oscars without make-up. Tagging "It's for cancer" on to it was simply a FB game.

God, if you are going to take part in this type of bollocks, at least research what you are doing

xxxxx for zombie and waves to LadyBeagleEyes
I don't think we're being miserable dellybobs - it just seems to be meaningless unless supported by a link.

I think the original idea wasn't bad, the whole 'know your skin' and sharing it with the donation number, although it does rely on people doing the whole 'omg, no make up I look terrible this is so embarrassing wah' which I dislike, partly as I regularly wear no make-up. I didn't realise I was such a spectacle on those days It also implies that wearing make-up everyday is the 'standard'.

But of course the internet being the internet, the useful part, i.e. the tagline and the donation number, has been lost, and now it's just a bit of a vanity thing.

It's not about knowing your research! Who gives a stuff where it started. It has got people checking their bodies when they otherwise wouldn't have thought about it, and people donating money to the charity. So what if its an old idea or not the charity's idea. It's got you talking about it so its working!

So yes it is miserable to get so wound up about people doing something that really isn't harming you.

Perhaps you should read my earlier post, dellybobs.

And consider these 'selfies'. The one where I'm wearing the green top was taken 2 weeks after my 2nd cycle of chemotherapy. The other one was taken 5 weeks later so 1 week after my 4th cycle. I rather think they say a bit more about cancer than the pictures flooding Facebook. Notice how much I 'aged' in those 5 weeks. THAT is only one of the things cancer does to a person.