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

[Weathergames]

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

Bloody Hell.

Zombie, LadyBeagleEyes, and all other fighters. I wish you all the very best and hope that I have half your strength and dignity if it ever happens to me.

I started today thinking the same as you lot, I asked the question on my Facebook status and got a reply that made me realise I was wrong.

Many of us don't check our breasts on a regular basis. Many of us don't know how to. That's where the awareness comes in, it's not awareness of the existence of the disease, it's planting the thought that as individuals, we haven't checked ourselves in a while and ought to.

Those posting selfies without the message are missing the opportunity to make more of a difference. In posting a selfie with the message to check your breasts, along with the link to donate if you are able to, that's what gives the most impact.

However, I'm proof that even all those people who are posting selfies without the picture are spreading the message of 'awareness' too. Many people will just remain annoyed and dismissive, many others, like me, will think more deeply and find our own awareness without it needing to have been in those selfies.

This morning I was annoyed, this afternoon I've found out how and checked my breasts. I've urged all my Facebook friends to do the same and posted on the couple of forums I'm a member of so spread the word. Lastly, and least importantly, I've donated to breast cancer research (because I was financially able to).

So that's what the word 'awareness' related to. It's a prompt to learn how to check your breasts and then do it today! I hadn't for quite a while so it worked to raise my 'awareness'. I'd like think that I've raised the 'awareness' of many of the people reading this. CHECK YOUR BREASTS FOR ABNORMALITIES AND DO IT TODAY BEFORE LIFE GETS IN THE WAY.

I definitely do.

Instead of posting a selfie I linked to Cancer Research, Giving Blood (Blood.co.uk) and Anthony Nolan.

I have only gave blood once but that was due to being pregnant and then having some stomach problems at the moment. As soon as everything is in the all clear I will be giving blood again. I'm also on the list for Anthony Nolan as a donor.

If people really want to help then I implore them to donate or do something great for a cause. My partner has sky dived to raise money, for example. My Dad has done several charity/donation cycles. This is the way to help in a non selfish way.

I care for a lot f my FB friends dearly but some just don't realise it's just a bit self loving or at least it comes across that way.

I am sorry for Zombie and Lady who have to read stuff like this - but you seem like strong, passionate women and I'm sure you see it for what it really is and that nobody is trying to upset anyone, it's just misplaced.

This is sending young women totally negative message .
It may be raising cash and awareness , I applaud that but loathe the whole idea .
Make up and skin products are often the cause of poor complexions and skin issues . This becomes a vicious circle then of covering up .
The teenage facial product industry is worth zillions . This campaign only confirms the media and advertisers negativity about bare faces .

Natural faces start out pretty til the seed of self doubt sows itself and sadly the slap comes out .

(Good wishes to all the mumsnetters who are suffering the cancer storm , the deliverance if the message may be awry , but the intent was pure .)

news.uk.msn.com/selfie-windfall-for-cancer-charity

There's been a surge in donations which they've attributed to the campaign, so whether it's frivolous or not, it's had a good outcome.

The posts I've seen have all either reminded people to check themselves or included the donation number.

I wasn't going to do it, I found all the comments on other women's selfies distasteful, " You're gorgeous hun", type stuff.
But then my friend's husband posted her picture. She has successfully overcome breast cancer, but was extremely ill, went through chemo, lost her hair and one of her breasts. The caption with her photo was a bit about how proud he was of her, then, "Now go and check your tits!"
I posted mine within minutes with a link to the donation line. I did it for her because I bloody love that woman.

Whether directly or indirectly it has raised awareness and a chunk of money - people have been discussing it all over the Internet and there's been a surge of people on my Facebook newsfeed donating to cancer research in a backlash against the selfies; so surely that's 'job done', whatever the motives of each individual... Isn't it?

It tiresome isn't it? I am quite happy to donate to charity as and when but nothing in the world will entice me to put a photo of myself on FB clearly taken in bed and 'artfully' pouting whilst pretending I have no make up on.

Any awareness is a good thing I'm my opinion.
I am a survivor and my lovely friend died of it on Monday aged 38.
I am devastated.
Anything that prompts people to think about this is a good thing.
It was breast awareness week that made me find my lump at aged 26.

I get that it sort of rankles with some women, like big wow your make up free, yeah that's really sticking it to cancer. But for young women, selfies, tagging, fb news feeds, it is a big part of their life. Awareness that you can donate via text, awareness that £3 is something and not nothing, that some one you know has been affected by cancer.

I took a screenshot of my donation and posted my "look my iPhone with no make up on took a selfie"

I think this has got people talking, people thinking and people donating. All good.

My dad died almost a year ago. His "fight" with cancer was nothing short of horrific.

To those of you in treatment or in recovery, with loved ones affected, my very best wishes, and hope you have lots and lots of good days.

Zombie you are a champion and I agree with you.
And I think you look like a member of the Swedish royal family - which may be the most bizarre compliment of all time. But you have a very regal look about you.

But it has raised awareness hasn't it? There are loads of posts on mn about it. Pics all over Facebook and its all over the news. So as a marketing campaign very successful and cheap I imagine.

I was wondering why I was seeing loads of no make up selfies on my facebook feed. What does it have to do with breast cancer - potentially carcinogenic substances in make up?

yanbu, it's been annoying me for the past few days.

www.telegraph.co.uk/women/womens-health/10710519/No-make-up-selfie-trend-helps-cancer-research-charity-raise-1million-in-24-hours.html

I think it's the "raise awareness" slogan that's wrong. It should be raise money now"

I would say 95 percent of the selfies (and there have been lots) on my newsfeed have had the donating link and or a screen shot of the text reply thanking them for their £3 donation.

Also many with a link of reminders to check your breasts regularly.

Cancer Research have apparently seen a surge in donations as a result of these 'selfies' so for that reason YABU although I totally understand your ire!

I didn't realise that the purpose was to raise awareness. I thought it was to raise money (with a bit of awareness thrown in)

A friend tagged me - I kind of wish she hadn't to be honest. But there you go - so I did it and donated.

I hate FB 'games' too - absolutely cannot stand them but this was one of the few that I didn't mind taking part in.

Many of us on here (myself included), sadly already have plenty of awareness of cancer. But many do not - so for that reason I think it's one of the few things I've seen on FB that might just do a tiny bit of good

My mum passed away last year at 55 from secondary liver, lung and bone cancer, which had spread from previous breast cancer. She had cancer 3 times, the first in her early 30s.

None of the selfies me and my sister saw had any links or text details, one literally said "Let's do this girls!" which is beyond pointless and quite annoying. We decided the use the opertunity to post a joint picture alongside the text details (which I had to get from cruk's website as they weren't on our newsfeeds) and a link to a list of key signs and symptoms of all cancers, with a note about how we know from experience how important it is to catch it early. Mum did the first 2 times and we are very, very grateful for the extra years we got with her because if that. The third time she didn't realise it was cancer until it was too late, despite being a nurse and very knowledgeable, so I think there is still some awareness that needs to be raised.

Since we posted quite a few of my friends have posted saying they donated and have shared the text details. I hope a few of our friends have read the link, although I hope they'll never have any symptoms to worry about.

Yes I will add that I really hate the 'games' , the coloured bra thing or where you leave your handbag-I don't see how that helps with awareness really, but the selfies with the individual donating £3 before posting is spreading and helping with raising funds.

I have just gone back on to facebook to a link from the telegraph that £1 million has been raised by it in the last 24 hours.

I can see why it is frustrating and upsetting to many especially if there are some people just posting the pics and nothing else but at least some good has come out of it.

Also, although it's mainly women taking part (with a focus on breast-cancer), the money raised will be used to fund research into ALL cancers. A good thing no?

Copied from one of the other "selfies" threads, just to say well done to any "Miserable bastards" on here (yep, a couple of twatty posters really did say that)

Well done and to all the miserable professionally offended cunts and miserable bastards

Thanks to all your rants on FB / MN / NM et al donations have gone up. UNTIL the backlash started (Mid Tuesday) there had been NO increase. Since then there has

If it wasn't for the miserable professionally offended cunts and miserable bastards amongst us, people would NOT have started donating, they'd have just continued fishing for likes.

I took a note out of another MNers book and started commenting under selfies "Hun [I know, I know] I've clicked on your picture but you've forgotten to add the link. Can you re-do so I can donate as well" The amount of "I don't know what you mean" I got back was ridiculous - people WERE bandwaggon jumping and WERE never intending to donate. Thankfully most of the ones I posted on then re-did them, added the link and showed screen shots of their own donations

I also posted on my own feed the details on how to donate to various charities with the tag Nominate, DONATE, Post.

Oh and posted links to the "Lemons" and found a "Grab your Gonads" poster for the men.

I'm PROUD to be a miserable professionally offended cunt and miserable bastard because if I wasn't then Cancer Research Charoties WOULDN'T have had so much money.

I can see why people are annoyed but overall I think it's a good thing. My lovely FIL is currently in hospital having bits whipped out of him and tested so cancer has been on my mind this week. I did my selfie - my first ever! - and linked to www.blood.co.uk (I think someone else above has said they did the same) as so many cancer patients require blood transfusions. I have seen lots of others giving the number to text to donate re: breast cancer. The first posts I saw just did the selfie thing and nominated, but even they made me look into what was going on more closely, so they did raise awareness of the campaign if nothing else.

I would agree that any suggested link between being "brave" enough to go make-up free and dealing with cancer is bollocks. But I've not really seen that link in the posts on my FB feed. It's really taken off and seems to have raised a lot of money. So I think YABU, although I completely understand why people dealing with cancer might find it frivolous or even upsetting.

I think if it raises money for a good cause and gets a certain generation of social media users engaged by appealing to their normally self-obsessed nature then it's a good thing.
All right, most probably wouldn't get so behind it if they weren't involved in some way with the selfies but the end goal's still the same - money in the pot.
The non-donation ones are a bit of a PITA and there are some big fat cheaters about (am looking at you Mrs tattooed eyebrows, photoshopped, gone through x40 instagram filters ) but the moneys rolling in, so jobs a good-un.

I have had to temporarily deactivate my FB account because of this barefaced selfie nonsense. Lots of perfectly nice and well-meaning friends are doing it but apparently not donating. I've posted the link on their selfies to the donation page for BEAT and had a couple of PA status updates aimed at me as a result. I've had to de-reg for a bit or else I feel I might lose my rag and say some things I can't take back.

I've watched two loved ones die of aggressive cancers in the last 39 months. Just watched. Thank God not had myself. Every time I see one of these selfies, I feel like their disease has been trivialised. We are all AWARE of cancer. What needs to be done is more research into cure/prevention. We aren't going to achieve this with attention-seeking women fishing for compliments on how gawjuss they look without any slap. It would be more effective if everyone posted pictures of themselves with the 5 digit text number for BEAT written on their foreheads. Honestly.

I don't doubt that it started off with good intentions but it's snowballed into LOOK AT ME LOOK AT ME!