Finding the Macmillan cancer ads triggering

[starlightafar]

Before anyone says the obvious I know they aren't funded, I know they do a fantastic job (though I'd argue that hospice care is probably a better investment) but the adverts are horrible.
They are so graphic. I find it so so difficult to watch them, not so much the couples, but the really graphic chemo scenes, losing hair, scars and so on.
My mum died of cancer and some days the memories of it make me feel sick. I can't imagine what it must be like to have cancer/waiting to hear if you have cancer, and having to watch them. I know the point is to shock, as they need the money. But. There isn't any warning and they are incredibly triggering.
Cake sales I am fine with. Head shaving not so much. Let's make ourselves look like people with cancer to raise money for cancer (also triggered by this). I know that's my issue and that obviously is unimportant here.
But the adverts could be less distressing, I think.
Does anyone else feel like it? Or am I being unreasonable (I do know they need money but think the ads could be different)

I agree. I have health anxiety that I'm constantly working on keeping control of. I have to turn over when they come on.
Sorry to hear about your mum

I agree. I lost my gran (who raised me instead of my mother) and two very very dear friends. It's so painful I can't look.
One of those friends was, before she got ill, a cancer nurse. She refused to talk about cancer research because they have or had, every day, a fresh flower arrangement in head office that cost £2000.
Nobody believes me but she swore it was true and she wasn't at all the makey uppy type.

I don’t know...... my Mum died of cancer last year, if that makes any difference to my opinion...... I think the adverts need to show the real side of cancer. CRS is trying to raise money for this illness, it is real and it is there. I think sugar coating it with adverts just showing bake sales is a bit patronising.

Cancer is hard, and bit can be upsetting but it’s real life.

They can upset me all they like if it gets them more donations. I'd rather be upset watching an advert than watching a loved one die.

I turn them off every time. And the ones with African children.

I cant afford to donate and I find it upsetting.
They seem to be on every single ad break.

I agree with you, OP. I got incredibly incredibly mad at one if the cancer charities when they had ads in trains with a picture of a woman with no hair that said “Imagine this was YOUR mum”.

I mean, FFS! What idiotic creative came up with that? Because my mum ALREADY HAS CANCER. And presumably my experience was shared by a lot of other people, including the recently bereaved.

I hate the heart-wrenching emotional blackmail scare-tactic fundraising.

They potentially saved a friends life, she always skipped over the ads but this one caught her eye due the graphic nature and made her do a breast check where she found a lump. A mastectomy and several courses of either chemo or radiation (I can’t remember which) and thankfully she is still with us and is happy and healthy.

They can show them all day and night as far as I’m concerned. We’ve lost several close family and friends to cancer, several potentially could’ve had a better chance had they not put off seeing the doctor for so long. If this encourages people to go then crack on

I think the adverts do exactly what they are supposed to do. The very fact that they provoked a reaction in you is the very point.

My experience with MacMillian was through my mothers very swift demise after diagnosis. When she needed them MacMillian was not available. Instead of getting angry & condemning them, I choose to fundraise to help others avoid the distress brought to my family.

I understand the adverts may be upsetting & trigger a reaction. After mum died & it was too raw I would simply switch off. Now a few years on I can embrace it & if it encourages some people to raise money, then its a job well done. Anyone who doesn't like to watch of course has the option to switch off.

There was one last year (not sure if Macmillan or cancer research) showing a man being diagnosed with cancer, telling his family, treatment etc which was really grey and bought back a whole horrible set of emotions as memories for me as a cancer survivor. I find them all tough to watch but agree that by triggering emotion they make their point and hopefully get people to donate. It's a tricky one because advertisements are so short that they aren't really able to put a disclaimer at the start or anything, I sympathise op

Just saw the one about being a survivor. Dread to think what poor exP will feel seeing it as his mum died from cancer this year.

Can I suggest that if you have a Maggies centre near you or another cancer centre you ask for counselling or someone to talk to about your loss OP?
Perhaps these triggers are occurring as you need some support or help to work through your grief?
Cruse May be another option.

Yanbu to be upset- but the reality of that the honest emotions raised by those adverts also enable the charities to get the money they need so that I can’t say they shouldn’t have them.

But I hope you get some help to support you with your loss 💕

I think just about everyone has a particular ad that they find triggering. Mine are the animal abuse ads. I either flip the channel or mute the TV and look away for a few moments.

There was also a particular one from a long time ago that featured an (unkown) actor whose physical appearance sent me into a mini-panic attack in connection with something from my past. It was an orange juice ad ffs! Even my children would jump up in front of the screen when he came on if we couldn't change the channel fast enough! In retrospect, it was silly to let it 'get to me'.

We have visceral reactions to many things. But we can't expect the world to revolve around them. Just change the channel, vent quietly, then pick yourself up and keep going.

I am the same Across I find the animal ones really distressing and I have to switch to the tv off, cannot stand to see an innocent animal suffer, the images haunt me. The worst thing is I know in ten, twenty years time they will still be showing these adverts because animal abuse will never end and

It's a bit like the films during Comic Relief and Children in Need etc. They always send me into floods of tears and make me donate. I suppose at least you know to expect them but you can't be prepared for or avoid adverts on the tv.

I agree with you. I lost my Mum to cancer four years ago, and all they did for her is make sure that not one single fucking day could pass without us all being reminded that we'd got it in our lives.

Now I'm dealing with cancer myself and I find the same thing. Not one place you can go, not one television channel you can watch. I absolutely refuse to donate to them and fund their fucking massive ad campaigns that just make people like me miserable.

But those campaigns could save people's lives.

£25m+ on advertising is massive. I just think that there are better cancer charities to support; and I do.

Ignore me. I get the rage if I even see their shade of green somewhere the days. I'm just sick of being sick. I know they raise awareness, which is so important, but I wish they did it in a better way. I prefer to give to Cancer Research, they raise awareness too but they do it in a more positive way.

The Mcmillan ads made me terrified of starting my chemo with their depictions.

Anyway, as I said, ignore me. I'm über pissed off today. As you were good people.

That sounds a completely reasonable SheNumpty thing to be scared of.

Good luck with your chemo

So for everyone who thinks it’s too painful to watch, imagine actually being the person who no one can bear to look at because they have cancer! YABVVVU OP and a GF to boot. I hope you never get cancer and people can’t bear to look at you. What a nasty thread.

I have cancer and some days I find they really upset me - if I'm having a good day with no treatment it is hard to have it shoved in my face without warning to remind me of the shit I'm living with while I'm just trying to watch tv like a normal person.

I am treated in a Macmillan oncology unit though, so know they do an awful lot of good work and need funding.

Dont I think that is a little harsh. There are some people who have commented on this thread to say they find it very difficult to watch even though they have cancer or have loved ones with cancer. It isn't a nasty thread but what you said was a little nasty.

I'm sorry that you are having such a tough time by the sounds of it. It's dreadful and you are entitled to your opinions but so is everyone else. This is a very emotive topic and I think we need to be careful about how we word things so as not to upset people excessively.

I don’t see what’s nasty about calling out someone who clearly doesn’t want their evening to be tainted by an image of someone who is suffering. I’m sorry that a bald head upsets them. People don’t choose to lose their hair as part of the grueling battle that is chemo! How fucking superficial. Cancer is horrendous, the treatment can be horrendous. But you don’t want a charity to do its best to raise money, and raise awareness, because the mere sight of someone with an illness they didn’t choose to have offends you? Jesus wept! Have some fucking compassion. It’s actually quite reassuring for my kids to see someone on TV who looks like their parent.

People appreciate that and on here they have stated that they find it difficult to be reminded of what they are going through or what their loved one is going through. Have some compassion yourself. Other people have cancer and might not agree with you.

So those with cancer are meant to hide away, Dalek? If a TV ad reminds them and upsets them so much, God forbid they see someone walking down the street who’s cursed with the big C! I think this thread is the most revolting thing I’ve ever read on here. OP, you should be ashamed of yourself. And as for those with health anxiety jumping on the bandwagon, save your panic for when you really have cancer to worry about! You don’t know how lucky you are to be healthy.