To be sick and tired of the sight of tv Cancer ads???

[TillyMW]

I don’t mean to be dismissive of all the good work these cancer organisations undoubtedly do, but I am sick of the sight of the ubiquitous TV cancer ad!

I’m not sure if it’s just that they are more noticeable to me now I’ve been through the cancer treatment mill - 6 months of chemo and 2 ops followed by daily radiotherapy etc etc, but there seems to be no respite from cancer ads. Have they increased in number/frequency of airing, or is it really just me?

It is difficult enough to have some time free of thinking about cancer because of the anxiety such a diagnosis and the treatment itself causes, and because of the lingering ongoing pain, as well as the havoc it has wreaked on my body, but watching afternoon tv makes it all but impossible to get it out of my headspace.

I think I might be being just a bit extra ranty as my poor much loved dog was put to sleep yesterday and I’m feeling overwhelmingly sad with regular doses of fed upness with these damned ads.

OK, rant over (until the next ad anyway)!

Am I the only one who finds them depressing / irritating / too pervasive? Thanks in advance for your time.

strawberrypancakes is entitled to her opinion and I don’t see any intention to upset people with what she is saying. It’s such an emotive subject and people are rightly sensitive, but there’s no point getting into arguments about it really.

Yes, funnily enough, calling a dick a dick is much better in my opinion than berating cancer patients and accusing them of wanting others to die...

Your scientist is talking through his arse Strawberry. What an arrogant, stupid, ignorant thing to say. Cancer? Oh not to worry, everything will be just fine....

You've said some really offensive and upsetting things on here. We're telling you how we feel and you trample on us and say that it's completely irrelevant and unimportant because you're right.

That the aim of something is good does not mean that all means to that end are acceptable.

It is a shame that there are people who insist otherwise.

*I work with the most incredible scientist in a regular basis and he said ‘I’m not scared of my daughter getting cancer in the future, because we are so close now to so many life changing ways of treatment that I know she would be fine’

The way some of these charities work is that researchers pitch to the charity with an amazing idea (backed up by research already conducted) and need a certain amount of money for them. If one is good (and SO many are! It’s like science fiction!) then they don’t want to turn them down... and so targets are raised and every arm of the charity has to find mire. Because we are beating cancer. It’s horrible that the way we are raising money is deemed offensive... but if you saw what was behind it, you would see such worth*

Bollocks.

If what you say were true, there wouldn't be people on this thread with terminal cancer, going through treatment that might kill them as easily as the cancer.

You have that non-scientist belief that we are making progress. You listen to the theoretical pitches and believe they will all work. We have cured cancer millions of times in theory, but it has never translated to a human cure.

I am fucking terrified of my child getting cancer. We may be “so close”, but “so close” isn’t good enough. I bet your “incredible scientist” would soon change their tune if their child, god forbid, did actually get cancer. Days, months, years of suffering side effects for a cure that may not happen. No one wants their child to go through that, and if they aren’t scared for their child, they’re a knob.

I don’t watch any live tv because I just don’t want to watch so many begging adverts. I’ve zoned them out they don’t exist and they certainly won’t get a penny of my money. It also means my children so the further generation so far have no idea about these charities either. I know many people who feel the same.

Well I guess we can all rest easy in our beds then Strawberry. No need to worry about cancer in five years' time? OK then! Super. Cancer is cured.

I was about to make a post, but reading this thread now, it seems like there's some kind of competitive suffering going on.
I know only too well the anguish of a terminal cancer diagnosis. But it doesn't give me the right to dismiss the posts of those who are trying to give a logical and reasoned explanation for what charities do.

Strawberry has said nothing wrong. She's clearly doing what she can to help, in her work. Her only error is to try to explain things on (what turned out to be) a very emotional thread.

Totally agree, lost my dad last year and they just rip a piece of my heart out every single time and make me so angry. Especially when we were offered no support or care what so ever. Until you're in the position people have no idea what it's like. Hope you are well.

Yes, i hate them and find them traumatic. I have health anxiety and leap up for the remote every time one comes on. Although I also hate those daytime adverts that say "we'll all pass away one day......". Thanks for reminding me!!!

Strawberrypancakes you clearly are extremely passionate about your work and your most recent posts have displayed that passion and drive to succeed very eloquently.

Next time try leading with that, yeah?

But saraclara, it started as an emotional thread. The OP started by saying she understood the great work the charities do, but that she'd just finished treatment, her dog had just died (sorry OP), and the ads were tipping her over the edge.

Who reads that, and sees it as an invitation to steamroller over posters empathising and sharing?

Bonkers.

I agree....both my parents died one after the other of cancer in the space of a couple of years. Just when they would have a moment of almost being able to forget they were terminally ill, up would pop an advert.

It also made - and still makes - the grief worse as they can knock you for six at times.

*There will NEVER be a cure for cancer. People will always get it... it’s a genetic mutation. (Unless we learn to control that!) but, we can diagnose early and simply, treat non invasively, make it so there is no need for chemo, rads, years of medication. Diagnose, treat and cure in the same room at the same appointment.

Honestly, these things are real*

It’s a genetic mutation? Fuck me.

As for the rest, if you say so. 20 years in the field and that’s not what I see. But you obviously know better. Better get my pension sorted as I’ll be out of a job in 5 years...

Out of interest, if there will “never be a cure for cancer”, how do you plan to “diagnose, treat and cure” in the same room?

I find them unwelcome as there are a myriad of illnesses that desperately need research, and patients who need financial, practical and emotional support as a result of their illness. It may be because we're stuck in that nightmare ourselves as DD has ME and I've had to give up a FT job to look after her, and we get fuck all support, least of all acknowledgement.

But I can imagine how having gone through cancer, you find it intrusive when ads come on the TV.

My 'area' is brain cancer, specifically glioblastoma, which kills 5000 people in the UK every year. I run a small, new charity which raises funds specifically for glio research. Of all national cancer funding, only 1% goes into brain cancer, of which there are over 100 types.

Glio is the one you really really dont want to have because it will kill you very quickly, very painfully, destroying all your capabilities while your brain understands what is happening to you.

Brain cancer, and glio in particular, is a very hard nut to crack - hence the fact there have been no advances for so many years (the current drug of choice was introduced in 1998).

My best friend's daughter died from this, aged 19. My DH currently has stage 3 rectal cancer; I have had 2 melanomas.

What astounds me about the cancer 'industry' is the sheer amount of money that goes into overheads. My charity has no overheads, no salaries, no advertising, so every single penny in every single £ we raise goes exactly where it should - research. We are currently funding a senior neuro-oncologist research position at Kings College Hospital, London, and their findings will benefit people globally.

I've worked closely with (not directly in) the advertising industry for years; I am sure a lot of the ads are produced on a shoestring because they look good on the agency's show reel. Not sure about the airtime costs though, whether there is a discount/freebie on that.

Why would this thread put a donor off? The issue is with the adverts, not the cause.