Fear not, I am not about to compare breast cancer and prostate cancer. Let’s face it, non of the many forms of cancer are welcome companions on our journeys through life. I am, however, interested in comparing the two awareness campaigns for the two diseases because it strikes me that one is vastly more successful than the other. Having touched on this disparity yesterday, another thought has occurred to me.
Have a quick butchers [Ed: “butchers hook” = “look” in Cockney rhyming slang, for the Amerispeakers] at Wear it Pink, the breast cancer awareness campaign website. Give it a few seconds and the second image that will hit you between the eyes is of two guys wrapped in a startlingly pink feather boa – they are promoting the breast cancer campaign’s photo competition. The point is that wearing something pink is universally doable. For years now, men have been happy to join in and help promote the awareness of breast cancer by wearing something pink. Whilst I’m not about to wander down the street wearing a pink boa, I myself have a pink ribbon fastened to my camera rucksack.
Now take a shufti [Ed: “shufti” = “look around”, military slang from North African service] at Movember, the UK chapter of the prostate cancer awareness campaign. Where’s the female support? Come on girls, play fair. We’re prepared to don pink ribbons in support of breast cancer, after all. What do you mean, you can’t grow a moustache? [Ed: Yes, I know, there are a few exceptions to any rule.]
It must be said that there is a slight difference here in that men can actually suffer from breast cancer themselves, though I suspect that this fact is little known. It is also mercifully very rare for men to get breast cancer. Clearly our delightful ladies are not about to suffer from prostate cancer since they completely lack the essential organ. However, it does strike me that an awareness campaign available to every member of society would have been a better move than one restricted to males.
There is, however, a very neat little “real man” symbol, the prostate cancer equivalent of the universally recognized pink ribbon, that can be worn by anybody. Here he is playing the part of a “T” in the prostate cancer charity symbol. Marks and Spencer is quite prominent in prostate cancer support and, some years ago I had a nice “real man” pin badge from them. Sadly, somewhere along the line, my “real man” fell off my camera rucksack which does, it must be said, take a bit of a bashing. I miss him. However, all is not lost, I can buy another one (£1.50 inc. p&p) from here.
I’m going to get one for Carol as well, just because she can’t grow a moustache. 😆
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