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Raising awareness for causes in ways unrelated to the cause

Raz

Raz

Bluelighter
Joined
Aug 11, 2002
Messages
7,329
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In an igloo made of asbestos and chicken-wire.
I didn't really know how to title the thread concisely, but basically what I'm getting at is....I don't really understand the trend which has started to develop of showing your support for a cause by doing something which doesn't really in any way affect that cause or even really involve it.

We've had things like red nose day for SIDS, red ribbons for World AIDS Day, pink stuff for breast cancer, etc etc etc for a zillion years and I understand the point of these things - the money raised in selling these items goes to charities involved in these specific causes, and there is usually a shitload of marketing around these particular things which also helps to raise awareness for the cause as well. Everyone knows that when you're wearing a red nose you're trying to do something to help fight cot death, or to help families who have suffered from cot death. You can argue about how effective it is or whether it's the right way to approach the problem or whatever, but there's no mistaking that you're actually doing something which will in some way small or large tangibly benefit your chosen cause.

What I don't get is the latest thing doing the rounds online which is "wear purple to show support for gay youth". And in a similar vein, the recent thing where women were updating their facebook status updates with where they most like to leave their handbag in a bid to raise awareness for breast cancer. With the facebook thing, I came across probably 5 or 6 different people doing it who wouldn't answer why they were writing things like "I like it on the kitchen table" or "I like it on the backseat of the car" before I came across someone who actually explained the point of it. That's kind of the opposite of raising awareness IMO.

What do other peeps think about this? I guess I just don't really see the point of it when there's no correlation and no tangible outcome?

Thoughts?
 
Oh yeah, I agree with this actually. It's just weird. Why not just give some money instead and tell people instead of making them ask?
 
It certainly is a mystery how keeping something a secret can possibly be raising awareness for something. I don't get that at all.
 
Raz, you've drawn me back into the site - it's Lisa, firstly just wanted to say hello :)

I do agree with you - my partner pointed out to all these weird messages to me that people had circulating on facebook and we just concluded the site must've been hacked. It certainly failed to raise awareness in this household.

I'm of the conclusion that people were simply more interested in being witty and showing off to their friends (or trying...) than actually doing anything meaningful to raise awareness for a good cause.

There's nothing wrong with having a laugh, I guess we just have to view it as nothing more than that. No deep important reason, just people fucking around for the sake of shits and giggles. This doesn't bother me in the slightest, although I still think it's pretty lame.

While we're on the topic of raising awareness for a cause... I do actually want to raise awareness for a particular cause, legitimitely. My reasons are vein: I was diagnosed last week, however the condition is rare, pretty serious and not too many people have heard of it.

I have acromegaly, a rare condition that effect 40-60 people per million in the population. Acromegaly is often caused by a benign tumor on the pituitary gland located in close proximity to the brain, such as in my case, which causes too much growth hormone to be produced. The condition is more commonly known under a different name when it effects people pre-puberty: Gigantism (I guess gigantism is more well known as it's got the whole wow factor, but a tumor producing excess growth hormone on the pituitary gland is the cause... same as acromegaly.)

I went to the doctor presenting with secondary amenorrhea (loss of menstrual cycles) and really didn't expect to be diagnosed with Acro. No way. But my doctor ran a basic blood test on hormone levels and realised I was deficient in hormones across the board (growth hormone is not tested at such an early stage). I was referred through to an endocrinologist (she is a god-send!) who picked up the cause straight away and then ran extensive blood tests and put me through an MRI to confirm her suspicions.

My tumor is 2.6cm (unfortunately a lot bigger than I had anticipated) and has caused me to have other conditions that include diabtes insipidus and carpel tunnel syndrome.

As for acromegaly, fortunately even though my hands and feet have grown (to the point where I literally struggle find women's shoes that fit me anymore... my feet are too wide), the rest of my physical features haven't changed thank goodness. I have lost a lot of my peripheral vision though as the tumor is pressing on my optic nerves.

I look forward to meeting my nuerosurgeon Mr. McNeill shortly (bad timing, he is on leave, however since it's such a crucial operation, really should be performed by a nuerosurgeon like him, who specialises in pituitary tumors - rare, as the demand is not high enough.)

Anyhow... I hope I don't come across like I'm throwing a pity party for myself - I am actually coping really well and have a strong desire to raise awareness of this condition. I will certainly be participating in research studies, should my treating hospital make the offer.

Awareness and early intervention for the win! <3
 
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Jebus, I'm very sorry to hear that :\


But welcome back! :D I get the impression you're going to be just fine.
 
^^ Wow, I hope all goes well with the neurosurgeon. <3
Is there anyway something like that could be diagnosed sooner than later though?
 
^ Unfortunately it's really difficult to diagnose - it's known as a 'sneaky' condition because it just creeps up on you. They estimate it takes roughly 10 years to diagnose in most people.

It's not that peope don't have symptoms prior to that; they do... and they'll get a range of diagnosis' - often none of which happen to be acromegaly so the condition just keeps causing a range of other things to go wrong with their bodies. I've been lucky overall (I think), but for many, it will wipe about 10years off their life due to the damage it's already done. People who aren't diagnosed at all will probably die suddenly quite young (45-50) due to enlargement of internal organs, especially the heart.

I was REALLY lucky that I presented with secondary amenorrhea or I wouldn't have gone to the doctors asking for them to check my hormone levels.

Furthermore, after my results coming back and me being deficent in hormones that are standardly tested, my GP was having a debate with herself out loud over who she should refer me to - a gynecologist or an endocrinologist, and I could tell she was so close to sending me to the gyno. Luckily, she picked the most on the ball endocrinologist. I haven't been given the run around like so many others who have this condition - that alone is a reason to be grateful :).

So just to reminder to everyone - if there's anything not quite right, even if it only niggles at you from time to time: go to the doctors! It could save you a lot of trouble with your health.
 
Wow Lisa! Welcome back hon', and gosh - I'm so sorry to hear about your condition. I would never in a million years have thought you would come back to the board with this kind of news. It's quite a bitter-sweet experience.

You sound like you're coping amazingly well (as I would have expected from someone like you). Well done on going to your Doctor and dealing with this as well as you have.

Best of luck on your next steps. I hope it all works out for you. <3 <3 <3
 
^ haha that's why I love you sick! =D

Not because you gave me love hearts btw, but I love you sick for that too.

Thanks too COTB, you always put so much care into what you say.
 
Wow Lisa sorry to hear! Good on you for being so strong and positive! I hope it all works out, it must be so frightening finding out you have something like that! It sounds like you're in good hands though :)

Raz - with that handbag awareness cause, that was the first one i have ever participated in and it was only because in the message that went around about it they spoke about doing something similar the year before and it made it into the news etc etc, hence raising awareness. Whether that was actually true or not i felt better at least participating and making a status like "i like on on my coat hanger' or whatever i said instead of just ignoring it. :) So yeah, i felt lame doing it =D but i tend to feel guilty when i ignore things like that too so i sacrifice my coolness for the sake of the cause! ;)
 
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Well, if you were enquiring about this 'handbag' thing, then eventually awareness would have been raised, so to speak.

Personally, I do think symbolic gestures are realtively pointless in terms of illustrating a point to other people- the purple avatar I am using is merely to please myself; to make myself aware.

I understand the futility of it; but thats no reason to stop.
 
In relation to the breast cancer awareness campaign, I think raising awareness in any way we can is never a bad thing (about any disease/condition), however I know a number of people who had no idea what it was about. I actually posted a reminder to my lady friends to go get regular breast checks, and to perform self-checks monthly - and if they don't know how, go to your doctor and be taught. My grandmother had breast cancer and a mastectomy, my mum has had lumps in her breasts, so i'm hyper aware of my body in that way - but so many women aren't - and a lot of women are too scared to get a suspicious lump checked. :\

I also think raising awareness of things like cervical, prostate, testicular and ovarian cancer are so so important - they, if left undiagnosed, are really aggressive and treatement is not often successful :(
 
Huh, so after typing "purple avatar" into the search engine this thread comes up. So making your avatar a purple square is to show your support for gay youth apparently.

Why the clique-like secrecy then?
 
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