The other side of cancer charities.

I have been meaning to post this for months but never got around to it, until now that is.

I'm sure most of us have seen breast cancer merchandise such as ribbons whether it be at the local shopping centre or on commercials, The main outcome of this is for us to buy the items in order to raise money towards research and even a cure. In Australia, there are even some cricket events that fans and players alike wear pink to support cancer charities such as the McGrath foundation.

Wait a minute, where am I going with this???

While awareness and trying to raise money are moving forward in a positive direction, there are a number of critics that believe that the breast cancer campaign is taking a step in the wrong direction. They believe that the pink ribbon campaign has become more about marketing than trying to achieve awareness and support for those women who are living with breast cancer. To an extent, these women have a point as the media seems to focus on smiling faces and those who have managed to beat the disease. A feelgood story is always a good read but unfortunately this not the reality. The women in this documentary above which is called Pink Ribbons Inc see this as "pinkwashing".

I think that the women from Pink Ribbons Inc are not against people donating to cancer charities. In fact, this documentary encourages it. However what they are trying to say is that less than 5 percent of the money raised actually goes towards where it should be going. Instead the money raised has been going towards administrative and affiliate costs. Of course some of the funds need to go towards administration but I am sure that costs do not exceed benefits. In the United States, some of the affiliates with the Susan G. Komen foundation are not healthy either as one of the sponsors is KFC. Most of us know that KFC is unhealthy and full of trans fats so how can an organisation that is trying to promote health and well being accept a sponsor that just does the opposite of that. This goes back to the fact that some charities seem to focus more on marketing than actually trying to prevent the disease.

Example of an event (Courtesy of Susan G.Komen and Africletic)

Another topic that is not directly associated with this video but has been mentioned is celebrity role models. The celebrities that are associated with breast cancer seem to have a feelgood story to tell which is great as it can give inspiration to many to try and fight the disease as best as possible but again not all celebrities or as a matter of fact everyone are as fortunate. In fact, as many as 30 per cent will experience a reoccurance and sadly it is usually Stage IV. Maybe this is because Stage IV is not the happy side of cancer so therefore it is easier to push these people aside as it is getting in the way of the romanticisation if you say. However, I believe it is important that these people get the recognition they deserve. It is a bit better in Australia as celebrities are acknowledged that they are living with Stage IV but sometimes we tend to pity them rather than acknowledge that they are trying to live the best quality of life as they can.

Ok we have definitely have come a long way since the 1990s with breast cancer awareness and all that jazz but unfortunately there has not been a lot of emphasis on the cure. As one of the ladies from this documentary says " We're living, we are human beings, we are not little pink ribbons'. That is very true and hopefully those with Stage IV also get recognition that they are living with the disease and exist. I wonder if charities that support other cancers do this practice as well.

So what did you think of the documentary. Do you agree with what they are saying?

I could write a novel about this but let's leave it at this for now.

Until next time,
Laura xx

Costello Syndrome

I have read about many syndromes such as Down, Prader-Willi and Williams but there are quite a few that does not seem to gain a lot of attention from the media. One of those syndromes is Costello Syndrome.

Costello Syndrome is a disability that physically affects the body such as loose skin, distinctive facial characteristics such as large mouth and flexible joints that are not considered normal. Heart defects are also common as well which includes an abnormal heart beat. By adulthood, people with Costello Syndrome also have shorter stature than average.

Additionally, delayed development and intellectual disability are prevalent with Costello Syndrome.It can range from mild to severe. This may be caused by the mutation in chromosome 11. Although the mutation can be inherited from a parent, it is not likely that healthy siblings will be affected by the syndrome or the future generations.

Unlike other syndromes, people with Costello Syndrome are at risk of developing cancers such as Rhabdomyosarcoma and a certain cell carcinoma which is a type of bladder cancer. However, there are many people with Costello Syndrome that do not develop cancer but can also develop wartlike skin growth. Similar to cancer cases, some may never endure wartlike skin growth.

Although I have given you a brief description about Costello Syndrome, this website is very detailed if you would like to learn more:
http://costellokids.com/sites/default/files/Costello_Syndrome-GeneReviews-NCBI%20Bookshelf_0.pdf

Until next time,
Laura xx

What a day at Sportsgirl

Every time I go past the shops, it is tempting to see what new clothes are in season. I have noticed lately that shops consistently update their stock more and more. This is most likely a marketing tactic to entice the shoppers to keep coming back such as myself.

Anyway, it has been a while since I have stepped foot into Sportsgirl so I decided to have a look what was in stock. There was a wide array of clothes from basic to preppy to very stylish. I really wanted to try on the tiger t-shirt but I decided that I had way too many already in my closet. Instead, I decided to try on some basic styles as well as a dress that I would not normally wear. As much as I love Sportsgirl, I cannot wear every piece as it does not fit well.

The first item I tried on was the polka dot dress. Although this is not normally my style, it did not look as bad as I thought it would.

However, I don't recommend that you try dresses on with singlets underneath.

The second item was an dress overall with a basic white tee. I would have preferred to have a black basic top underneath as it breaks the lightness in my opinion.

Maybe sometime, I would like to purchase the dress overall if I can think of something to wear with it from my wardrobe. I guess it could also look great with short boots too.

Petite shopping at Sportsgirl

• Not every item is going to fit perfectly lengthwise if you are under say 165cm so this may mean alterations. It may be easier for jeans and pants rather than certain styles of skirts to be altered.

• The sleeve length may be too long on some items so be sure to try tops and knits on before purchasing it. I find this especially with S to M size.

• Dresses are not too much of a problem but some can still be slightly large regardless of whether it is an XXS or a 6. 

It would be nice if Sportsgirl could do a petite range sometime similar to Topshop. 

Has anyone had a trip to the clothes store lately?

Until next time,
Laura xx

Quest for Healthy Food at Service Stations

It may seem as if I am over blogging but I think this issue needs to be addressed.

Last week as I was returning home on the coach from Melbourne to Sydney, there were two meal break stops. Unfortunately both meal stops seem to have a lack of healthy food options. As I was reading the menu, it mainly seemed to have consisted of wedges, pies, chiko rolls and chips. Surely, these foods contain high calories, transfats and sugar which can lead to diseases such as heart, stroke and diabetes. In addition to this, eating a diet of fast food may be the cause of some cancers. It may be easier for us as passengers at the service stations as we may only need to take the coach once in a blue moon but what about the coach drivers who have to eat at service stations a few times a week. Also not only bus drivers but truck drivers and other people who need to access the service station as well.

The only healthy options that I saw at the Service Station was some fruits and vegetables. Although fruits and vegetables can be healthy, it may not always be a substantial meal for long distance trips. Unless you buy a dozen and eat them along the way of course.

Perhaps providing healthier options at service stations such as vegetable stir frys or even freshly made sandwiches can be a great alternative although the cost may increase significantly. Unfortunately in many cases, food that is less healthy seems to be cheaper and more accessible which can be very costly on the health system but that is another rant for another time.

Alternatively, if you happen to stop at a major town or the coach you are travelling on does, it may be better to find a nearby cafe or restaurant that serves healthier and more nutritious meals. You may even feel better afterwards.

Until next time,
Laura xx

Train trip of the year

A couple of weeks ago, I decided to see my friend up on the Gold Coast. Instead of taking the conventional route to Brisbane and fly, I thought that a good old train trip would be a great way to get there. The tickets were marginally cheaper as well as I am a student.

The train to Casino left at 7:15am which is quite early for me but nevertheless it is better to travel during the day as it is much easier to see the scenery. Although the board will say that the first stop is Broadmeadows, it will make quite a few stops in between but that is mostly to pick up passengers.

As I have travelled on the Shinkansen throughout Japan, I was not used to the train going at a snail's pace but at least it was a great day to see what the countryside had to offer. It took around 3 hours to arrive at the first set down stop and by lunchtime, the train was only at Taree which is about 300km from Sydney.

The countryside around Dungog.

The staff on Countrylink or should I say Trainlink will take your orders around 12pm but lunch will not come for about an hour so I hope that you have some snacks on you while you wait. There were a few selections to choose from but I chose the Teriyaki Beef. If you are vegetarian, the buffet also offers a few vegetarian options such as the Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni. 

When it was time to pick up my meal, it was not what I had expected but it was good enough nonetheless.The train continued its journey on time until it was about 10 minutes from Kempsey. Unfortunately, we had to wait for a Sydney bound XPT train which was 13 minutes late. I know it was not a long wait and there are much worse delays. After the delay, the train journey was pleasant passing through the North Coast towns of Kempsey, Macksville, Nambucca Heads, Urunga, Sawtell, Coffs Harbour and Grafton before arriving at Casino. 

Although, there is a direct service to Brisbane on Trainlink from Sydney, it only runs once a day which is an overnight sleeper. At Casino, I had to look for the coach service that was headed for Brisbane and it was sort of confusing as there were about 5 coach services headed for different places. The coach service that I had needed was at the front so it had made it much easier to find. Additionally, it is the one that has the most passengers as well. 

After leaving Casino, I had an expectation that the coach would stop at every stop en route to Brisbane but it only ended up stopping at Lismore which was great as it meant that I would arrive 20 minutes earlier into Roma St than expected. 

The train trip was definitely a great way to see what the North Coast of New South Wales had to offer but I would not recommend travelling from Sydney to Brisbane in one day. If you have time to spare, it may be better to spend overnight at one of the towns on the way. Plus you would get to see what the town has to offer and be well rested the next day.

Just past Coffs Harbour

Until next time,

Laura xx