"ydi for not doing the march" "ydi for getting cancer" "ydi for being human" "ydi because I wanna press it lolol" "ydi cuz I'm trynna get a badge lmao"

Good intentions are just that, intentions. Paying money though goes towards research and possibly a cure. I can walk around for the flying spaghetti monster. Unless it is sponsored its like expecting likes on facebook to save African children.

While donating obviously helps a lot more, I wouldn't call the walk meaningless and it's a way for those of us that don't have the money to try to help.

So… how would walking help anyone in the slightest? Who else other than your glutes would benefit from walking in a death march?

"but money is good too" How do you think treatments get developed? Wishes and magic pixie dust? Researchers could really care less how many miles you walked with your friends if their labs are getting defunded and they can't do their work.

money is good to lol don't get me wrong I'm not oblivious to the fact that money is more important but I wouldn't call the walk meaningless. So please don't act like I think this world is just amazing where walking can solve all problems ^^ but who doesn't like magic c: Mr.24

What if the walk was scheduled while OP could have been working? OP could be making money to donate instead of going to the march.

I think that donating is a good cause and more helpful, as it helps fund research in the hopes of a brighter future for those with cancer. However I don't think walking is completely useless either. Walking is a way to show moral support for those who have cancer. Knowing that there are people who care about you, even if they don't give money, can be very touching and encouraging for certain people. It also can help raise awareness (ie: one of my friends was doing a "cancer walk" about a cancer I'd heard little about, and her actions brought it to my attention). It can be a way to get younger kids (who have no money) involved in the subject. Them walking and talking with people who have/have had/know someone who has cancer, is a way to make them more empathetic and knowledgeable about the subject. So on and so forth. In any case though, I don't think there should even be a "who helped more" contest for these types of things. People help in the way they want to and can. And I certainly don't feel that anyone deserves cancer, just for not going on a walk. Heck, even if OP had said no because she felt like watching Netflix that day and didn't give a single cent towards research, I STILL wouldn't feel she "deserved" cancer.

Exactly. I'm not saying op should've even went on the wall, but it's kinda cruel to say that the walks are useless or meaningless. Not all of us have money to give and you are basically saying what we can do is useless and meaningless. I lost my grandpa to cancer and my aunt survived breast cancer. I'd love to go on a cancer walk. I can't give money but I can show I care and in ours, at least, you are sponsored for walking so there IS money. Money helps for the cure, but people also need support.

That AND since she has breast cancer she probably would get really winded from walking that far. Especially if she is going through chemo.

I don't know about every walk, but the ones I've done there was a cost for registration that went to the cause the walk was intended for. So really a walk is not meaningless, raises awareness, helps bring survivors together, as well as often times raises money for the cause.

What a mean thing to say no one deserves cancer yet for all the people who have never done a walk before. the walk is generally sponsored and you have to pay a $25. registration fee. It's also a way to show all the cancer survivors that they are never alone. My mother had to have her breast removed from it 20 years ago and guess what we've been lucky. Yet we still go and support. My sister in laws mother has battled it twice and just got done a round of treatment and from how expensive it is the funds from walks and sales go to help fund it for the ones who can't afford it. Yes donate all you can to help research but shouldn't we also help the ones who need the emotional support and the financial support. We walk for breast and brain cancer. Do yourself a favor next walk go you'll be surprised from the emotional support not only you but your husband will receive. Stay strong fight strong.

I don't think OP meant all walks, to me it sounds like she just meant the walk her mother in law had was meaningless. Even so no one ever deserves to hear someone say they deserve cancer. Truly awful and my thoughts are with you at this time OP. Stay strong.

Not completely meaningless, but all the events do get really boring. Awareness of cancer has already definitely been raised, I too would rather just donate money then take part in the myriad of events encouraging me to do things I don't have time to do or sponsor people to do things that look like fun anyway. At the moment there's an initiative in the UK to get people to raise money by not drinking for a month. There are all these adverts about how nice it will be to wake up without a hangover every weekend because apparently everyone drinks themselves stupid all the time. I personally won't be sponsoring people to just get their lives together and don't think it's something to celebrate, rather something that should just be done anyway. TL;DR Charity events are weird and they're running out of ideas that make sense.

Thats what i thought too i dont see how walking for breast cancer is meaningless

Hear, hear! Any three-year-old with crayons and posterboard can raise awareness over something. Give me a petition to sign. Show me some facts, numbers, names, dates, or website links. You can tell me that something exists 'til your face is blue, but it isn't going to do much of anything in the long run unless you raise funds, read books, share your findings, and volunteer your time and efforts to your charity or organization of choice. If you do any of those things, donate, volunteer, go out of your way to buy from companies who do donate to particular causes, then good on you, really! Otherwise, I'm sick of hearing people yammer about nothing.

I second this.

The awareness is actually to help people know TO donate AS WELL as to check themselves for lumps. Breast cancer awareness especially has caused more women to feel for lumps and get checked out. Having a cure would be amazing, but for now everyone just knowing and checking is very important so you can hopefully find it early.

Im not entirely sure but I believe that a percentage of the proceeds from the T-shirts sales goes towards breast cancer research.

Most of the tshirts a portion of the sales go towards either cancer research or paying for that person's treatment. I have a t-shirt from a benefit where all donations went to paying for the woman's treatment and other things.

I gave to disagree with you to stop awareness. I have a disease called endometriosis and if it weren't for awareness a lot less people would know about it. Doesn't matter how much money you donate that doesn't mean people will know what the disease is. I know that most woman with endometriosis don't even get diagnosed for up to 7 years because even doctors don't know much about it. Awareness makes a huge difference, especially with teaching people about unknown diseases. I will proudly wear my t-shirt and have my vehicle covered in stickers if it means one less woman has to suffer through years of undiagnosed pain.

Yes but endometriosis isn't cancer. You cam raise awareness of diseases that need to be more known about (though I didn't think endometriosis was particularly unknown) but cancer? People definitely know about cancer already.

I didn't say stop awareness altogether just the crap that goes with it. Every month there is some kind of awareness thing. Ice bucket challenge comes to mind where you could either get wet or donate. Most people just got wet. How does that help anything? And a lot of those companies that sell pink shirts and what not don't donate from their proceeds. Unless it specifically says on the packaging a lot of them just take advantage of the hype.

Yes but it always opens the flood gates for people to find excuses not to actually donate or at least donate a significant amount of money. "Well I bought a $2 sticker for my car. I've done my part. And now I can drive around looking like I truly support something!"

78, people know a lot about cancer BECAUSE of the awareness it has now. There's a huge campaign for money as well as reminders to check yourselves. And yes, there's a lot of benefits that's how my aunt paid for her treatment. My mom will wear her bracelet and shirt proudly.

When you did the ice bucket challenge you were supposed to donate money. And i know a lot of people won't go to events but are willing to donate to the cause because of the event.