Audre Lorde- The Cancer Journals
What type of cancer was Audre Lorde diagnosed with?
Lorde was diagnosed with breast cancer
What is the type of cancer is Stage 4 Breast Cancer?
Metastatic Cancer (where the cancer has spread to other parts of the body)?
What type of cancer treatment did Lorde decide to do?
Lorde decided to get a mastectomy
Why is the metaphor of calling people "survivors" not accepted by those who suffer from breast cancer?
It is a put down on those people who did not survive
True or false: The first time Audre Lorde had cancer, she was diagnosed with a malignant tumor.
False!
The first time Lorde had a benign tumor. The second time Lorde was diagnosed with a malignant tumor and had surgery.
If you bought something using an American Express card, how much would be donated to Breast Cancer research?
1 penny
True or false: Lorde had a double mastectomy
False! Lorde had a single mastectomy due to a malignant tumor in her right breast
True or False, mugs were sold to raise awareness for breast cancer?
True
State one advantage and one disadvantage that Lorde felt about her support system
Some advantages:
- She admires their support, comfort, and presence for being there every step of the way
Some disadvantages
- She worries that she won't be able to maintain and reach the same expectations/demands that she was able to accomplish before she had cancer
What is a Pink Washer, and what are some examples of them?
Companies that use pink related campaigns or marketing to increase their own sales while providing minimal fractions of their proceeds to the breast cancer cause
They improve their public image while producing products that are carcinogenic
Examples:
American Express, NFL, KFC, General Mills, Ford, Pepsi
What other methods of treatment was Lorde contemplating on doing? (5)
Lorde considered a diet, vitamin supplements, immunotherapeutics, radiation, and chemotherapy
What was the name of the company that produces a breast cancer drug, but also produces pesticides that contribute to the reasons people having breast cancer
AstraZenica
What aspects did Lorde miss after having a mastectomy?
Lorde mourned the feeling and fact of having two breasts. She didn't mind the appearance factor, but she rather missed the internal feeling of knowing she wasn't without a body part.
What is another name for the current treatments used to help those with breast cancer"
(Hint: related to surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy)
slash, kill, and poison
Why does Lorde talk about self-image and attraction in The Cancer Journals?
She thinks that most women tend to get a prosthesis because they want to fit the media image that society displays about women
What disease is taken more seriously than breast cancer?
heart disease
When Lorde went to a checkup at the doctor's office, how did the nurse react when Lorde didn't have a prosthesis?
The nurse looked at Lorde with a disapproving and urgent face. She said that not only would it make Lorde "feel better", but it also would improve the morale of the office.
What did the person say when she saw the ad of a the pink teddy bear being sold to raise awareness for breast cancer?
"I am not 6 years old"
What did the American Cancer Society Reach for Recovery Program emphasize when they were speaking about breast cancer, and how did that compare to Lorde's views of cancer?
The American Cancer Society Reach for Recovery Program tried to address concerns about attraction and appearance. For instance, Lorde stated that they emphasized many women were worried they wouldn't feel attractive enough for their significant other or their children would be embarrassed by them. Lorde's concern is how she can control her own life again, and if this cancer will be coming back.
What did dairy companies put in their food that has been linked to cause breast cancer?
rBGH (Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormones)