Do You See Politics On My Chest?

I have been wondering all week what to write about the Susan G. Komen Foundation’s move against Planned Parenthood, but Linda Burger, a 56-year-old breast cancer survivor who resides in Las Vegas, NV, says it on Youtube better than I or any man can. Standing in her bathrobe in front of her digital camera, her expressive eyes flashing with anger as she described what her cancer is like and what it is not like, Mrs. Burger personified the tidal wave of feminine disgust against the Susan G. Komen Foundation that has swept the internet since last week.

The Susan G.Komen people have opened a can of internet whoop ass they cannot escape. Most of the angry women who are blowing up their social media networks over this do not believe Komen CEO Nancy Brinker’s apology can be trusted. And why should they? Nothing she has said so far to explain the foundation’s actions holds water.   

If you have trouble viewing the video, I have taken the time to transcribe Mrs. Burger’s words because they are just that damn important.

Hi my name is Linda, and I felt the need to do this video due to the recent announcement by the Susan G. Komen foundation about changes in their funding.

I have breast cancer, and I want to tell you what breast cancer is, and is not, to me. Breast cancer is fear, its being scared, it’s the unknown, its trauma, its everything plus more. And I was so lucky to have a great team of doctors, a great oncologist, fantastic nurses, and a husband who supported me every way throughout my entire two and a half old ordeal so far. And I’m still not done with treatment. But, its going well, thanks to the support and the care that I’ve had. Most women don’t have this same type of support. Many don’t have any support at all

What breast cancer is to me is getting a port installed in my chest. This is the first scar I’m going to show you, and by the way, if you are squeamish, you may not want to watch this entire video because I’m going to show it all. You need to know what breast cancer is and what it is not.

The port was difficult, but it was necessary for the chemo. Then went the chomtherapy. Four and a half months of intense chemo that left me completely bald. Not a hair on my head, no eyelashes, no eyebrows – I didn’t even have nose hair, I didn’t have hair anywhere, and I was bald for nearly nine months.

Then came surgery. I had both of my breasts removed. Numerous lymph nodes removed. And my breast surgery – I was home the same day of the surgery for the six pm news, with four tubes running out of my body into drainage bags. That was not simple, but that’s what breast cancer can be and what it was to me.

Next was radiation. I had one and half months, five days a week, of radiation so intense that by the time I was finished my skin was literally cracking, bleeding, and falling off my chest. But that’s what breast cancer is.

Then I had more surgery to remove my ovaries and my fallopian tubes. That wasn’t easy either, as I had abdominal surgery. I was in the hospital for five days for that. Now I’m on medications that I will be on for three years, which make it difficult to sleep, which make my joints hurt, I’ve gained weight – I blame cancer on that. Plus, when I was finally able to eat normally, after chemo, without getting sick, I comforted myself with food.

That’s what cancer does. That what cancer is.

But, now I’m going to show you my chest. I used to have two beautiful girls here. Now they’re gone. This is what cancer looks like. This is a bilateral mastectomy, and I had lymph nodes removed under both armpits because the cancer had spread. This is not pretty, but I am going to tell you what cancer is not.

Do you see politics on my chest?

Do you see Republican, Democrat, Tea Party, or Independent anywhere on my chest? I don’t.

Do you see religion on my chest?

Do you see Christian? Do you see Catholic? Do you see Jewish? Do you see Hindu? Do you see Muslim, or any other many of the hundred religions out there? Do you see any beliefs on my chest? No.

Do you see moral values on my chest, or what you believe to be our moral values? No, that’s not cancer at all. It’s not on my chest, and that’s not it.

So, Susan G. Komen, if you’re seeing this video I was such a proud supporter but I can no longer support your cause. Because politics, religion, and God only knows what has infiltrated your program. Its broken my heart. And I, I was so proud to be a member but I can no longer support you.

And one more thing.

One thing cancer is – it makes you frank. It makes you say what you feel. It makes you no longer scared. When you’re surviving, you’re ready to fight the world. And I want to tell you something right now. The foundation, you showed your ass.

Now you can kiss mine.

Linda Burger   Text of “What Breast Cancer Is, And Is Not“