Hi Everyone,
I would like you to meet “Nick” . . . my stalker . . .
Some time back I wrote a blog post that was critical of the Susan G. Komen Foundation (I have written many that are critical of SGK, where their money doesn’t go, etc.). But, one in particular has especially agitated a Komen supporter (or perhaps, he works for Komen . . . I would not be surprised actually, since it is a fact that Komen employs people to cull the internet to seek out people like me who dare to question their – SGK’s – tactics and dare to question where all the money goes).
Here is the post that this person has found to be so offensive (my truthful account of how I was treated by SGK):
Komen Foundation: Please Leave Me Alone
And here is the “comment” Nick left for me (which you can also see if you go to the actual post above, click on the comments link and scroll down to about the 52nd or 53rd comment and this is what you will find):
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nickqwellsApril 26, 2012 at 8:18 AM Edit #
Shame on you, Susan G Komen is a great organization. I could understand them not giving co-pay relieve through partnered organizations (the only form of financial relief they have) to a Law Professor, that apparently didn’t qualify, when there are more financially troubled people with cancer. 82.5% of the money they earned went to programs. Only 7.6% went to administrative costs. It is sad that you had cancer, but it is even sadder that you are throwing fit that they didn’t directly give you financial resources to help pay your bills.
Here is my reply (I first posted it on his blog and then cut and pasted it as a reply to his comment on my blog):
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cancerfree2bApril 30, 2012 at 10:30 PM
Hello Nick,
Nice of you to comment on my blog about something you nothing of . . . my financial difficulties during a cancer diagnosis. You are a jerk. How dare you tell me “shame on you” for daring to critique the Susan G. Komen Foundation. I have written the truth about how they mistreated me and my story is NOT unique.
They are not who you think they are. I know first hand what they are like, as well as what they are NOT about (and they are most definitely NOT about a cure). And as for your claiming to know how I was employed – or that I was even employed at the time I was going though chemo – SHAME ON YOU – you really are a piece of work. You do not know me. But, if you’ve read my blog you will know that I never had an opportunity to apply for the financial assistance that Komen brags about providing because they NEVER answered their phone calls – I called over 100 times and NEVER, not once, did anyone answer. And by the way, not that it is any of your business – I wasn’t physically able to work due to multiple surgeries, months of chemo, radiation and over a year of cancer treatment and complications. But, none of that matters to Komen – they dangle out a phone number to call for financial assistance and yet no one answers it. It is a scam. How dare you claim to know my situation when I was going through treatment. Shame on you for your arrogance.
I highly doubt you will post my comment – especially since you don’t actually blog yet (although I do like your catchy blog name: “Nicholas Well’s World”. Welcome to my world, Nick. It is a parallel universe to yours – it is called REALITY. Why don’t you do a little research (like the rest of us have) and wake up! I don’t really care whether you post this comment – I just care that you read it. I am going to share your comment with everyone I know in the cancer blogosphere – those of us who have been onto Komen for some time – and you will likely be hearing from them too.
Have a nice day.
Oh but wait . . . there’s more from “Nick”:
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nickqwellsMay 1, 2012 at 7:48 AM
Reality? Oh, the reality where you are the only person to have had cancer? The reality, where there is no way that a person criticizing your blog has an idea of what cancer could be like, because your the only person to have survived it, even though he has experienced it first hand? The reality of lambasting others because they didn’t help you? The reality that they didn’t answer the phone which must of been out of spite towards cancer patients.
It is sad that you denounce such a great organization when they have helped others but failed to help you. That kind of logic is like saying a vaccination is terrible because 1 out of 10000 people die from a vaccine that saves you from a virus that kills 1-100 people.
I am curious too, did you get a hold of them, because you say you never got a hold of them and then later on in your letter to them you say they did eventually talk to you and redirected you to organizations that could possibly give you financial support (Which is what they state on their website). How about being grateful to being alive and understanding that you still have nice clothes, a computer, a car, a roof over your head, and a job even though Susan G. Kommen didn’t help you… wait you really must have needed their financial support. Stop thinking the world owes you.
So that is what Nick had to say . . . anyone care to comment?
(I personally find his claim to have knowledge of my having “nice clothes”, a “car”, a “roof” over my head and “computer” to be a bit disturbing. Kind of creepy, actually).
BLECH . . .
Related articles:
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- Komen by the Numbers: 2010 And Still No Answers (cancerculturenow.blogspot.com)
- More on Julie of Komen . . . (cancerfree2b.com)
- How the Susan G. Komen Foundation Lost Its Way [Disgrace For The Cure] (jezebel.com)
- Susan G. Komen Foundation Illustrates Hypocriscy At Its Finest (geekmadel.com)
- Susan G. Komen Foundation Backs Down On Cutting Off Planned Parenthood (brandtstandard.com)
cancerfree2b 
This Nick character is disturbing. Heckeling you and ringing the bell for SGK is unnecessary in this forum. I think stalker is befitting. If he becomes more of a nuisance I would evaluate whether he is stepping over the First Amendment to kick you. Likely, he is a bore, an Internet troll with SGK worship syndrome.
Hi Lonnie,
I find him disturbing too. I highly doubt that he actually knows me, but, it a bit creepy when he suggests that I have “nice clothes” and a “car” and that I didn’t qualify for SGK’s supposed financial assistance because I earn too much as a law professor . . . huh?
What a weirdo and, if he knew anything about my situation, he would know that my “nice clothes” no longer fit because my body was altered by this disease. I can’t wear most of the clothes that I own because I have a different body now post cancer. And it isn’t just because my bust size changed, it is because of lymphedema and the fact that wearing most any long sleeve shirt causes me discomfort and swelling in my arm. I could care less about nice clothes (Nick seems to attach some great significance to “nice clothes”). Nice clothes are of no use to you when you are dead. And, while I certainly wouldn’t mind having a nice new wardrobe to fit my new, post cancer-altered body, I don’t have one and I don’t really care. What a weird focus.
I am looking forward to hearing what Chemobrainfog has to say about “Nick” . . . she has a stalker too.
Thank you for your comment. I really appreciate it.
All the best,
Lisa
Nick is not worthy of responding to. Any organization or person that espouses to aid cancer patients that does not respond to callers requests is not worth any good press or ink. As I stated the first time I read your story, I am happy you have exposed this information. It will certainly impact MY support.
Thank you for your comment, I really appreciate it. My experience with Komen is sadly not uncommon or unique.
All the best to you!
Lisa
I wouldn’t worry too much about what the Nicks of the world think. His blog celebrates three things.. his own birth, his sexcapades and pouring the perfect beer? (granted, I skimmed, but it was hardly worth reading in depth). I’ve never been a fan of the Komen Foundation but never felt comfortable criticizing them. I didn’t have breast cancer and I didn’t want to put down an organization so many believed in. Now that I do have it, I have no problem saying festooning ourselves in pink ribbons and organizing walks does nothing but make this organization a lot of money. Does some of it filter down to actually help cancer patients? Maybe, but not a hell of a lot.
Hi Susan,
Thank you for your comment. (Love your writing, brilliant: “His blog celebrates three things.. his own birth, his sexcapades and pouring the perfect beer” LOL)
At first I wasn’t going to respond to him, but, the more I thought about it and thought that it could very well be that he is one of Komen’s minions doing some dirty little deed for them, I felt compelled to reply and to out him on my blog.
I look forward to reading your blog. I hope you are doing well.
Thank you for your comment, I really appreciate it.
All the best health to you,
Lisa
It will be interesting to see if he responds to this post. It does take a certain amount of balls to scold a woman with breast cancer for speaking her mind about a breast cancer foundation. I’ll give him that. All the best to you, too 🙂
LOL, yes, what ever Nick’s gender . . . he/she does have that 🙂
Nick is probably a fake for Nancy Brinker! Or a relative of Mrs. Brinker. You keep up the good work! I’m tired of folks sending money for the RFTC and believing it goes to anything good.
He, or she, didn’t do a grammar check either: spelled ‘you’re’ as your. Yuck.
Hi Rachel,
He or she also can not spell Komen correctly – he/she spelled it with two “m”s . . . amusing.
I appreciate your comment, thank you.
XOXO
Lisa
Lisa,
I have PLENTY TO SAY (but you are not surprised about that now are you???) but I’m pressed for time. Getting ready to go to National Breast Cancer Coalition Summit in DC for the next four days. Interestingly, there is a “lobby day” and usually, KOMEN is down there for “lobby day” …. they CANCELLED THIS YEAR…. wonder the hell why????? Another story another day…..
Anyway….. Nick’s vocabulary/grammar may be deliberate… I was thinking that as I was reading. I am so suspicious of those who feel such a need to defend anything “pink” … it’s the way my mind works…. I just always feel if someone is taking such a strong position, they just may stand to lose something (like a fat paycheck or no more profit from their pink BS product)…..
I’m calling out **all** of the National Organizations (at least the Big Pink Ones)…. starting with KOMEN and moving right down the list. There are so many grass roots organizations that are staffed by volunteers and putting money directly into the hands of those in need. Or into the hands of a researcher……
I hate that I am pressed for time….. I hope you poked around my blog a bit….. some of my opinions (rants….) are a bit more cohesive than these thoughts…. Just know I’m On YOUR side, sistah…..
We are going to Be The Change we wish to see in the world… (That’s a quotable line from someone who published it but I can’t go do the google thing…. gotta get packing!)
I’m glad to stand beside you making lots of noise and calling out anyone and EVERYONE who has turned me into a brand, a FOR profit brand. I am a woman. With a disease. Called Breast Cancer. I’m nobody’s profit margin and I resent it. Then, they use OUR disease to make money and won’t even help those of us who NEED the help….. And get defensive about it when we question why…
For the record.. I think it’s noteworthy to mention… we did not start out “all pissed off” … we tried playing nice…. and we were ignored… shoved aside with that high and mighty attitude. It’s a few disgruntled women. And suddenly, it’s NOT. When Komen shot themselves in the foot, the wo(men) who were fearful of expressing their TRUE feelings began coming out of the woodwork….Donations are down, race enrollments are down, the PR honcho stepped down….I think that all speaks volumes….
It’s not about their “good work” (where is that sarcasm font)…. It’s about finding a great crisis PR firm to “rehabilitate the brand” …. and again, I say… “I AM NOT A BRAND”…
ok.. sorry for ranting on your blog… perhaps I should have just pointed you here….
http://chemo-brain.blogspot.com/2012/04/for-record-im-still-pissed-off-just.html
xoxoxox
AnneMarie
PS-Nick needs to get his facts straight. I love people who open their mouths without any clue… or those withOUT breast cancer telling us how lucky we are to have Komen in our corner. Stick needles in my eyes, why don’t ya?
Dear AM, my friend and fellow cohort (may I say that)?
First of all, I want to apologize for my slow reply. I got sidelined by medical crap (scans, just the typical post-cancer landscape type of stuff – nothing new).
Second, you rock. You are so amazing. Your passion and intelligence has probably already saved lives . . . I am so proud to know you.
You motivate me to speak out and to take them on.
I feel I haven’t done near enough. Rachel is gone now and we have to all keep fighting so that something is done. Shame on SGK and all of the other false pink ribbon organizations that take money from goodhearted people in our name, in the names of people like Rachel. They can all go *&^% off. The tide is changing and people want to know where there money is really going. Because we all know enough of it isn’t going to research (thank you to Rachel for calling SGK out and for taking precious energy to do it in 2010) and little is going to help cancer patients.
I hope to be in NY in June and hope to meet you in person then!
I wholeheartedly agree with EVERYTHING you have said.
All the best to you.
XOXOXOXOXOXOX
Lisa
P.S. I look forward to hearing/reading about your DC trip 🙂
Oh…. I forgot to mention.. the reason I am trying to remember to type wo(men) is to remember that there are MEN in this mix and ONE of them left a comment on one of my blog rants in support of “OUR CAUSE” ….
EXACTLY 🙂
Bahahahahah, Mainely Hopeful! And Lisa, I think he was just making more assumptions & talking through his beer-stained hat regarding the ‘nice clothes, etc.’ comment. He appears to be just another loud-mouth who doesn’t have an atom of real compassion, has to win every argument & has a chip on his shoulder. I wouldn’t give him any more shelf-room here, frankly. If he bothers you again, though, just say the word, & we’ll all go visit his blog & engage in some guerilla commenting. With pleasure.
Hi there my friend.
Thank you for your comments (love the Bahahahaahah and especially love the “guerilla commenting” offer). Very funny 🙂
He does have a chip on his shoulder and notice that he has not bothered to write any more comments . . . hmm . . .
Oh, Susan G. Komen’s Ghost (on twitter) retweeted this post and asked “Nance, is this you?”
LOL
Much love to you,
Lisa
You have a valid justification for being angry about how you were treated by the wealthiest and most visible breast cancer charity, Lisa. What’s more, the critiques of the organizations (of which there are MANY) have been fully vetted and systematically analyzed. Komen spends a lot more on ADMIN than people think. Just drill into the program budgets of the audited financial reports. When you add it up, only HALF of the revenues actually go to the program. The rest goes to administer it. Nick is very defensive, but part of that is, I imagine, that he just doesn’t know the details of the organization. Komen has (in the past) done a very good job of hiding them. Now that those details are coming out, more people are likely to be just as angry as you are. Keep it going! –Gayle Sulik
Dear Gayle,
Thank you so much for your comment.
I truly appreciate it. I am sorry for my very slow reply.
I love what you do and so appreciate your voice out there. Thank you for all that you do.
XOXOXOX
Lisa
I meant to add: thank you for changing the dialogue by writing your amazing book! I am grateful.
All the best,
Lisa