I went to the cinema today. Just before the film the new 'Cancer doesn't care' advert came on by MacMillan. I found the advert really upsetting and by the time the film came on I was actually hyperventilating and felt dizzy. I thought about leaving the cinema. I had just wanted a couple of hours to get away from things, the cinema has always been my place of refuge from having to think about what's going on with my cancer, cancer of a couple of relations, work. My partner is really struggling with it all and he enjoys the cinema too - thankfully he wasn't at that screening.
I hate the fact MacMillan are now advertising in cinemas. I can't switch it off, fast forward or mute it and close my eyes - it's in my face. There's one scene in the advert I have been seeing over and over again and I can't sleep, it's haunting me. I feel so angry about this.
MacMillan does such a lot of good work, but this just feels cruel. I am going through cancer treatment, but I can't imagine how someone with more serious cancer than mine, or someone who has lost someone to it would feel.
I have complained to MacMillan but I am anticipating I will just be told 'very sorry it's upset you but....' and will continue with the cinema adverts. I'm just one voice and what they want is donations and shock tactics mean people remember them. I fully appreciate many people may think it's a good way of raising awareness and raising funds, partly through shock tactics and please feel free to say so, but if anyone feels like I do, please let MacMillan know. There are a couple of other films I want to see, but I'm now going to avoid the cinema or make sure I know exactly when the film starts so I can try and avoid the advert. I'm going to make sure I record everything on commercial TV so I can fast forward adverts to avoid it. I didn't mind the adverts 'still a friend with cancer' etc, but this is on another level.
Hi
Before I was diagnosed with cancer I thought there were far too many cancer adverts - almost every ad break on TV there seemed to be one! Then I was diagnosed with cancer and understand it all a lot more being that there are so many different kinds of cancer. However, I do personally think there are too many cancer charities with each one advertising for funds. I'm sure it would be much better if there were a select few. For instance for breast cancer - Breast Cancer Care (breast cancer guides in hospital) and Macmillan - breast care nurses and Cancer Research UK. These are the only ones I support and I constantly get bombarded with FB ads for plenty of other breast cancer charities, charity bags through the door for other breast cancer charities etc. etc. If the smaller ones 'teamed up' with the big names and came under their umbrella, it would be a lot more efficient and effective, I'm sure. To me it feels as if it's an overkill and I've had cancer - which is no wonder why I was 'sick of the adverts' when I hadn't been personally touched by cancer.
But, that said - it won't change I'm sure - and adverts in cinemas are where charities have a captive audience and gain much needed funds, so that probably won't change either. I went to see "The Mule" on Sunday (I thought it was a fantastic film - although his ex wife died of cancer, so may not be a good film for some to watch) and the advert for Macmillan was on - the advert doesn't bother me at all, but I checked my watch for the start time of the film as we'd practically finished our popcorn before the film started! There is a half hour of adverts/what's coming next before the start of the film, so if you wanted to (I know it's not ideal), but you could go in half an hour after the 'supposed' start time of the film to be able to enjoy the cinema without the fear of seeing an upsetting advert?
