A couple of thoughts:

I also prefer "It's Reality, not TV."

I like Cindy's Olympic ring idea, but if oral cancer has its own color, I think it should be used instead of pink. Nothing against breast cancer survivors, but we have to remember our roots here.

I know this will probably sound like nitpicking, but I have an opinion about the phrase "Strive, Survive, Thrive". I understand the concept of having it in that order...first you strive, then survive, then thrive and it also looks good in print with the longer word being in the center. But I think Strive, Thrive, Survive has a more rhythmic ring to it when spoken aloud. If this is a theme that you want to continue to use maybe with the idea of it becoming a rallying phrase, I think the spoken sound of it is important and I'd opt for Strive, Thrive, Survive. Just a little, nitpicky thought.

I also wonder if the Lance shirt will sell better if it is focused entirely on Lance? Should we concentrate on a Lance theme now and save ideas with a broad appeal for other shirts? Or do you want the Lance shirt to appeal to all cancer survivors as well as to Lance enthusiasts?

What about something along the lines of "from one survivor to another - Go Lance"?

Rosie

Just to clarify.. I wasn't thinking about pink for OCF. Just for the ring for the breast cancer. Does OCF have a color? Maybe we should adopt one.

Maybe we should think up something unique that the world might try to copy like the bracelets. I wear my livestrong bracelet everyday and sometimes I don't take it off. It is a constant reminder to me that this can be conquered and overcome. I wore it before Harry was diagnosed because I believe in the message and now it carries even more significance since we now live within this world.

If I had something like that for OCF I would pass them around by the hundreds and remind people that there are more dangers out there than they are aware. A reminder to prevent, to get regular check ups, to support and to survive.

I ordered my T-shirts and I can't wait for them to arrive. I will wear them proudly because to me they represent all of you.

I know this might sound sappy but I mean it from the core of my heart....

Before last Dec. I had no reason to know any of you and I suppose that I could have gone my whole life that way... but now I carry you all with me everyday. Because the struggle is hard... for patient, caregiver, family and friends. You all invited me in, have listened to my fears and my ignorance, you have given yourselves selflessly and all to my enormous benefit.

So whatever the shirts look like, whatever idea comes to be manifest, I will buy them for my family and friends and I will wear them proudly always.

Here is another thought for an OCF specific shirt.....

I don't know what logo you could put on it but the entire shirt could be covered with survivor signatures. I have seen this thing done on other shirts and it makes a real impact when you see all of the names, signed and spread across the shirt. Obviously there is no way to put them all but, volunteers could offer to sign and the point would get accross loud and clear... "There are more of US than you know".

Just a thought.

Thanks again to all of you for being here!

Cindy

Is there anything the Canadian Members can do as well?
I'd be willing to help anyway I can.
David

You ARE going to have ball caps (or even buffs) made aren't you? The graphic lends itself to that, I think I am going to want a couple more to give to friends and neighbors who are also cancer survivors.

Cindy,
Oral cancer does have a color - burgundy (I've seen it with and without a thin cream color line running through the middle. When my parents were at MD Anderson for my brother's surgery my mom found the most beautiful little metal oral cancer ribbons. (about an inch tall) I saw some on Ebay, but they are not as detailed or lovely. Just thought I would let you know.
Brian, I like the idea you shared - GO LANCE and a big number 7 under that - with a sport uniform type of lettering, or how about Go Lance on the front with a stylized bicycle logo and a big number 7 on the back? I will work on a few designs to send to you - although I'm sure you already have dozens of your own.
Thanks for all you do.
Tonya

Great ideas, all of them. I'll start noodleing on some ideas on the computer later in the week (when I beat a few of the alligators down that are about to consume me). As to the oral cancer colors.... this is an issue. First there was one color proposed and made into ribbons by a particular OC group, then another group, which didn't like the first group for reasons I'll stay away from in this post, came up with their own colors.

Let me say this about the ribbons in general; when I first looked into this, I found that there are 2700 trademarked ribbon color identifiers at the US trademark office... I was blown away by the number. But I am more amazed that anyone would still want to piggyback on this idea. For myself, and this will expose my ignorance for all to see, I really only remember the two first ribbons, pink and red, beast cancer and AIDS. As for the rest of them (2700), I could only guess, and therein lies the problem. If you are going to do something it has to stand out. The bracelets that Nike did for Lance were an original idea with a color (the day's winner jersey yellow) that has become synonymous with Lance and the Tour and his foundation. There are now a ton of bracelets of all colors out there, none of which does anybody know what they mean. There are even some people, who I wish would be prosecuted by LAF, that have knocked off the LiveStrong bracelet to a T, and are selling them with nothing going to LAF. The point is if you are going to have an identifier of some sort, being a "me-too" is a waste of effort and money. The ribbon and bracelet have been done ad nausium except for the few that everyone knows about, and the ribbon and bracelet efforts will always be associated with them.

As to the color, I don't think wearing a burgundy or a burgundy and cr

Brain,
I noticed Rosie has Ebay experience as well and would gladly withdraw my name from "leader" contention. I just offered in case no one else was able. How do you feel about auctioning specialty items - like a bicycle autographed by Lance Armstrong? (with his permission, of course.) I know you are working on the t-shirt now, I just thought I would throw that out there. As for the ribbons and their colors, I agree it has been overused and abuse, but I like my little pin and when someone asks me what the color stands for it gives me an opportunity to share my family's experience with oral cancer and it also reminds me we am not alone.
Keep up the great work!

I agree with the uniqueness idea. That is exactly what you need to make an impact that spreads.

Maybe one color is not really sufficient. Consider this idea:

One of the unique things about oral cancer is that it is a single name used to describe so many more specific conditions. If you say oral cancer you encompass, tonsils, throat, larynx, jaw, tongue, gums, soft pallate, and more I am sure I don't even know.

When people ask me about Harry's cancer I tell them it is on his tongue not he has oral cancer. I guess I do that because it is more specific. But it doesn't make sense to try to take such diversity and try to confine it within the idea of a single color.

I am not advocating a rainbow either so please do not take it that way. I am just suggesting that the best solution is something that will truly express this community of people fighting to survive.

The colors for breast cancer and Lance are obvious. They have a reason for being what they are. And the cancers that they define are considered a single type.

I am just throwing this out there because I thought about what it means to have oral cancer and this is how I see it.

One need only to reed the signature lines of the posters here on the board to get a vivid picture of just how different one oral cancer is from another. So maybe whatever we choose to represent it should be a symbol of what it means.

Then it is unique, like all of you, and it stands out, it has character, and most important it gets peoples attention which is the main purpose of something like this in the first place.

AWARENESS! It is the first step toward prevention.

We had never heard of oral cancer before in our lives. I didn't know what it was or that it even existed until Harry was diagnosed.

The greatest accomplishment that a campaign such as is proposed here can achieve is that it reach people on a very large scale. To save lives and give hope!

Just my 2 cents.

Cindy

Just so that all who are part of this discussion know what I know, the wristbands are made by a factory in China for Nike. One of our survivors, JetAgeHobo is expatriated in China, and was able to locate the source for us. The costs are low, $1700 for the die and 17 cents apiece when made. We left the idea a few months ago when all the other bracelets starting hitting the market, and in support of Lance. We got a thousand of the LAF yellow bracelets which we sold for two dollars each successfully, one for LAF one for OCF. (Newcomers are not aware of this.) At the time, and even now, because of my relationship with Lance and LAF I didn't want to take from their parade.... We need an original idea that is uniquely ours. That doesn't mean that we can't profit from Lance's celebrity, like with our own cancer survivors support Lance T shirt. I like the idea and I think it will sell. But time is of the essence on this idea. It is over in July, and a different T might be the order of the day after the Tour. We just need to hammer down a phrase that pays tribute to what he has accomplished (as the ultimate survivor and the ultimate competitor), and his willingness to give back some of that determination and strength to others by his example. So let's hear some phrases...I want to add that shirt to the printing starting this Friday.

Hello Brian, Some ideas?????

"TO CHAMPION TO CANCER TO CHAMPION"
"LANCE ARMSTRONG"

"LANCE SURVIVED CANCER"
"YOU CAN TO"

"YA GOTTA BELIEVE"
"LANCE"

"LANCE SAYS"
"YA GOTTA BELIEVE"

"ORAL CANCER FOUNADATION"
"EARLY DETECTION"
"SAVES LIFES"

"ASK YOUR DENTIST FOR A COMPLETE
ORAL SCRENNING EACH VISIT"


"VISIT AND ENROLL FOR FREE!!
WWW.ORALCANCERFOUNDATION.ORG

DANNY BOY