Before Christmas last month, a lymphoma patient and a leukemia patient’s mother connected about a “cancer Barbie” idea. They set up a Beautiful and Bald Barbie Facebook page, and it’s growing steadily.
Several tweets yesterday alerted me to this trending story. The idea is to pressure Mattel, Barbie’s manufacturer, to provide a model that kids getting chemo can relate to. According to USA Today, as of a few days ago the toy company hadn’t responded to the group’s request.
Not surprisingly, a parallel Facebook group calling for a Bald and Brave GI Joe has surfaced.
I’m not sure what to make of all this. Should there be limits to cancer awareness campaigns? Then again, I suppose if a child has cancer, or a sibling has cancer, this kind of doll could be instructive and emotionally helpful.
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When I first heard the idea I reacted with a knee jerk. Cancer is serious whether the child is suffering from it or watching a parent or sibling go through it. But like you after I considered it from the child who has cancer’s prospective, it kind of really makes sence. Dr. Mannning from Reflections of Grady Doctor wrote a beautiful post about an exchange between her son and her regarding the way children feel about their toys. It can be found here (http://www.gradydoctor.com/2011/08/green-lantern.html)Her son’s favorite toy had broken and in the exchange he explained that he liked that toy because because the toy looked like him it made him feel not left out. When I take his feelings into consideration I can understand why a bald barbie could be a boost for a seven year old going through chemo. Maybe we should all print out Dr. Manning’s post and send it to Mattel. Those powerful words from a child may be what they need to see the benefits of the doll.
Hi Emmy,
Thanks for the link to the Grady Doctor post. Although the toys considered are distinct — one a cancer patient, the other a boy with dark skin — the issue of how toys influence kids’ perceptions of normalcy pertains to both.