Wednesday, February 8, 2017
Tuesday, February 7, 2017
What NOT to say to someone with cancer, according to 6 patients
- Fiona Holland, psychology lecturer at the University of Derby, interviewed 6 women who were diagnosed with primary breast cancer in their 30s and 40s
- They told her the best - and worst - comments they received from friends
- Here, days after World Cancer Day, Holland presents her findings
It can be very difficult to know what to say and what to do when someone you know is diagnosed with cancer.
Yet the type and quality of support that is offered can make an enormous difference in the person's life as they navigate their treatment and, hopefully, their recovery.
Cancer can make for difficult conversations, and sometimes these are challenging to gauge.
Some people find talking about their diagnosis and treatment uncomfortable, others welcome a chance to discuss it.
Dos and don'ts: Six women have told psychology lecturer Fiona Holland what they do and don't want to hear from friends during their illness. Here she explains the results (file image)
At times, family, friends and colleagues of someone with cancer may also experience difficulty in speaking about it or knowing what to say.
They may struggle to accept the news, feel distressed, and then find themselves saying things which are not comforting or supportive.
It can be difficult to understand how someone diagnosed with cancer really feels, what they think and what support they really need.
What is known is that social support offered by others can improve patients' psychological adjustment and some researchers suggest it can even enhance their survival.
Having spent time interviewing breast cancer survivors for a research project, it is very clear that having a network of supportive people around is vital.
The project, a collaboration between researchers at the University of Derby and Imperial College London, recruited women via a Breast Cancer Care UK web forum.
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We interviewed a sample of younger women who had opted not to have breast reconstruction following a mastectomy to find out how their treatment choices had affected their relationships with partners, friends and family members – something which has never been explored in a study before.
The women explained that, although the level of support they encountered was mostly positive, sometimes it was well-meaning but negatively received and, on occasions, it was emotionally distressing to them.
The study's findings offer ways that we can better support people living with cancer.
These are the things we identified as unhelpful and what to say instead:
1. Don't tell them what you would do in their situation
In some cases, friends and acquaintances made unhelpful comments about how they might make different decisions if it were them facing a mastectomy.
Women who were given messages such as 'I'll love you whatever', regardless of whether they elected to seek reconstructive surgery or not, and who heard that their decisions would be fully supported by their partners and friends, told us they felt the most supported.
Sometimes, the women explained, their friends' support was well-meaning but negatively received and, on occasions, it was emotionally distressing to them (file image)
2. Don't become so emotional that they support you
Offering cancer patients a listening ear, a shoulder to cry on and supporting them in making decisions that are right for them are roles that close friends and family can play.
But don't be so distressed that they feel they need to tell you it's going to be fine.
3. Don't assume they need help to do things
Offer to help with everyday tasks such as child care, going shopping, taking them to the hospital, cleaning their house, walking the dog or making a meal for their family.
Friends and acquaintances often come into their own by supporting in everyday tasks such as helping cancer patients with child care.
But not all people will need – or want – this help.
4. Don't Google the cancer they have then offer statistics
Some people don't want to know their odds, the statistics and the recurrence rate unless they ask you to tell them.
If in doubt, don't give informational advice, try supporting them in other ways.
Offer to go with them to a medical appointment to take notes for them so this can help them to remember all the information that was discussed.
5. Don't assume they will change their whole life
Their life has turned upside down and they are adjusting to a new reality.
Allow them to talk things through with you if they (and you) are ready.
Try to support them as they make sense of the information in their own way.
6. Don't treat their return to work as a return to normalcy
Comments such as 'oh, you're back to normal' when returning to work after cancer treatment were considered to diminish the enormity of the psychological and physical ordeal the patient had been through.
7. Don't assume they want your help
The women in our study appreciated that having their children have more of a sense of normality during times of treatment helped them feel supported and more able to look after their own needs.
Always ask if they would appreciate this type of support but don't assume people need it.
Don't be their doctor: Offer them a shoulder to cry on, a listening ear and support them in their decisions but don't give medical opinions (file image)
8. Don't turn into their doctor
This is the role of health care practitioners and patients are often overwhelmed with information and may have to make decisions about their treatment based on this, sometimes within a short time-scale.
Offer them a shoulder to cry on, a listening ear and support them in their decisions but don't give medical opinions.
This article was originally published by Healthista
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-4200378/What-NOT-say-cancer.html#ixzz4Y3dCkC1n
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Thursday, January 26, 2017
Monday, January 23, 2017
Can YOU see the hidden messages in these logos? Take the test to find out how many you can find
- Brands like FedEx have hidden symbols within their logos
- Colour and shape also play a key role in how brands are perceived
- Yellow logos like McDonalds, invoke perceptions of fun and modernity
From the endearing McDonald's golden arches, to the simple Nike tick, many brands are instantly recognisable by their logo.
And some, including BMW, FedEx and Carrefour, have gone to the extra effort to include hidden messages.
You might not instantly be able to spot the hidden meaning, but once you see it, it's hard to forget.
Scroll down for the answers
The FedEx logo was created in 1994, and is instantly recognisable, with block writing in purple and orange. But can you spot the hidden logo?
Sony's VAIO logo features the 'V' and 'A' joined up as one continuous symbol, beside the 'I' and 'O'. Formula 1 is commonly known as F1, and this can be seen reflected in the logo. Both have secret messages
Amazon's logo has a yellow arrow under the logo title, that points from the 'A' to the 'Z', which illustrates the variety of products on the website. The arrow also forms a smile
The BMW brand has a background in aviation, and the logo stays true to history, while Carrefour, the French chain of supermarkets, translates to crossroads, which explains why two arrows have been included in French colours on the logo
Gillette's logo may look like it's in a simple font at first glance, but it really has a hidden meaning
Baskin Robbins has a bright pink and blue logo, but a hidden meaning is within. Meanwhile, the Tour de France logo has a picture within it
The Toblerone logo features bold red and yellow writing beneath an image of a mountain. But there is also an image hidden within it
The FedEx logo was created in 1994, and is instantly recognisable, with block writing in purple and orange.
But taking a closer look at the negative space within the logo, an arrow can be seen between the 'E' and the 'x'.
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In a book titled The Laws of Subtraction, Lindon Leader, who designed the logo, said: 'The arrow could connote forward direction, speed, and precision, and if it remained hidden, there might be an element of surprise, that aha moment.'
Amazon's logo has a yellow arrow under the logo title, that points from the 'A' to the 'Z', which illustrates the variety of products on the website.
But the arrow has also been shaped as a smile, to represent customer satisfaction.
Sony's VAIO logo has the 'V' and 'A' joined up beside the 'I' and 'O'.
The 'V' and 'A' together make up the analogue signal, while the IO resembles binary code.
Formula 1 is commonly known as F1, and this can be seen reflected in the logo.
With the black F, and the red pattern signifying speed on display, the 1 comes in when you look at the negative space between the two.
The BMW brand has a background in aviation, and the logo stays true to history.
The white sections in the middle represent the parts of a moving propeller, while the blue segments represent the sky.
Taking a closer look at the negative space within the logo, an arrow can be seen between the 'E' and the 'x' in the FedEx logo
As well as pointing from 'A' to 'Z', Amazon's arrow has also been shaped as a smile, to represent customer satisfaction
In Sony's VAIO logo, the 'V' and 'A' together make up the analogue signal, while the IO resembles the number 10, which symbolises the digital signal
With the black F, and the red pattern signifying speed on display, the 1 comes in when you look at the negative space between the two
Taking a closer look, you might also notice that the white space between these arrows also spells out a 'C' for Carrefour
A white bear is hidden in the negative space in the yellow mountain within the famous Toblerone logo
The number 31 is hidden in the Baskin Robbins logo. This represents a different flavour of ice cream for every day of the month
The Gillette logo features two blade shape cuts in the G and i, representing the sharp precision of the firm's razors
Hidden within the Tour de France logo is a man riding a bicycle, with the 'R' representing the man, and the O and U representing the back of his bike
Carrefour, the French chain of supermarkets, translates to crossroads, which explains why two arrows have been included in French colours on the logo.
But taking a closer look, you might also notice that the white space between these arrows also spells out a 'C' for Carrefour.
It's not just secret messages, colour is an important tool in making a brand memorable.
In 2014, researchers from the University of Missouri-Columbia tested which emotions people associated with coloured logos.
Some 184 adults were surveyed, using generic logos of different colours for fake companies, created by the researchers.
The results showed that blue logos invoked feelings of confidence, success and reliability, while green logos invoked perceptions of environmental friendliness, toughness and masculinity.
Studies suggest that logo colour could have a significant impact on how that logo – and the brand as a whole – is viewed by customers
Purple logos were shown to invoke femininity, glamour and charm, while pink logos gave the perception of youth and fashion.
Finally, yellow logos invoked perceptions of fun and modernity, and red logos brought feeling of expertise and self-assurance.
As well as colour, logo shape has a huge effect on brand impact.
A study last year looked at how circularity and angularity of a logo affects perceptions of the attributes of the company.
A group of 69 students were told that the study was about people's product preferences, and were then shown an advert for a sofa containing either a circular or angular brand logo.
As well as colour, logo shape has a huge effect on brand impact. More angular logos are associated with more hard-wearing brands such as Mitsubishi, while circular logos are associated with more comforting brands, such as Disney
After seeing the advert, the participants were asked how comfortable they thought the sofa was.
The results showed that those who had seen an angular logo perceived the sofa as being less comfortable than those who had seen the circular logo.
| Brand | Cost |
|---|---|
| BP | £167.5 million ($211 million) |
| Accenture | £79.4 million ($100 million) |
| Posten Norge | £43.6 million ($55 million) |
| Australia and New Zealand Banking Group | £11.9 million ($15 million) |
| BBC | £1.43 million ($1.8 million) |
| Pepsi | £790,000 ($1 million) |
| London 2012 Olympics | £496,000 ($625,000) |
With so many elements to take into considerations, companies are now spending huge amounts of money on logo design.
Despite receiving poor feedback for sloppy design, the logo for the 2012 London Olympics cost £496,000 ($625,000) to design.
But the most expensive logo of all time was oil firm BP's re-brand, which set the firm back £167.5 million ($211 million).
The most expensive logo of all time was oil firm BP's re-brand, which set the firm back £167.5 million ($211 million)
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Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3875228/Can-spot-secret-messages-logos.html#ixzz4Wc6mfpa9
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