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Courtesy Fallon
Scrotum-shaped Christmas baubles benefiting the London-based Orchid Cancer Society were created to raise awareness of testicular cancer.
Just in time for Christmas, a London-based charity that wants to raise awareness of testicular cancer is selling hand-crafted, shiny red ornaments — in the shape of, well, balls.
The "Bauballs" were created by Matt Robinson and Tom Wrigglesworth of the London-based Fallon advertising agency, who conceived of the idea while doing pro bono work for the U.K.-based Orchid Cancer Charity, which is dedicated to fighting male cancers. "Lots of men don't walk to talk about things like this unless you make it funny," Robinson told TODAY.com.
Similar products benefiting another U.K. cancer charity, Everyman, are for sale on Etsy and have names such as "Santa's Sack" and "Baby, It's Cold Outside."
The charity stunts bring to mind the annual "Movember" tradition, where men grow mustaches to also promote testicular cancer awareness.
The National Cancer Institute estimates that nearly 9,000 men in the U.S. will be diagnosed with testicular cancer in 2012. If detected early enough, the five-year survival rate is nearly 99 percent. Doctors recommend that men perform a self-check monthly by rolling their testes between their thumb and forefinger to check for lumps.
The first batch of ornaments sold out online at checkyourbauballs.com within an hour of going live on Dec. 10, with the proceeds benefiting Orchid. Fallon hopes to have another batch of 50 ready for sale on Dec. 17, for 15 pounds each — about $25.
The agency has plans to expand the campaign next year based on this year's unexpected success, including adding international shipping.
Courtesy Fallon
The "Bauballs" were designed so they wouldn't look out of place on a classy Christmas tree.
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Leave a Comment:
LMFAO at the blue balls! I'm going all in on this and will have a fully nutted out tree in my living room.
I check mine three or four times a day.
C'mon, people. Whatever it takes to give testicular cancer more attention is okay with me. Why are we so inhibited in this country? Maybe if we all visited some of the Scandinavian countries we would see how "anal" we are in the U.S. We ALL have bodies that we need to take care of. Isn't it better that we can do it in a humorous way instead of hiding a disease because it happens "down there"? Lighten up and laugh a little!
Philly....? Talk about a 'blue Christmas without you'....
Christmas is a season to help others, so in that sense, this effort is with the right intention.
This is interesting. I think it actually looks like an inverted heart shape apart form the color of course. Whether this is innovative or gross - well, depends from person to person. People who suffer from any such disease and wish to make relatives aware of its dangers, that might be innovative. But if you have never heard or suffered from any such stuff in the family, then you might not associate too well with it. In any case, Christmas is here. We should appreciate such efforts, but at the same time make sure kids do not feel offended by this. To all those who felt bad on reading this - just relax and chill and enjoy these Merry Christmas wishes, maybe that will make you feel better Merry Christmas to one and all and I hope that awareness for testicle cancer increases and next Christmas we see lesser people suffering from this disease.
Regards,
Samantha
SICK...this is just one more article I wish I had NEVER clicked on to read.
m-612920 You got to admit it, It took balls to make a ornaments like that. Come on smile :-) its the Holidays. happy Holidays!!
Society has hit a new low. This is an insult to the reason for the holiday.
The reason for the holiday has been money for the last hundred years, this isn't any worse.
Doesn't matter what the reason anymore, people seem to only be able to relate to the public using crass and crude humor these days. Whatever happened to having a little class?
That class you speak of must have went away along with everyone's sense of humor. You got a better idea to bring awareness to testicular cancer? No? Then quit your btchin. That goes for m-61290 and somebefuddledperson as well. I will absolutely buy some of these for this charity.
They have a little class - ALL LOW.
.
It just looks like an upsidedown heart. Unless you tell someone what they're supposed to be I doubt anyone would notice.
Do they come in brass?
Now THAT would be classy looking... a nice gold hue, actually.
Im speechless.........
Christmas is open season for every thing. It has nothing to do with Christmas and they should be charged with something for using a holy holiday for their own agenda
Look at it this way. If they did this and tied it to a Muslim holy day, all hell would break lose and even our president would have a statement to make.
But Christmas for the Christians. any thing is game.
It's OK - Muslims don't have balls.
Everything you say is probably right, but we can do it because we live in a free country. I'd rather live here and deal with a little crass-ness than live in a country where I could lose my head for some petty offense.
Charged with using a holy day for their agenda? Is that in the Constitution?
While you're at it, are you going to "charge" Target, Wal-Mart, Kohl's, Home Depot, Lowes, Cracker Barrel for selling out Christmas for their agendas?
Bill: I hate to break it to you, but they do in Aleppo, eh?
[hint: they're fighting for their freedom right now]
They also have a mistletoe belt buckle selling for Christmas.
http://adland.tv/commercials/mistletoe-belt-buckle-company-2005-060-usa
these have been around for decades- i used to joke that i wanted to make one, having never seen a retail version, and my wife bought me one...at walmart.
I don't mean to brag, but I've never needed one to have a woman kiss me under my misletoe....
If they truly do jingle, then I guess you'll always hear them coming!
Isn't one supposed to hang lower?
As a Pagan, I find no fault with people hanging stylized testes on our Yule tree. A few extra fertility symbols never hurt anyone.
Women have their Save the TaTa's" Campaign.... this certainly isn't any worse.... but will teen boys be able to wear them to school? It's acceptable in our school district to wear a "Save the TaTa's" shirts and bracelets (but interestingly not a visible religious symbol)...... hope we get equal representation....
Great big Christmas balls song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikMoEI1hoks
Ya - I gotchyer Christmas ornament RIGHT HERE!
Can you just buy one ornament or do you have to get a pair?
Are those Squirrel Balls or People Balls?
SQUIRREL? Honestly, what are you - a squirrel hunter? If they were brain ornaments, would you be asking the same.... nevermind.
Looks like an upside-down heart to me!