Nothing ‘bold’ about YOU magazine bald issue

The issue featured some of South Africa’s best loved celebrities, including Lee-Ann Liebenberg, 5FM DJ Poppy Ntshongwana, Shashi Naidoo, Zakeeya Patel, Elma Postma and LeAnn Dlamini, each of them saying that they were doing it for their families. Liebenberg told the magazine that she was doing it for “daddy”. Their hair was digitally removed to resemble a cancer patient receiving treatment.

The Cancer Association of SA’s head of marketing and communications Lucy Balona said another magazine had previously done a similar campaign some years back and had received a positive response.

Shashi Naidoo after photoshop. Picture by City buzz.

Poppy Ntshongwana after photoshop. Picture by Citybuzz.

Elma Postma after photoshop. Picture by City Buzz.

“We were so quite surprised to hear yesterday that many people had a negative reaction to the campaign, we really did not anticipate this.” Balona said.

The publication’s editor Linda Pietersen said they were very sorry they had offended some cancer survivors and family members with their cancer awareness campaign.

“This was the idea from the outset and we got the backing of the Cancer Association as well. Like it, or hate, this campaign has got people talking about cancer and that was always our objective,” said Pietersen.

The magazine’s Facebook page was flooded with furious comments. One cancer survivor wrote: “I am a breast cancer survivor and am disgusted. Is You magazine saying that to attract attention around breast cancer that you have to make fun of it? Guess you don’t understand”.