I want to talk about the “Pink Campaign” for Breast Cancer.
I recently watched a documentary that was released in 2010 called Pink Ribbons, Inc, and I was disturbed and perplexed for several reasons.
I had a lump in my breast several years ago and had it removed, so I am an advocate for breast cancer research and finding a cure. I am a person that supports the Pink Campaign and I have to admit that I buy everything with pink ribbons on it — right down to my tools! To my surprise I found through watching this documentary the “Pink Campaign” is a farce marketing ploy which has caused me to realize that I will no longer purchase anything for the Pink Campaign or anything with pink ribbons on it again.
Although this documentary was released in 2010, I can only imagine that marketing for the campaign has increased since then. I know that there are more pink things in my house, car and even on my key chain since the release of this documentary. In 2010 in North America 59,000 women died of breast cancer. Around the world, every 23 seconds someone is diagnosed with breast cancer and every 69 seconds someone dies. These numbers are staggering. The problem I have with the “Pink Campaign” is that companies raise billions of dollars to find a cure yet research to find a cure is never discussed. Take into consideration the run/walks that are sponsored by the Komen Foundation and Avon, the largest companies advocating a cure for breast cancer. The walks in San Francisco alone raise over 5.5 million dollars with each run/walk. Where does this money go? The Komen Foundation alone represent itself as the “cure” foundation for breast cancer and raises the most money, and they are damn proud of it. But what “cure?”
The treatment for breast cancer has not changed since 1930. It is still, according to doctors, in short, slash, burn and poison (surgery, radiation and chemotherapy). Disturbing, isn’t it. These procedures are all that can be done to cure breast cancer, so where is all the money from the “Pink Campaign”going and where is all the research to find a cure? Breast cancer is inside of every woman, we develop the cells and we have to find out why? What are the causes of breast cancer? It seems that there should be more research to find the cause then the cure and more research on prevention. Doctors tell women over 40 to get a mammogram every 2 years; I know mine has ever since my surgery. However, mammography is a very small part of prevention, and mammography is actually radiation, so how can that be a preventive? I was floored while I watching this documentary taking notes. I can’t even get into the disease of breast cancer or this blog would become a dissertation.
In a nut shell, there are six kinds of breast cancer and each woman reacts differently to them. Research, research, research! Screw the campaign! I say figure this out or more women will die of this disease over and over again.
If you are a supporter of the cure, do yourself a favor and fight for prevention and research. Stop buying pink, cute and fuzzy things because this disease is not cute and fuzzy.
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This article first appeared on epamejewelry.com and is reprinted here with permission from the author.