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Tuesday, February 9, 2010

User post: PINK,shmink!

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It was something straight out of a Seinfeld episode. You know, the one where Kramer won't wear the red ribbon while particpating in the AIDS Walk:

Who do you think you are?"

"Put the ribbon on."

"Hey Bob, this guy won't wear the ribbon!" 

"Who? Who doesn't want to wear the ribbon?"  (such a classic episode!)

As I walked through the makeup counters of a popular department store, I was approached by an employee carrying dozens of little pink ribbons. "Hi! Here's your ribbon M'am. October is Breast Cancer Awareness month!", said the woman as she started to hand me one.  I replied, "I am actually all set. Though thank you for the offer".  Then it happened. The look of confusion that happens anytime when I turn down one of those cutsey, little pink ribbons. She furrowed her brow, gave me a look of disgust and could only mutter the words "WOW" and walked away.  Other women stared at me and even gave me the eye roll of death. However, I walked away completely satisfied and quite happy with myself.

No, I am not a cold-hearted person. I don't club baby-seals, or taunt the neighborhood children for fun. And let me say it now, yes, I do have a family member who beat Breast Cancer. And I have a father who is a two-time survivor of Melanoma and a mother with Rhumetoid Arthritis (so let's not even go there with the usual "You've just never known anyone with Breast Cancer" BS)

What I do have a problem with is this uber-trendy PINK movement. Everywhere you turn another company is promoting something PINK. Pink Rice Krispies. Pink Dust Busters. PINK M&M's. PINK Mastercards. PINK Laptops. Even a PINK PedEgg.  I get it, everyone loves the "ta-ta's", but ladies, this is out of control.

                                                        IT ALL GOES TO RESEARCH, RIGHT?

WRONG! Most PINK supporters don't even know where the money is going and certain organizations love that. There are so many look-a-like charities. Here is an excerpt from the American Institute of Philanthropy: 

"National Breast Cancer Coalition Fund receives an A rating from AIP, yet the similarly named National Cancer Coalition and Coalition Against Breast Cancer receive F’s. In fiscal 2006, the A rated Breast Cancer Research Foundation granted nearly $25 million or 87% of its budget to medical research, whereas the closely named F rated American Breast Cancer Foundation (ABCF) spent nearly 87% of its budget on solicitations that included an educational message and only $357,500 or 2.4% on research grants."

Do you homework America. Here is a helpful site that rates the best organizations to give your hard-earned money to. http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=content.view&cpid=497


                                                        GET YOUR FACTS STRAIGHT

In a recent survey from the National Breast Cancer Coalition, women thought that one in eight women will be diagnosed with cancer this year. Fortunately, this is wrong. Fewer than 200,000 women will be diagnosed this year. Wow, companies sure have a way of scaring consumers when there are purchases to be made, huh?  

                                                       WHAT ABOUT EVERYONE ELSE?

May is Skin Cancer Awareness Month. November is Lung Cancer Awareness Month, Alzheimer's Awareness Month, and Diabetes Awareness Month.  I don't see too many hats, shirts, stickers, scrunchies, blenders, computers, or cereal boxes drawing attention to these or any other diseases. It's time to say enough is enough and do what we should have done from the very beginning- donate DIRECTLY to the organizations themselves.

I know that I am not alone in my strong distaste of the whole PINK thing. What are your thoughts?

Related: susan g komen, products, pink products, pink, october, consumers, companies, breast cancer awareness month, breast cancer awareness, breast cancer

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From the Community…

Comments 1-10 of 41
  • Elise's Avatar
    Posted by Elise Wed Oct 7, 2009 10:54am PDT

    I would have taken the ribbon anyway, for I have bought bracelets, for the researche....The moiney DID go to reserach though...But I am very hasppy to see someone stand up for what they belieeve in...so refreshing dont you think?

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  • Doktor Eevol's Avatar
    Posted by Doktor Eevol Wed Oct 7, 2009 11:16am PDT

    Don't forget the red dress campaign, to make women aware of heart disease.

    I don't see it as being out of control. Maybe because my area isn't bombarded with it as much as other people's are. Maybe it will help blaze other fund raising for other ribbon campaigns, so I wouldn't be quick to condemn it right away.

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  • sammyM's Avatar
    Posted by sammyM Wed Oct 7, 2009 11:25am PDT

    Excellent point Doktor Eevol! I just feel like this has been going on for so long now and it still seems to overpower other causes.

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  • Lucy's Avatar
    Posted by Lucy Wed Oct 7, 2009 11:26am PDT

    What bothers me is the co-option of the "pink" by companies that are producing food that actually contributes to breast cancer.

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  • Em le Orange Cat's Avatar
    Posted by Em le Orange Cat Wed Oct 7, 2009 11:41am PDT

    yes, my mom beat breast cancer. no, i won't wear any ribbons. I get quite a few glares whenever I turn down a ribbon at the store because people are thinking "What an ignorant teenager!"

    meh.

    No, I'm not ignorant. I'm all for breast cancer research, but I just HATE the color pink, and so did my mom. We used to make our own ribbons of different colors and write "BREAST CANCER RESEARCH!" on them. Walking into the stores nowadays and seeing the pepto-pink overload is a bit much.

    Thank god I'm not the only one!

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  • 's Avatar
    Posted by Wed Oct 7, 2009 11:53am PDT

    1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer over their lifetime, not this year -- and is the leading cause of cancer death in women between the ages of 15 and 54. Anything that brings awareness to ANY movement; pink, red, whatever, can only help, not hurt the people who are truly in need and/or sick. If it bothers you to see so much "pink" during the month of October, maybe you should just stay at home.

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  • mommydearest's Avatar
    Posted by mommydearest Wed Oct 7, 2009 12:03pm PDT

    Thank you for including the link-if you go on breastcancer.org, you will find countless discussions about the "dirty laundry" that the breast cancer community has uncovered.

    I bought a pink basting brush at a going-out-of-business sale last year. I needed a basting brush, this one was way cheap, and as a breast cancer survivor (who, by the way, raises money for research on her own), I figured, "SOLD!"

    When I got home and opened the packaging, I read the tiny print. I don't remember exactly the wording, but it was something along the lines of, "Go onto our website, enter the UPC code, send in the original receipt with the item highlighted, and we will donate 50 cents to 'breast cancer awareness.'"

    What a crock. Besides, "breast cancer awareness" can often be classified as selling a pink dustbuster. People see pink, and are therefore aware?!

    Hardly.

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  • sammyM's Avatar
    Posted by sammyM Wed Oct 7, 2009 12:13pm PDT

    You got it Debbie! :)

    Bjade912- Here is a little food for thought. I think you might be a little misinformed:

    The statistic of 1 in 8 women is grossly misleading. This common breast cancer statistic is often misapplied. The truth is that a woman’s lifetime risk for developing breast cancer is about one in eight, or 12 percent. About 178,000 women will be diagnosed this year, which amounts to 0.2 percent of adult women, based on United States census data.

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  • Joanna's Avatar
    Posted by Joanna Wed Oct 7, 2009 12:41pm PDT

    Thank you for posting this! My father just beat prostate cancer two years ago. I quickly became frustrated when I realized how much attention breast cancer gets over every other type of cancer. NOVEMBER is prostate cancer awareness month. My goal is to one day have blue ribbons and blue attire out there.

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  • Katie B's Avatar
    Posted by Katie B Wed Oct 7, 2009 1:23pm PDT

    Not to mention the fact that there are many other cancers that plague women such as Cervical and Ovarian as well... September is Ovarian cancer month, but we didn't see anything on that. I too get overwhelmed by all the pink and the red... My mom had Ovarian cancer, thankfully she survived, but not all women are lucky... My granddad has had melanoma... And yes, a greataunt of mine and her daughter have both had breast cancer... my aunt has survived but my cousin was not so lucky...

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Comments 1-10 of 41

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