Pink Ribbon Overkill: On AOL

I did an interview a week or so ago with a reporter from one of AOL's sites, Daily Finance, and the story went live today. 

It's a good piece, and strengthens my feeling that the tide is turning on pink marketing. 

Read: Pink Ribbon Overkill

A note on the photo: That's me, blogging at a coffee shop in Honolulu last February. Note the T-shirt. It says, "Fuck awareness, find a cure," and the letter U in "fuck" is a little pink ribbon. 

However, I actually feel that rather than "raising awareness" or even working so hard to find a cure, we should be working to change behavior. We are never going to cure breast cancer as long as our environment and our lives are so toxic. 

1. Don't smoke.

2. Exercise regularly.

3. Maintain a healthy weight. 

4. Limit red meat. Eat organic when possible. 

5. Avoid environmental carcinogens, including workplace carcinogens. 

I would like to see a big chunk of the money going for cancer research shifted over to research on cancer prevention. 

@ Jeanne Sather 2009. 

Comments

[Brian]

Very well put. I really respect how you just put it out there and get your point across so well!!

B

[Aryn K Quinn]

This is brilliant. I applaud you for stating the obvious and thinking outside the "pink box".
There are plenty of ways to reach out, hands on, to support a woman in need.

Awareness: Achieved.
Cure: Still MIA

[Cassi Clausen]

Excellent points. It's so disappointing to see what marketing departments do with something that started out so positive. Anyway, I stumbled upon your blog while searching for contributors to a new online breast cancer publication. I think your honest writing style and your cajones would make you a great contributor. If you are interested, please email me at publisher [at] menforacausemagazine [dot] com. Thanks! Cassi

[Keiren Smith]

Where oh where did you get the shirt? I want one--it expresses my feelings perfectly.

[Aaron]

Hi Jeanne I got an email from American Airlines today that made me immediately think of your blog and your mission. You can read about "Miles for the Cure" here:
http://www.aa.com/i18nForward.do?p=/specialtyPages/komen.jsp

I honestly hadn't ever considered the negative side of all of these ribbons (although when they started talking teal ribbons for prostrate cancer my eyebrow went up!) so thanks for raising *my* awareness on this topic!

Perhaps you should start a running list of the most egregious examples of crass cancer marketing.

Keep up the fight

@ajdun

[Amy]

Just found your blog and love it! I remember at Christmas time a couple of years ago my sister-in-law and I were shopping for Christmas ornaments. She had been battling Ewing's Sarcoma for about a year. I remember her seeing all of the pink stuff and saying "what about my cancer?". That day she ended up buying an ornament that claimed it benefited St. Jude's. She is now gone and I always remember that and it pisses me off to see all of this pink ribbon stuff, so I don't buy it. I will happily make donations toward cancer research, but the pink has gone overboard. I wish she could have seen your blog, I know she felt bad for hating the pink stuff!

[Amy]

P.S. I love your shirt and your cause. Companies need to stop using breast cancer as a way to increase their sales!

[Rachel]

Yes, please do help us find that shirt -- I need one for a pinkified golf tourney I have to attend for work!!

[Cindy Reeves]

Thanks for the focus on cancer prevention. I just lost my sister to secondary liver cancer one week ago today. With everything that I have learned about the American Cancer Society through this journey, I am ashamed of the money I have donated to them in vain.
They run a great marketing campaign with their TWO BILLION DOLLAR/year business.
I am so disappointed in the medical cancer community. They only seem to be motivated by greed and there is no motivation to treat the patient or the family. I could go on and on, but I will spare you.

I just had to vent and I found your website refreshing to say the least. I am glad to see that others are realizing that the wolf in sheep's clothing is playing on the sympathy of loved one's to support a greed driven market...it is called cancer research.

[Linda Hayes]

I don't know if this helps or not, but you can get this shirt at www.speakup.com - this website has 32 pages of various breast cancer awareness items, from shirts to totes to hats to mugs to buttons to stickers. The site also has ovarian cancer items for women working to raise awareness of ovarian cancer issues.

[Linda Hayes]

I just want to note: During my progress through treatment within the past 11 months, I was forced to seek out those organizations that offer financial assistance to women undergoing treatment for breast cancer. As a single woman, it was necessary for me to continue to work full time while undergoing treatment in order to keep my rent paid, electricity on, and phone and computer working.

During my treatment I missed a total of about 8-10 full days during chemo, and 3 weeks after my lumpectomy surgery. My employer docked me for this time, which resulted in my losing approximately $300-500 from my paycheck each month. I was forced to dip into my security deposit to keep the rent paid, had the phone turned off twice, and barely kept the electricity on.

The organizations that I contacted were all willing to help me. However, my argument is this: I needed approximately $2500 to keep myself afloat and the most I was able to get from all the organizations put together was $600. Not only that, but I was told that the financial aid was a one-time-only opportunity. Which would have been fine if my financial problems lasted for only one month, but they persisted from March (when I got my financial aid) through September!

I was also told that I cannot approach any of these organizations for additional help until 18 months have passed!

I think it is absolutely REPREHENSIBLE that these organizations do not have a system in place that can help women pay their bills and keep financially solvent while undergoing cancer treatment THROUGHOUT the entire length of their treatment!

What would have happened to me if I didn't have an understanding landlady who allowed me to use my security deposit money to help me keep the rent paid? (and who has told me that I do not have to pay her back until I can easily do so?) What would I have done in February and March, or now in October and the winter to come if I can't keep the electricity on, which keeps my apartment heated and the water running?

I think that allowing women like me to subsist at a BELOW-the-poverty-level existence is disgusting in this day and age. These organizations raise so many millions of dollars - and spend so many millions of dollars in administration salaries and marketing and advertising - yet women undergoing treatment are forced to quit jobs or live in debt just so they can be treated in order to LIVE!

I think something needs to be done about this situation.

Thanks for letting me vent.

[Bayan]

Honestly, I was/still am shocked how people are allowed to smoke on the streets in NY. I don't know how many times a day I'm exposed to someone's nasty cig smoke.

[Bettina]

Bravo! My non-profit co-founder is a breast cancer survivor (double mastectomy) and refuses to race for the cure until we focus on prevention. You gave an excellent list above, I would just add that if we allowed women who WANT to breastfeed to actually succeed, instead of "booby-trapping" them through hospitals, doctors, employers, and health insurers, breast cancer rates would go down. For women with a family history of breast cancer, there is a 60% reduction in risk! Yes,60%!! But you don't hear the Breast Cancer orgs talk about that, no, because the funding that they get from the pharmaceutical industries that own the formula companies would dry up. Only 40% of new moms are making it to their personal breastfeeding goals, only 11% make it to the minimum recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics, and our culture judges moms whether they breastfeed or choose to formula-feed (which many choose for very, very good reasons, and have no other options because screened, pasteurized donated milk is not available.) Thank you for shedding light on this important issue.

[john]

PLS where can I find this t-shirt?? My 29 yrd old just started her first chemo treatment & I would absolutely LOVE to send her on, along with my love & support!!!