hi
i have read your view and i see where you are coming from. my mom , her sister, dad and brother all carry the breast cancer gene and i have been tested and am awaiting the results. i watched my mother go through breast cancer 4 times and then saw her deal with reconstruction and depression after. i am now waiting to see if i am likely to have a similar life to her. i no everythin i could possibly know about breast cancer and i still buy pink ribbons, pink rubber ducks with ribbons on, t shirts, go on runs etc. it all counts every last penny donated counts whether people want to donate by buying a ribbon or chose to do it some other way.

I understand your point, but I respectfully disagree.
I’ve heard lots of folks say similar things, but I have a different take on it.
Yes, yes, yes we need the things that you said. And yes, we should campaign to make those things happen. But creating awareness is never a bad thing.

Follows is the letter that I wrote to Karen Heller of the Inquirer who wrote a similar piece to yours:

–

I read your column each week and often agree with your observations about children, commercialism and culture. However, this week, I feel compelled to write to you because I think you missed the mark in your article on breast cancer.

My grandmother died of breast cancer. You’re right in saying that it is not a pretty disease. My grandmother’s cancer spread to her lungs. I watched her die. Literally. My mother and I were with my grandmother in her house when she took her last breath. It was a horrible, terrible way to die.

The thing is, my grandmother might not have had to die: she had breast cancer and either didn’t know or didn’t act until it was too late.

You are not the first person that I have heard criticize the “pinking” of October. I’ve heard it a lot, and I respectfully disagree. Is it commercial? Of course it is. This is, after all, America, and if a capitalist can find a way to make a buck no matter what the occasion, he or she will. It has become “cool” to wear Lance Armstrong Foundation bracelets and AIDS ribbons. At the end of the day, does that take away from the good that it does? I don’t think so. As I said in my recent blog post on this subject, I don’t think that you can be too aware. And, despite your statements in your column, I do think it promotes awareness. Every time that I see my pink ribbon, I think about my grandmother and about Mrs. Hardy who went to my church and Mrs. Lea who grew up in my hometown. And then I think about the fact that more than 200,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year alone. They are grandmothers, mothers, sisters, daughters, family friends… As a woman and as a mother of three children, how can I not promote awareness of a detectable, and often curable, disease that affects women in such huge numbers?

So, at the end of the day, while I agree with you that there’s a whole lot of pink going on, I don’t think that’s a bad thing. Awareness might mean that one more woman gets a mammogram, or asks the doctor what that lump is. And it might save a life. Isn’t that worth a little pink now and again?

Hiya…my name is emma I’m 15 and i understand your point entierly…but if u know of someone who hass suffered from a type of cancer or breast cancer u will understand the pain… the ribbons are a way of showing you care and supporting a charity that provides help and support for those suffering with breast cancer. They are an amazing charity… you should try to wake up and realise the pain these women (and men) are going through. The ribbons don’t help their disease but they do support and encourage and raise people’s spirits. just thought i would put that across… because even as a 15 year old I support the charity.

where can i find pink ribbons
i got a homepage on my bebo and its for breast cancer
my school is doing a breast cancer day this friday and we all got to wear something
pink and give a pound

i support this charity and many others

hey my names Lisa and im 13years old.
check out my homepage! i went pink for october!
http://-x-only-jst-human-x-.bebo.com
I think the pink ribbons are a good idea but why pink? if
u think about it how many men do you see wearing the pink
ribbons?
isnt the whole point of ribbons to spread the message
about helping a good cause?well how can it if only 50% of the
population feel good about wearing the ribbons? i think
they should be a different colour not that ive got any-
thing against the colour pink i just think its a bit
sexist and that more people would wear them if they
were a different colour,maybee they should make an
asortment of colours so people could have a choice.
I think theyve realy gone o.t.t this year with pink
its everywhere-t-shirts,mugs,badges,wristbands
its just sick people trying to make the most money
out of an event that people no is money to go to
a good cause but dont realise how much money
is actually GOING to the charity.
Pink ribbons there a pound arent they? well how much
do the producers get paid they have to have a share
or else it wouldnt be fair economy.It would be much
better if people gave there money straight to
registerd charitys than to some rubbish pink bit of
ribbon and a factory in china.
my email address -lmwilliams2293@hotmail.co.uk

It seems as thought “the pink” is more visible this year as opposed to previous years. It does spark the thought of what all that money could be used for. We, for the most part, know what breast cancer is - finding a cure is where we need to be putting our funds toward.

Yeah, because that national health-care is working really well for Canada.

Hi–seven replies to my post, all of them supporting the pink ribbons, and NOT ONE is from a woman with breast cancer.

I understand that the pink ribbons help people who have had a friend or relative who has died of breast cancer, and I certainly understand their sadness and grief. But, I repeat, not one woman who is now living with breast cancer, or even a survivor, who wrote in to tell you that she buys pink ribbon merchandise or that she feels supported or comforted by it.

Some of you apparently didn’t realize my situation: I was first diagnosed with breast cancer eight years ago, and it metastasized to my bones almost five years ago. I have been in continuous treatment for most of these eight years and I will continue in cancer treatment until I die. And I hate pink ribbons and the whole pinking of October. I get no comfort from this. I get no feeling of emotional support from this. Rather, I feel exploited by companies that are making money off pink products.

For more, see my blog, The Assertive Cancer Patient,
http://www.assertivepatient.com/

Jeanne

You view is as valid as anyone elses here, but I and my mother [who was diagnosed with breast cancer two years ago, and who will also continue in treatment until she dies most probably] do feel that the pink campaign is important to raise awareness. These companies, at least here in the UK, play a vital part in raising funds for charity - but also keep people’s minds on the importance of checking themselves and reminding others. It was as a result of the original pink for october campaign in the UK that my mother started checking herself regularly and first discovered the lump.

I can appreciate your sentiments, I really do, but on this occasion at least I must respectfully disagree. Pink for October has been important for myself and my family, with both my Grandmother and mother diagnosed with breast cancer in the space of a few months.

If the pink campaign does nothing for you, then please feel free to begin your own campaign, and ingnore our little, albeit exploited way, of spreading awareness. This will ensure that you can assist in campaigning for breast cancer insurance [not an issue currently in the UK, but spreading awareness is]. But it is vital to remember that for a long of people the pink campaign IS vital, and they believe it is important.

I am Eliza’s mother, and in 2004 I and my own mother were diagnosed with breast cancer. Both of us are still undergoing treatment. Had it not been for the Pink for October campaign the previous year I would not have begun checking myself for lumps and bumps.

While, like my daughter, I consider your opinion as valid as the next person, I personally consider the pink for october campaign important for raising awareness. I don’t always like have the constant reminder shoved down my throat, but I do support it and its contribution. The UK does not have the insurance issues that the US has, but we do have issues with quality of treatment and regional variations. Our campaign here in the UK has helped a tremendous amount to combat these regional variations, and help some people receive treatment.

If the pink for october does nothing for you, then put your energies into campaigning for your health insurance. But for others, the pink for october campaign - however exploited it may seem to be - has been vital in my survival, the survival of my mother - and in raising awareness among my family.

I have to agree that the commercialism of pink is creating awareness about the subject, but not educating people about how to act and giving them real ways to help. I am currently working to fix this problem through my PhD research and my website that focuses on breast cancer education:

http://www.lemonland.org

This site will expand to include ways people can communicate and support eachother, participate in events and have a place where they can guage their knowledge and be encouraged to screen for cancer and find easy to understand comprehensive information about treatment. A pink ribbon won’t save a life, but early detection will! Let’s turn the tables and have donations working for the cause and not for the pink socks! :)

The Mayor of Lemonland

I’m kind of blown away by this post and honestly don’t know what you’re asking the world to do. Should we simply not buy these products, not help foundation like Komen because they are good marketers? I wonder if you would have survived for the last 8 years without the money that was generated from these activities before you were diagnosed? Your treatment might not have not even existed if it weren’t for research dollars raised through donations.

I’m not trying to be harsh. Obviously you are facing a serious illness. But geeze, to sit here and bash those who are doing what they can to help? So what if these companies only give a percentage of profits? Does that make the gift any less valuable?

The bottom line is, this isn’t just a feel good thing. The money raised goes to all sorts of research, education and support programs. Are you saying those are unnecessary?

Boycott October

I have finally realized why the whole pink ribbon/pink marketing thing makes me so angry: I feel exploited.

Next October, I will be on a pilgrimage on the island of Shikoku in Japan, hiking from temple to temple, far away from TV, newspapers, magazines, and advertising in all its forms. I will even leave my beloved laptop at home.

Before I go, however, I plan to organize a boycott.

I’m calling it “Boycott October.�

I will be making pink (yes, pink. It’s the “fight fire with fire” principle) buttons that say “Boycott October,â€? and then in smaller type: “Don’t buy pink products. Don’t exploit women with breast cancer.â€?

I will send a button, absolutely free, to anyone who e-mails me and asks for it. I will also send you a flier that you can copy and hand out to anyone who asks about your button. It will explain why you are asking them to boycott pink products.

If you e-mail me your address now, I will put you on the mailing list to receive a button next September. And I pledge not to use this list for any other purpose or to sell it to any other organization or charity (since I am neither an organization nor a charity, just a writer with breast cancer).

Jeanne Sather
jeanne.sather@gmail.com

To read more:

http://www.assertivepatient.com/2006/10/boycott_october.html

Hi–this is a reply to fundraiser (above) who says in part:

“I’m kind of blown away by this post and honestly don’t know what you’re asking the world to do. Should we simply not buy these products, not help foundation like Komen because they are good marketers? …” (Yes, that is what I am asking.)

“The bottom line is, this isn’t just a feel good thing. The money raised goes to all sorts of research, education and support programs. Are you saying those are unnecessary?”

My point is this: These companies are exploiting women with breast cancer and putting out pink products because they know about the marketing research that says people are more likely to buy from a company that supports a cause that they support.

Instead of buying a product that donates a SHARE (a tiny share, in many cases) of its profits to a cause–give the money directly to the cause. Instead of paying $30 for a Barbie doll with $1 or $2 of the profits going to an breast cancer organization, give the whole $30. Give it to Komen, Give it to Cancer Lifeline. Give it to Gilda’s Club.

But also, realize that these products and the entire Breast Cancer Awareness Month/pink ribbon thing causes acute emotional distress for many women who are breast cancer survivors or in treatment for breast cancer. Is this the result you want?

Go to the bulletin boards on the Young Survival Coalition Web site, or any other bulletin board for women with breast cancer and read what women have to say.

Meanwhile, I am boycotting October next year. (See my post above.)

Jeanne

“Instead of paying $30 for a Barbie doll with $1 or $2 of the profits going to an breast cancer organization, give the whole $30.”

Many people do just that. But these promotions are a way for a company to share a portion of their profits and gain a little publicity at the same time. What’s wrong with that? It’s also a way to wring a few bucks out of those who otherwise might not help at all.

All I can say, is that if I was starving, and somebody offered me a bite of their sandwich, I wouldn’t complain because they weren’t giving me the whole thing.

I am a women suviving breast cancer, and I would never boycott the October endeavours. In the UK at least the pink products that come out during October are products people need anyway, if a percentage of those profits go to charity - thats fine by me.

Go on your pilgramage, enjoy it, you obviously deserve it.

But I am one breast cancer suvivor who will not be boycotting the pink for october campaign. Every endeavour is as important as the next if it raises awareness and a little money for those charities which are key to the survival for all breast cancer sufferers.

[…] That goes for any major event or cause. Being African-American, I understand the feeling of having the light through the shutter of your exposure turn vivid and fade that quickly. Whether it be October, or February, or 9/11/20## the “rally cry” simply dies the day after — no more wristbands, tolerance, or t-shirts — until it’s called on again. Although, I can’t say I will miss the mass marketing of pink ribbons. […]

I am a breast cancer survivor of 10 1/2 years and I purchase many pink ribbon items. For myself and also as gifts to other survivors and to people without cancer. I purchase things that I would use anyway or things that I just like. I proudly wear and display my pink ribbons to honor myself and also to promote awareness. I was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 30 after finding the lump myself.

I am now 40 and the fortunate mother of an 8 year old daughter. I do agree that the amount of money donated is not always large but I do feel it raises awareness. More people need to realize breast cancer strikes people of all ages and you are never too young! My ribbons have generated many conversations with people most all have thought I am considerably younger than my age. I use these opportunities to discuss being a young cancer survior and hope they will in turn be more aware of themselves and pass information on to others. I did not know so many people had issus with pink and the breast cancer awarness month.

For some reason these things have always been positive to me and I have never felt exploited! It is up to each person to determine how they want to supporate the issue of cancer and I think some of these people would not do so otherwise.

I do understand where jeanne is coming from and also the others who support the whole pink thing.

It has become fashionable which is a great thing for awareness (women are checking more because of it and that is saving lives)and fundraising, but there is always the worry that it is a fad that will pass. Or people will get pink fatigue.

I think that the pink licensors should be more discriminatory though of what they let carry the pink lable. There really is a lot of junk, there’s even junk food that has the label and I can understand how that could be seen by some afflicted by the disease as offensive. I also agree that such small percentages for such huge marketing benefit is insulting, really it should be a minimum of 5-10% of sales. Often it’s just “a percentage of the proceeds will be donated…” and you don’t even know. I don’t think that because a small amount is donated, that justifies that dodginess. In the end it will serve to harm the pink brand and breast cancer fundraising will suffer.

Still, I think it’s a good thing that it now so visible and common conversation because it makes women check.

“Pink fatigue.” That’s a good term for it.

I’ll be back next year, trying to pursuade a few more folks to make direct donations rather than buying pink merchandise that enriches companies far more than it does the nonprofits.

Also, please remember that many of us with breast cancer do not want to be given pink merchandise or pink ribbon products of any type–so be cautious in who you give these things to if you do buy them.

And a final word–The whole idea of BC “awareness” is probably over-rated. Doctors are saying that it causes anxiety among women who have very little need to feel anxious about their odds of getting breast cancer.

Next October I’ll be protecting my own peace and well-being by escaping to a pilgrimage on Shikoku in Japan.

Jeanne

Jeanne,

Good for you. You do that.

What angers me here is not the opinion, its the “I am right, and you are all wrong attitude”. It seems to me you are nothing more than an angry women who will strike at any cause that does not tally with your own opinions. You rant, repeat yourself over and over again in the hope that if you state it often enough people will come around to your way of thinking. Thats not how it works.

I say do what you can to the people of this site. If the pink for October campaign spurs people on, so may it continue.

Maureen
Also a breast cancer sufferer and survivor, so my opinion is just as valid as yours for all your ranting.

Hi i am a 15 year old girl. I am on this website because i want to know what i can do to help raise money for cancer research as my nan died aged 69 of lung and breast cancer. The doctors tried to tell us that it was because she smoked but my nan never touched a cigarette in her life and no one ever smoked around her because they all knew that she didn’t like the smell of cigarettes. So please could you answer my question of what i could do to help raise money for cancer research. love georgina xx

I have pink fatigue!

I am boycotting October. These companies make enourmous profits and goodwill off their charity. So by not buying pink stuff, I will use my shopping to speak volumes. Now if everyone else did, these companies would be forced to donate 100% of their profits with NO MAXIMUM donation.

For example - 3M spent $500,000 on a marketing campaign yet only made a $300,000 donation to breast cancer research.

And if Yoplait makes $10 million in profits, they still will only donate $1.5 million. It takes 4 lids just to make up the price of the 39 cent stamp. Tell these people to shove their lids and make the donations directly.

As far as awareness, if you aren’t aware by now, then you live under a rock. Put your money towards programs that really help - like free/cheap mammograms or treatment.

My grandmother died of breast cancer. I had leukemia. And more people die of heart disease or lung cancer than breast cancer. Find a cure, not pay for someone’s Ferrari at Yoplait!!!

Jeanne,

After reading your blogs here, I went to your site - which lead me to the NPR interview with Hallmark. I couldn’t listen to it for more than about a minute.

My mother had a radical mastectomy in 1971 — the usual method of treatment then. Survival rates weren’t so high in the early 70s. Yet, five years later, she was declared cancer free. Ten more years went by, then she developed bone cancer that quickly spread through her body. I wasn’t with her when she died. I lived in another state. I traveled back and forth to see her as I could.

The last time that I saw her, she was drugged with pain medication. When she saw me enter the room, she thought I was a nurse. She thought that she had just given birth to me and I was the nurse in the maternity ward. I sat with her as she lived through different periods of her life. Once more I left to go home.

She died shortly thereafter. I wasn’t there. My mother died almost 20 years ago and I miss her dearly.

I get my yearly mammography to honor my mother. I wear a pink ribbon pin. Not always, just sometimes when I think of my mother … and a close friend that died last year of breast cancer … and all the strong women and men that battle through this awful disease.

Every just cause is exploited. I don’t pay attention to the noise. I tune it out. We all have our own way of adapting.

Here are three of this year’s anti-pink rants. This year my strategy was to fight back with humor, since most of the people who buy pink ribbon junk don’t seem to be persuaded by logic and evidence.

Prostate Cancer Ken and Breast Cancer Barbie: The Happy Couple, Together at Last

M&Ms & Cancer: The Mosaic

How LOW Will Komen GO?: A Contest

Anyone who’d like a Boycott October button, send me an e-mail with your mailing address and I will get one off to you, absolutely free.

There are numerous other diseases and cancers that afflict women and which deserve equal (if not more) funding as the “Pink” charities. Heart disease kills more women each year and ovarian cancer is on the rise in the midst of no clear diagnostic tool to detect it. More money should be shifted from the Pink to the research of these other disease states in an effort to address ALL health and cancer issues that we, as women, face. The Pink charities are over-funded and I agree with a previous blogger that companies now shamefully use the ribbon to peddle their products. It is no longer an “awareness” campaign rather one that encourages companies to prostitute their products under the guise of doing some good.