I Don't Like The Pink Ribbon

The Pink Ribbon for Breast Cancer Awareness first came out in 1991.  Things were different back then - there was no Internet so if you wanted to bring a cause to light you had to do things differently.  I was all for the pink ribbon back then because to me it was a reminder to women that they needed to take charge of their health and do self-exams and/or mammograms.

In the mid-nineties one of my dearest friends, Denice, was diagnosed (just writing that made me feel so sad).  She fought for her life.  She went into remission several times but in the end it won.  Denice's last words to me were in December 1999, she said "don't worry,  you can't get rid of me yet, there's no way I'm going to miss Y2K.  If the world blows up I want to be here!!!"  (she often made me laugh so hard my cheeks would be in so much pain I'd almost cry).

ANYHOW - now when I see a pink ribbon (and they are everywhere all year long) I am turned off.  I think of how companies are making big money by selling pink ribbon items and making big bucks.  I read recently that sometimes meager amounts actually get sent to cancer research.

And what pisses me off even more is that these foundations, especially Susan B. Komen, call themselves non-profit but I'd like to know how much money they spend on all their employees - they seem to have a huge corporation and when I just checked there were about 15 openings all for money related positions to keep the cash flowing in.

But here is the icing on the pink cake:  Approximately 20% of their non-profit income goes to research.  That's sad.  I think they started out with good intentions and got greedy.  I did some research and found a lot of very angry people out there with stories to tell about what really goes on at the SBK Foundations offices and how wealthy their executives are.  There is nothing wrong with making money, but they ACT like your this superhero fighting against breast cancer and really aren't doing all that much to help.  What has really changed in the last 20 years?  Less women die but is it from all the advancements in medicine or because of the advancements in technology to detect it sooner?

One last negative, this really gets to me:  THERE ARE SO MANY TYPES OF CANCER AND MANY THAT KILL MORE PEOPLE THAN BREAST CANCER!  Why don't we see merchandise promoting lung, colon or bone cancer?  Because pink is pretty and sells?  It makes me sick to think of a huge corporation running around spending tons of money that is really not doing all that much to help people (from what I've learned).

I always feel guilty if I turn down a request to put a pink ribbon on my blog or whatever, but lately I haven't been

Ok, I will shut up now.  I feel this post will be very unpopular but its been bugging me for years so I thought I'd get it out of my system not that its officially Pink Ribbon month.  Please feel free to share your thoughts, I know many will disagree with me.

Below are a few things I found online from doing research, the first few items are from a blog called "Feminist Philosphers":

~~~~~~~~~


You may have already seen pink ribbon events planned for October. For a number of women with breast cancer, these events are opportunities for boycotts.

Boycotts? Why in the world? One major worry arises with many charity campaigns: Where is the money really going? But there is also here another concern: a disproportionate amount of the money that is actually spent on the disease goes to awareness, not research for a cure. Treatment for breast cancer is too often brutal and primitive, with about 150,000 women (USA) with the deadly metastatic form, 40,000 of whom will die in 2011. The treatment is slash, burn and poison, and even when that seems to work, the cancer can return 20 or so years later to catch you again, too often at a later and more deadly stage.


Some quotes from a large cancer discussion board:

I got my regular flier from the HEB grocery store today. HEB is a large chain in Texas. The foldover had their bid for your pink money. All coupons will be printed in pink. If you buy two boxes of cookie mix they’ll give you a free reusable grocery bag adorned in pink ribbons…..OR……OR……you can give them $19.97 for a pink fold out chair that says “Fight like a girl” on the back……..or…..or….. you can pay $6 each for some a coffee cup or tumbler with pink ribbons all over it. AAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII. So glad I wasn’t in the store, I hurt to much to shop right now. So I hit their web page and here’s what I told the customer relation form:
Today I received in the mail your regular flier. To my dismay I noted your Pink notice encouraging us to join the fight against Breast Cancer. No where on that flier did it indicate how you support or fund research into curing Breast Cancer. It certainly encourages me to spend money at your store.
I am currently diagnosed with Stage IV Breast Cancer and my awareness has been raised as never before. Are you aware that even Susan B Komen contributes only 19% of their funding to research while spending nearly 40% “awareness” This month myself and many other Stage IV ladies who know we will die of complications from this disease are sick of PINK.  [Stage IV is metastatic; 5-year survival rate is 15%.]
We are asking corporations to stop co-opting this deadly issue to obtain revenue from their customers while doing very little to nothing to fund the research that actually could fight this disease.
Tomorrow I am interviewing with the Austin American Statesman on this issue and I intend to use your ad to point out the frustration we cancer “survivalists” have with the nauseating PINK campaigns throughout the month of October.
Where is your funding going for Breast Cancer????? Is it really helping????
You can do better! You know you can!
~~~~
I have a relatively popular blog.  In fact, last time I called a company on their pinkwashing, they had to shut down.
I put right in the media section that I don’t support any awareness activities, only research.
Yet, I am being inundated with requests to promote pink products.  Somebody has a butter bell, somebody has a piece of jewely they designed, somebody else has pink Brillo pads.
I’m going to creating a big wall of shame.
I write them all back, saying that it’s disgusting that they are trying to profit off the backs of suffering women and donate money to groups that don’t help with anything that helps the only folks who die of breast cancer – us.
And, that I will certainly mention their product on my blog – in my Hall of Shame.
That scares some people.  Wait until that blog post comes out.

The following refers specifically to SBK:
~~~~
Susan Komen seems to be an example of an organization was started for the right reason but who has lost focus as to what their mission is. Making money is necessary for them to operate but the manner in which they do it shows us all something. They have turned into just another huge corporation! I am a member of a non-profit org (all volunteers) that raises funds for breast cancer patients that can't afford insurance. When Komen blew into town they told us we should shut down (we didn't) and give our money to them even though our funds stayed in the local community (all our funds) and helped local people. Recipients of Komen's money have to jump through considerable hoops to get their grants even signing contacts stating that the Komen logo on the recipient's web site will be first and bigger than the rest and the Komen events will be first. This rings more like "I am the biggest and you will do what I say" than "How can we help you help your clients". I hope they wake up soon!


~~~~~
Being involved with many charities over the past 30+ years, I am appalled at the marketing driven focus of this organization. They do an average job in educating, however they will not consider any educator for employment until you are either a member of the jr league or you know one of their employees who is a jr league member. Their program expenses are less desirable. Other competing charities in the major markets HAVE NO CHANCE of getting money once the Komen Foundation gets the money committed, especially corporations. GIVERS BEWARE!


~~~~~


Many years back, I was a divorced mother living on a very limited income and zero insurance. Trying to do the best for myself under such constraints, I called the SGC Foundation inquiring for assistance in locating a source providing low-cost or no-cost mammograms in the DFW area. The lady I spoke with informed me, "No, we don't do that." & "I can't help you with that." I was really taken aback as the image projected by this organization lead me to think this is exactly one of their functions. Do we really need to give millions to an organization to paint everything on the planet pink, have celebs trot themselves out for another "I'm a do-gooder" moment, purchase, ever so heartrending, commercial airtime and create huge bureaus paid large salaries? Is this really the best use and intended use of donated monies? This "Awareness" schtick is a gravy train. I think everyone in America is already more than AWARE.
~~~~

Please do your homework. Have you had breast cancer and have you tried to obtain assistance? Try it. Eye-opening. After calling dozens on Komen's list, I found that most provide workshops/pamphlets. None that I called provide financial assistance.

$9 million "miscellaneous" is not acceptable in for-profit corporations, where you better know where that money went. Non-profits need to be held accountable. One Komen executive makes $500,000/annually.

Breast Cancer is a Cash Cow. Breast cancer is NOT the world's leading cause of death. A few years back, AIDs was receiving this type of attention/funding. But it's no longer a media or fundraiser darling. Cancer has taken over. FYI, in middle and low-income countries, traffic accidents kill more people.

~~~~~

PLEASE check Komen's 2007 annual report. It's shocking. I've asked about the following, but no response has been received yet: 1) $22,989,969 for professional fees! What's that? 2) $9 million "miscellaneous." I have worked with professional for-profit and non-profit corporations for 45+ years and am positive that NO ethical company would allow $9 million "miscellaneous." 3) $8 million for printing in this internet age and at a time when we are concerned about Global warming and "green," and do NOT need to be cutting down more trees for information that is already on line and redundant with all other cancer organizations. 4) Only 50% of their total distribution goes to programs. Also, very little of Komen's money actually helps patients with expenses. It goes to research, yet more is NOT needed for research; funds are needed to actually help people cover unexpected medical expenses. Even with the best insurance, cancer treatment will eat up any savings you may have.

Please find more efficient, effective organizations to support.