Susan G. Komen for the Cure Isn’t Curing Anything

Yes. Love Breast Cancer Action.

Thanks for the great article Amy! My eyes were opened with the BfB piece last year. They sure have some great marketing tactics!

:/ Yikes – had no idea. Well.. Guess I have some thinking to do, huh?

Yes.
I also have always found it odd that when magazines and news adds so forth do there big “best ways to stop breast cancer” type list they never seem to remember to add breastfeeding to the list. : (

Bravo, Amy! I’m totally with you on this. Thanks for writing this post.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for this post!

I’ve never supported or liked this organization, because I felt the relationship between Komen/KFC was unholy at worst and an oxymoron at best.

Prevention seemed to be a bottom priority, while fundraising seemed to be their only aspirations. Who is this money going to and what is it being used for? Private jets? Luxurious hotel accommodations? No doubt.

Thank you, for articulating my thoughts!

WORD.

it’s no komen, in general, there is no profit in a cure…and certainly none in prevention on so many levels.

I first really studied and thought about this “pinkwashing” via conversations on Twitter. While I applaud their efforts for making us more aware of breast cancer, as you say, some of the very products they lend their name to are carcinogens or contain such. It’s a shame that such a promising organization has gone astray. I do not think the org’s namesake would be pleased.

Huh…like most ppl I bought pink anytime I could but never thought about how my pink garden rake was funding(or not funding) a cure. I am all for funding cancer research, I feel kind of dirty funding a business that is making money on no cure.

I hate all the girly pink too.  And as someone who’s mother has had breast cancer twice I find the pink ribbons on everything a little wrong (not to mention that you can get breast cancer colanders, breast cancer plastic water bottles and breast cancer yoghurt – capitalism only)

This was an interesting read, and definitely something to think about.

“Business Depends on Not Finding a Cure.”This sums it all up (and it’s not just SGK, unfortunately).

Out of curiosity, does anyone know if the same prevention statistics hold true if you breastfed for less then a year? With both of my children, I had a ton of problems, and not a lot of (if any) support, so I didn’t nurse for the whole year, but we still did nurse at the beginning.

I tried to read your article with an open mind .. but in the end .. I still support this organization and what they do.  They are trying to raise money to fight cancer .. and .. raising money for anything .. is a business .. so in doing so .. you get strong supporters.  KFC can’t support this cause if they don’t sell chicken .. so why get down on them for wanting to link the two .. they have done Lots to make their food more healthy .. and if they want to share their profits with an organization like SGK .. YAY for them .. much better than keeping it for their stockholders. As for the perfume .. there is NO product out there that doesn’t have some risk in it .. at a minute level .. I’m sure if you look on your shelves at home you might be amazed to find what you’re putting on yourself .. or your kids .. but .. those risks are minute as well. Again .. SGK is about raising money .. people will buy perfume from someone out there .. why not be from SGK so the money spent can go towards something more than some stockholders pocket or purse .. towards good cancer research!!

Your article does raise one good point .. be aware of what your money is going for .. whether it be for fund-raising like this .. or in the companies you buy your products from .. don’t be blind!!  As for me .. I continue to support the Susan G Komen foundation efforts!!

All hype, no content.

Did Komen endorse KFC?  No.  KFC used the popularity of Komen to earn a few more dollars.

Okay, prevention.  Yes, that would be good.   But a cure would mean even those who do everything right could be treated.

If Komen helps find a cure, do you not think they would stand to benefit?  They would likely move on to another cause with even more support because of the previous success.

This is internet hype.

This is the best birthday present EVER! While I agree that “raising money for anything .. is a business” in some ways, there are also thoughtful ways to make ethical decisions about how that money is raised, how it is spent, and the information (or misinformation) that accompanies the marketing. SGK has crossed the line. Repeatedly. I can no longer support this organization, no matter how much they did thirty years ago as part of a broad-based advocacy movement to help to de-stigmatize the disease and increase public attention. That was good. Yes. Today’s practices… not so much. – Gayle Sulik

Excellent article.

You are probably also aware of Komen’s generous support of Planned Parenthood then? And of the link between abortion and breast cancer risk? Thanks for posting this. People need to T-H-I-N-K!

I have long felt that the Pink for the Cure is really nothing more than a marketing ploy by the companies teamed up with the Komen Foundation.  When I found out how little of the purchase price of the Pink products actually went towards finding a cure or supporting those afflicted, I stopped supporting the charity.  I want my money to actually do something, not enrich companies or go to administrative costs for the charity.
In theory, it’s a good charity, but like every charity, donors need to check out what is done with donations and take their money elsewhere if they are not happy with what they find.

As far as breastfeeding, the science is there to support breastfeeding does not increase the risk of developing breast cancer, but it is not an option for every woman — some have not had children, some do not want children, and some cannot have children — to encourage having unwanted babies just to be able to breastfeed, if in fact the woman in question is able to do so, is reprehensively irresponsible.  If I had not already made the decision to withdraw my support for the Komen Foundation, I would certainly do so if they suggested that as a viable option for reducing, or even normalizing the risk.

I was responding quickly when I wrote above.  I hope no one misunderstood me.  All I was trying to get across is that I have never understood why breastfeeding is not listed at all in any of the popular women’s magazines or those cute little pink pamphlets that get passed out.  I would never be an advocate for it to be shoved down people’s throats.  That would not only be wrong, that would just be down right strange to do so.

Thanks for reading with an open mind! I know this runs contrary to the image a lot of people have of Komen.

The perfume really got to me….QVC, with perfume. That’s purely about profit, no matter which way you cut it. 

Good post, interesting reading. My mom is a 10+ year survivor and is very involved with Komen. She attends all kinds of events, she is on one of their committees, etc. She is also involved with several other cancer related groups.

The KFC point I really agree with you on. Not just about KFC, but about SO many brands making things pink “for the cure”. In truth we know it is really just a way for the company to make more money under the guise of doing good. This happens with lots of brands/causes, but breast cancer stuff really seems to be way at the top.

While I agree there are negatives like that, there are also a lot of positive things that go along with Komen and the services and support they provide both proactively and re-actively. Lots of free mammograms, education, support, etc.

It is a trade off, but I think the good is still outweighing the bad overall.

I agree 100% on that. Early Komen made ‘breast’ a household word that was no longer taboo – they made it possible for us to talk about breast cancer and not think twice about saying ‘breast’. 

But after the awareness was established, it grew into monster fundraising and marketing machine…it’s sad and to me, disgusting.

I used to opt for the “pink” version of anything I could. But I started seeing articles describing how so much of the Pink Ribbon stuff gave little to even nothing to breast cancer causes.  After that, I learned more about Komen, and here we are. Sad.

Thanks for bringing an open mind.

I believe it can be counted in months, but I’m missing the research on that. The Best for Babes post I linked to has links to back up the stats, though; I’d check there!

The issue, though, is that KFC did *not* just want to share money and donate altruistically; they basically bought an endorsement from Komen. They could have donated without co-branding their chicken, kwim?

As far as the perfume, yes, there’s relative risk in just about anything. But there are perfumes out there without these ingredients that are known to be harmful…and Komen isn’t using them. I’m not sure how that’s defensible.

I think it’s semantic to say that KFC didn’t basically buy an endorsement from Komen, but ok.

If you’re arguing that a cure trumps not getting breast cancer in the first place, I think that’s ridiculous (and I’m sure any cancer survivor would agree).

Gayle, amen! I totally agree. I think that Komen was in the right place when it started and grew into this monstrous fundraising and marketing machine, losing sight of their true purpose and goals. It’s hard to reverse that, unfortunately, and I’m not sure it will ever improve. 

And it’s your birthday?! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! =D So happy this post was a bright spot in your day! <3

Nope, wasn’t aware of that connection at all. At first glance, I’d say that an abortion-breast cancer connection would go back to the interruption of a biological process that’s meant to continue, but that could be totally off-base, too.

I don’t think anyone is advocating bearing a child to reduce breast cancer risk.

But to inform women that allowing their biological processes to proceed uninterrupted normalizes (or reduces) their risk of breast cancer is imperative, I think.

Great article!  In addition to their failure to mention breastfeeding as a key in prevention, they also fail to discuss the link between oral contraceptives and breast cancer.  In 2005 the World Health Organization classified oral contraceptives as a Type 1 carcinogen (cancer-causing agent) to humans, placing it in the same category as asbestos and radon!  Certainly seems worthy of a mention by those dedicated to curing breast cancer…

You know what other big business they’re paired with that makes NO sense? Planned Paenthood. Abortions have been shown to increase a woman’s risk of breast cancer. Komen says they support PP because of the mammogams they provide. Only one problem…PP doesn’t do mammograms. They outsourse them to other clinics and hospitals.

Oh wow, thank you so much for writing this. I have felt this way for a long time, after doing the research myself.  I have so many friends who are committed to this cause, and it just makes me sort of sick inside. I’m still trying to decide whether I have the nerve to post this to my Facebook profile, because I know it will anger people…

But I think I probably will…

Hear, hear! Thanks for the excellent article Amy, couldn’t agree with you more.

So true.

It makes me sad that so many people have faith in these organizations. But, that aside, we should be wondering why cancer research isn’t more vocal about cancer prevention. It seems that people think there is nothing you can do other than wait to see if/when it hits you.

Google the article “Lies, Damned Lies, and Medical Science”. It gives you some idea as to how “research” tends to work.

Thanks for the tip on the article, Liz! I’ll look it up!

Thanks for bringing your perspective and an open mind.

Oh that is a BIG one that I’ve been hearing about lately. I don’t have the science or research to back it up, but some physicians whom I really respect have raised this concern in conversations with me.  

I wasn’t aware of the WHO info, either – that’s crazy!  And absolutely worth mentioning by Komen, but I’ll bet there’s a “follow the money” trail as to why it’s not being discussed.

Thanks for your comment! Appreciate the info very much. 

I’m still undecided on whether or not the Planned Parenthood link is problematic. They do more than abortions, but the abortion issue is certainly there. But doctors provide abortions and I wouldn’t fault Komen for working with them, even though that particular service is incompatible with their mission, kwim? It’s certainly something for me to think about – thanks.

I can TOTALLY relate to that sick inside feeling.  And the angering people.   But when the facts look like this…and we’re talking about them in a respectful way…it’s tough not to share the info.

I completely get the bind you’re in, I’m there, too!

Thanks, Mamatha!

So happy that you put the best way to lower breast cancer risk is to breastfeed! It is a proven scientific fact. Yet when  a news  piece is done on breastfeeding or cancer, IF they mention that fact at all, they appear to be surprised at this piece of information.  Why not breastfeed, that is what they are there for? So true about the “business” of non-profits too. As someone who used to work in the non-profit sector, it was not about giving away all the money but how much could we raise? I am not saying all non-profits have this view point, but it appears Komen has shifted its focus. 

Yeah; I work for a nonprofit now (a severely underfunded one!) and it’s
rough to see Komen piss away millions on lawsuits and perfume lines…sigh.

There is no cure for cancer. There is only prevention through reducing risk via a healthy lifestyle. ”Cancer research” is just one more ruse by the medical-industrial establishment to access your dollars for their technology-focused (i.e., mechanical model) approach to your health care. As a result the U.S. has the most expensive and least efficient (Mother Jones magazine) health care system in the world. Make healthy choices.

There is no cure for cancer. There is only prevention through reducing risk via a healthy lifestyle. ”Cancer research” is just one more ruse by the medical-industrial establishment to access your dollars for their technology-focused (i.e., mechanical model) approach to your health care. As a result the U.S. has the most expensive and least efficient (Mother Jones magazine) health care system in the world. Make healthy choices.

Amy, Bravo! Great stuff here. I just posted about Komen myself. Like you, I agree it started off with good intention, but somewhere along the way, the mission has been lost. There is way more work to be done than just early detection and awareness. And the perfume, please… This is about profits not cures. Thank you for this post.

I’m pretty sure the idea that abortion increases your risk of breast cancer is an outdated myth.

And what is their mission? With only 3% of Planned Parenthood’s services being abortion, abortion is CERTAINLY not their mission. And there is no “abortion issue.” It is a legal procedure that people can choose if they desire. They don’t hang up signs and try to find a way to get more abortions, that is not their purpose. I’m so tired of people getting on Planned Parenthood lately. And for this discussion the most recent research I’ve seen shows that abortion being an increase to breast cancer is outdated. (please give me a link about this if I am incorrect). Why get on Planned Parenthood at all when they do way more good than Komen as a whole?

Thanks for the kind words! Feel free to link up, I’d love to read your post.

Could be…

Whoa there. If it’s true that abortion increases breast cancer risk (I
don’t know if it is or isn’t), then it wouldn’t make much sense for a breast
cancer research group to partner with someone whose sole mission was to
perform them.

Which, as I stated, is *not* PP’s mission. I’m not getting on PP, as you say
- I suggest you re-read the comments.

I’d love a link on the breast cancer/abortion issue.

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/abortion-miscarriage

http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/BreastCancer/MoreInformation/is-abortion-linked-to-breast-cancer

And I’m sorry I responded so harshly. Planned Parenthood has been in the news way too much lately and I’m tired of people making negative comments about them. I apologize that I misunderstood you as being one of those people.

Thanks for the level-headed response. It happens to all of us and sorry
if I was too harsh in my response to you! Thanks for the links, too.

Thanks for sharing! Will take a look.

Every day I become a bigger, and bigger fan of you and your blog! I was just talking with my mother-in-law today (she is a breast cancer survivor, as was her mother) about Komen and how skeptical I am of their work in light of the fact that they provide grants to Planned Parenthood (an organization that I personally do not wish to support)…but I am glad to add these much less political and equally egregious (in my opinion) reasons to my list of reasoins to avoid buying pink “stuff!”

I never bought anything or donated towards them at all, because I read long ago that only 15% of their donations make it to breast cancer research and the rest is overhead & program expenses.  Of course, now I can’t seem to find that exact stat, but that has always stuck out in my head.  And it would make sense that less would go to research, with the points you brought up-they need to stay in business.

Aw thanks for reading! =D

CharityNavigator.org has different figures than that, but it’s hard to tell.
After all, what exactly IS a “program expense,” kwim?

Very interesting read esp now that i am dealing with breast cancer my self as a 30 year old mom of two (both being breastfed – 1 for 4 mos, one for 15 mos and only weaned then b/c of my diagnosis), with no family history at all. 

I work for a non-profit gyno office who has the race for the cure program. It is sad for you to think that this program is up to no good. We serve many un insured patients who can not afford breast exams or mammograms. This company gives this people a voucher to help pay for these exams and mammograms. Mammograms are not cheap!!! The money we get is out before the program is even started with the need of people who need this services. If we did not have people donating to this fund. Many people would not know if they had breast cancer or not. because they would not be able to afford care. If you don;t agree with some of the stuff they due. I understand that. But  I have seen alot of women who went through the program come back with cancer and thank us for telling them about this program who pays for there mammo and breast exam… This program is helping people. Finding a cure maybe not. But helping women get free mammo YES!!!

Ugh this hits home for me, being as I am BRCA2 positive – the genetic mutation that gives me an enormous risk for breast cancer – but I must say that I have always kind of felt this way about the cancer industry in general. For ever cancer patient there must be 5-10 people employed in the whole industry – health care, insurance, non profits. They don’t really want to cure cancer, they make way too much money off of it all. :/ which is rather depressing for me since I have an 85% chance of getting it!

So sorry to hear, mama. <3

I wonder if the other orgs do similar programs….free mammos or not, I just
can’t endorse them with everything else they’re up to.

Wow, that is tough. I need to get tested for BRCA2, too. =/

So sorry to hear about your losses.

The Race for the Cure races are a huge part of the Komen machine…I just
have to think that there’s a better, less subversive way to find
that camaraderie, you know?

It’s been a while since I read about it, but from memory I believe that is the connection.

My mom was diagnosed with cancer, and had the mutation in her family, so she got tested. It is scary because now my son has a 50/50 chance of having it, pretty much freaks me out! But if I were you and you thought there was a chance of having it, I would look into the testing, because there is a lot of screening, and other types of cancer connected to it, so your risk is higher for them as well. Ovarian, pancreatic, melanoma, to name a few!

Sadly I know this machine is acting as above…. I have always said they have an amazing marketing department. 

The concept that abortion could increase risk of breast cancer could also have been considered anti-abortion rights, which might have reduced the push for that awareness.

Awesome post!  Thank you!  The third sentence of the breastfeeding section is missing a couple of words.  It currently reads “So when takes steps,” and I think you mean “So when a woman takes steps.” 

Excellent post!! I especially enjoy your highlighting the additional benefit of breastfeeding — that I RARELY hear about, especially from this foundation (that some practically worship like a religion!) I have an Aunt-in-law who went through a brief scare, wrote a half-assed book about it, and failed mentioned that she didn’t breastfeed her 3 children. Many people ignore this HUGE preventative asset that comes naturally to SO many woman. It’s not natural to surpress it. How could people not realize that the unnatural things in our lives are contributing to the increased cases of cancer? 

I’d like to add another grievance to this list — Komen has succeeded in privileging breast cancer over other forms of cancer.  The inordinate amount of funds they raise, in my opinion, leads to a paucity of funding for other deadlier forms of the disease, such as ovarian cancer.  

I clicked on the links to the studies you posted claiming a reduction in risk of breast cancer by breastfeeding. The first link was not to a study, but to an article which had a very brief summary of the study that claims a 59% reduction for moms who EVER breastfed (as opposed to quantifying how long one must breastfeed to see a reduction of that magnitude – that’s important info for moms out there!), and those numbers again were only applicable to moms who had a family history of the disease.  The second link was to an actual study which was an analysis of lots of other studies trying to find if there’s a connection between breastfeeding and breast cancer for all moms, not just those w/a family history. I was not able to find anywhere in that study the “28% reduction” that you quoted above from the BfB site. At one point it does state that there is a 4.3% reduction of breast-cancer risk for each year of breastfeeding.  It also states that the risk reduction is more pronounced after 4 or more births. I would then have to assume that for women who have fewer than 4 children (which is most women out there), the risk reduction would then be less than 4.3%. That is also important info to note. It also states that although there seems to be an overall risk reduction for ever breastfeeding vs. never breastfeeding, when the number of months of breastfeeding were broken down, the only category that showed a statistically significant difference in breast cancer risk was: longer than 12 months of breastfeeding vs. never breastfed.  This is important, since I have heard many claim that ANY amount of breastfeeding will reduce your risk of developing breast cancer. I just doubt this is entirely true. I have a friend who has tested positive for the BRAC gene, and sees a cancer specialist regularly.  Having had much difficulty breastfeeding each of her 4 children, she asked the specialist about the supposed risk-reduction she would likely see from continuing to breastfeed. The specialist told her that the only way to see a significant risk reduction was to breastfeed exclusively for 2 years with each child. That is simply impossible for most women to do. And for women who have this gene & family history, they are unable to get preventive screening during the entire time they are pregnant plus the entire time they are breastfeeding, b/c the breast tissue is undergoing so many changes during that time that they cannot tell what is cancerous tissue and what is not on the mammagram. If my friend was trying to reduce her risk of breast cancer by breastfeeding, she would also potentially be increasing her chance of breast cancer going undetected during the long period of 2 yrs and 9 mos. while she was pregnant and breastfeeding. And all this while she is just a few years younger than her late mother was when she was diagnosed.  The reason I am bringing all this up is that you hear statistics flying around all over the place these days, but when you really look up the info it’s not always what you thought it was, or what the people quoting it were leading you to believe. I do believe that breastfeeding is best, and has all kinds of health benefits for women & babies, but we need to be careful reporting statistics without totally checking them out for validity.

Dr. Love’s organization is better for uniting women to fuel research.

No one ever said that women should have unwanted children. All that was said was that breastfeeding your babies reduces the risk of getting breast cancer in the future. There is a difference.

Thanks for this post, Amy.  You gave the information about Komen in a level-headed way and I also appreciate people’s comments so far, especially those about the toxicity of birth control. 

A few years ago, I helped my sister through the “full meal deal” (as we used to ironically say) experience of breast cancer treatment – horrible chemo, double mastectomy on mother’s day weekend (after 2.5 years of breastfeeding her child), and 6 weeks of radiation.  All this while she worked her job and raised her kid as a single mom, and questioned her doctors about their relationships to the drug companies, the origins of the drugs, and the million dollar mammogram machine-makers (her own mamogram failed to detect the stage 4 lump in her breast that she could clearly feel with her own hand).  Komen and all “race for the cure” advocates are paradoxes – of course there’s no profit in finding the cure, but women do find support in that “survivors” community and Komen gave my sister a gas card so she could drive herself three hours round trip every day to get her radiation.

I do think consumers (i.e. us) are the only ones who can make change via our decisions to  buy healthy foods (better yet, grow your own food), less toxic products, and not buy into brainwashing or pinkwashing that suggests there’s one simple cure, when indeed the “cause” of breast and other cancers is a complex, intertwined, and interdependent relationship of many socio-political and even, dare I say, personal factors. 

I so respect my sister for going through “cure” hell while simultaneously keeping a sense of humor about her experience and the hypocricies of the “health care” system.  May all who have to deal with breast cancer shine the same light.

The bottom line is that there is little or no money to be made in preventing breast cancer. No one makes a dime when breastfeeding rates increase, and breast cancer rates drop.

There is a lot of money to be made in “curing” or “treating” it. Research, treatment protocols, medications, hospitalizations, surgeries, all employ people, and create profits. Any drug company that comes up with a magic pill that cures cancer will be rich. I’m not saying a cure is a bad thing, it isn’t,I’m all for it! However, prevention seems to really be lacking in the “pink” marketing program.

[...] Susan G. Komen for the Cure Isn’t Curing Anything [...]

I’m not sure what “deep-fried fast food” has to do with breast cancer –
the evidence is overwhelming that obesity is attributable to
carbohydrate overload, not fat or protein, and there’s strong evidence
suggesting cancer may be as well.  (Read science journalist Gary
Taubes’s books _Why We Get Fat_ or _Good Calories, Bad Calories_ for a
review of the research.)  There’s a lot more irony in bake-a-thons
supporting breast-cancer research than there is in KFC’s doing so.  (And
no, I have no connection to KFC, and eat their chicken seldom if ever.)

I do agree that language normalizing breastfeeding is important.

I’m not sure what “deep-fried fast food” has to do with breast cancer –
the evidence is overwhelming that obesity is attributable to
carbohydrate overload, not fat or protein, and there’s strong evidence
suggesting cancer may be as well.  (Read science journalist Gary
Taubes’s books _Why We Get Fat_ or _Good Calories, Bad Calories_ for a
review of the research.)  There’s a lot more irony in bake-a-thons
supporting breast-cancer research than there is in KFC’s doing so.  (And
no, I have no connection to KFC, and eat their chicken seldom if ever.)

I do agree that language normalizing breastfeeding is important.

I’m not a die hard supporter of Susan G. Komen (in fact, I don’t think I’ve ever bought any of their pink products, or contributed to their fundraisers).  However, I feel that I should play the devil’s advocate in this case, since it seems like the conversation is quite skewed to the other side.

These days, it’s easy to criticize large nonprofit organizations.  They’re basically like any business corporation, focusing on revenue rather than ideals.  For someone on the outside looking in, the business choices of an organization like Susan G. Komen may seem questionable and contradictory.
  
But let’s look at some of the figures:
1) According to their 2010 Annual Report, in 2010, Komen were able to generate over $420 million in revenue, and only spent about $20 million of that on direct benefits to donors and sponsors.  That’s a net revenue of $400 million

2) Based on their 2009 Form 990 – Komen paid out over $74 million in grants to organizations for breast cancer research, public health education programs, and health treatment and screening programs

Obviously, a nonprofit this size is not going to survive solely on relying on donations from individuals.  Komen, like many other large nonprofits, needs to creatively partner with companies that will help them generate revenue.  The RED campaign does this by partnering with GAP or Apple or Starbucks (revenue from these partnerships go towards supporting the Global Fund).

The partnership between Susan G. Komen and KFC may seem questionable, but if it means bringing awareness about cancer to a population that otherwise would not be exposed to it, then good for them.  

Komen’s focus is not about prevention, its focus is on ending breast cancer.  There are countless other organizations out there that focus on cancer prevention, and organizations like La Leche League that exist solely for the promotion of breastfeeding.  Every nonprofit has its mission, and successful nonprofits are ones that stay true to their mission. 

You are absolutely correct in saying that Komen will be out of business if a cure was ever found, but isn’t that true for all nonprofits?  If all problems ceased to exist, then they (nonprofits) would cease to exist.  Does that mean nonprofits should not exist at all in the mean time?

I would say this is not just Susan G. Komen but a lot of nonprofit organizations.  They never focus on prevention.  Glad someone else is saying it too!

I totally understand the “dirty” feeling Vee! My mom and I have a longstanding tradition of buying “pink” stuff because we have so many friends and acquaintances who have been affected by breast cancer. As a social worker, I understand that there needs to be some income to run a NPO, however this appears to be overboard. I wonder if the early members of Komen are saddened by where it has gone.

I learned this on “The Daily Show” – I know it isn’t “real” news, but I’m addicted. This fact, in and of itself, shows the intentions of SGK.

There’s also a website about “think before you pink”…buying things that contribute some of the profit to various cancer groups…Like Komen.  I can’t remember what the product was…but less than a PENNY per item was donated if you bought the pink thing.  Crazy.

There are many things wrong with SGK and the business they run. However, their support of Planned Parenthood is not one of them. PP provides low cost healthcare services – pap smears, mammograms, and pre-natal care (to name a few) to women who are under- or not insured. Abortions account for a mere 3% of the services they provide. The National Cancer Institute has conducted research on the belief that there is a link between abortions and breast cancer – the report states that while this was an accepted belief during the 1950s, the current research does not support this relationship. How about that for T-H-I-N-K-I-N-G?

Hi Amy,
Thanks, I hope you will comment as well.

I agree with you that reducing risk is the most important part of the equation, but there are genetic components and other factors that cannot always be controlled. Just wondering if you feel that the Western approach — chemo etc, is completely without merit. What about surgery? I have an aunt who had lymph nodes and part of her colon removed over 30 years ago (along with some rounds of chemo) and is still going strong at 90. I’m not asking because I necessarily disagree with you, but I’m curious if you think the intire med-industrial establishment and their approach to cancer is ineffective. Personally, I think it’s more complicated than that, but money and profit corrupt so much that’s it’s hard to tell what’s truly working and what is accepted as conventional wisdom because it’s profitable. 

I don’t even have words to describe what I felt when reading this article, dis-heartened is what comes to mind first. I am floored by the pink KFC bucket.  I think I am angry, really angry, and frustrated. The purpose is lost here, and it comes down to money over human life and health. To take such a devistating disease and try to profit from it is disgusting. I don’understand this, it saddens me so. Perfume? Chemicals? So, so sad. I believe in wholesome organic food, healthy living, chemical free products and breastfeeding. This organization should be encouraging this as well, not helping to sell chicken!
Thank you for the service of public education, maybe it will make a difference.
Janice

Yeah, I agree with everyone else.  I don’t think that anyone feels that breastfeeding should be listed as a preventative measure to breast cancer to scare women who don’t have, can’t have or don’t plan to have children into having children.  We just feel that it should AT THE VERY LEAST be listed with the other preventatives in articles and pamphlets.  i.e.  These things may increase your risk of breast cancer: Obesity, inactive lifestyle, not breastfeeding your children, ……

Besides, most women do have at least one child in their lifetime and yet most of them don’t breastfeed for very long.  Educating women about not breastfeeding and the increased risk of breast cancer, in my opinion, is not going to make women run out and get pregnant JUST to breastfeed so that they can help to prevent the cancer.  If a woman did, there is a larger issue at hand than something printed in a pamphlet.

I am glad that people are starting to see through these “cure” tactics.  It’s not just breast cancer.  I am type 1 diabetic and I see the same thing in those circles, I have for years.  people look at me like I am crazy when I say there is no profit in curing anything.  Billions of dollars a year are spent just maintaining diabetes.  Why would any large drug/research company want to kill profits?  In diabetes circles they try to load you up on synthetic sweeteners and foods that are not healthy but FDA approved.   I don’t even go to support groups anymore because the people are so blinded by the propaganda.  It really is sad..

Thanks!

“Business Depends on Not Finding a Cure”I have always felt that was the reason behind Komen’s connection to Planned Parenthood. Increased abortions raise the breast cancer number equals Komen has a future.

Why do you not include the worst part of all?!!!!!!!!!  That Komen supports abortion (read: Planned Parenthood) and that there is a PROVEN link between abortion and breast cancer.  That’s the hardest pill of all to swallow.

An excellent post!  Good job!!!

JENNIFER

Diabetes is another great example. What a massive, massive industry.

Thank you!! I’m so embarrassed that so many people saw it with the error! =o

“How could people not realize that the unnatural things in our lives are
contributing to the increased cases of cancer?”

I totally agree!

ITA. Great point, thanks for raising it!

Thanks for the thoughtful comment. Since this deals with the quote from the
BfB site, it may be appreciated there, too.

As for the science, the BfB post didn’t link to all the studies available on
the subject. I can’t take on a thorough review at the moment, but I do
believe that the science is there to support the claims if one does complete
research on it based on my exposure to these statistics over the last few
years.

“breastfeed exclusively for 2 years with each child. That is simply
impossible for most women to do.” I disagree. It might be outside the realm
of their personal desires, but it’s absolutely possible.

“If my friend was trying to reduce her risk of breast cancer by
breastfeeding, she would also potentially be increasing her chance of breast
cancer going undetected during the long period of 2 yrs and 9 mos. while she
was pregnant and breastfeeding.” It’s not as simple as “breastfeed to
reduce risk”. It’s “breastfeed to *normalize risk” – *that’s the
normalization of human biology, period; it’s not just a breast-cancer issue.
So I find this logic to be quite flawed.

“I do think consumers (i.e. us) are the only ones who can make change via
our decisions to buy healthy foods (better yet, grow your own food), less
toxic products, and not buy into brainwashing or pinkwashing that suggests
there’s one simple cure, when indeed the “cause” of breast and other
cancers is a complex, intertwined, and interdependent relationship of many
socio-political and even, dare I say, personal factors.”

YES.

“However, prevention seems to really be lacking in the “pink” marketing
program.” Exactly!

Let’s not take this down the Planned Parenthood debate road…

Thanks for the correct statistic, sincerely. Let’s focus on SGK going
forward, though.

“Personally, I think it’s more complicated than that, but money and profit
corrupt so much that’s it’s hard to tell what’s truly working and what is
accepted as conventional wisdom because it’s profitable.:

That’s sort of where I’m at, too.

Thanks for the comment, Janice, and for bringing an open mind.

I wonder if never becoming pregnant keeps risk at a normal level? I think
that breastfeeding may only be a boon if a woman has been pregnant, but I
have nothing to back that up, it just makes sense to me.

Thank you so much for these links.

This: “research indicates that nearly a quarter of early-diagnosed breast
cancers would go away on their own without treatment. The current best
solution is apparently not to look quite so vigorously or quite so often,
surprising as that may be. But the science seems to be both sound and
substantial.”

FLOORS me. I can’t believe I haven’t seen this stuff. I might have to write
a post just about that. Wow.

Thanks so much for commenting with this info!

Thanks so much for these links & especially the part about birth control.
That’s scary stuff. (Said as a person who was on the pill before becoming
pregnant for the first time.)

Thanks for linking up to that video – it looks really fascinating (and
probably pretty scary).

On the breastfeeding note, it’s not as simple as “breastfeeding reduces
risk” – breastfeeding is the normalization of human health from the get-go
and I think it merits extra weight and consideration because of that.

“to market perfume
containing possibly carcinogenic pthalates and other suspected carcinogens is
really just terrible.”
Do I ever agree! Terrible.
Unfortunately, you are grossly misinformed about planned parenthood. Planned Parenthood makes millions upon millions of dollars in abortions every year. This is not a secret. In ’09, they performed over 330,000 abortions, with each abortion costing upwards of $900. You can do the math. You can also find this information clearly on Planned Parenthood’s website. This info is from their annual report. They also note that the “core” of their work is helping to avoid unintended pregnancies and to prescribe birth control. If I could attach the PDF with the info here, I would but it’s not hard to find if you’d like to check it out.
Not only that, but they do not even perform mammograms, which for better or worse, are one of the most common tests doctors do to “prevent” breast cancer. (Whether this actually works or hurts women more is a whole other discussion.) I seriously doubt the mega-PP is thriving off of women coming in for pap-smears and breast exams. Let’s not kid ourselves. The information I found from PP themselves, doesn’t support your assertion that “most PP offices don’t provide abortions.”
I posted earlier the clear and extensive research connecting cancer and abortions. Just as importantly to note, however, is that PP passes out the birth control pill for free! If this is not marketing carcinogens, I don’t know what is. I also posted the Mayo Clinic research study that shows a clear link between the pill and breast cancer. It’s somewhere in all these comments:) The study is worth a read for you because you have been unfortunately fed the party line, which is to place money-makers (like PP and birth control) as far apart from each other as possible… and call it healthcare! Wow. What a sad state we are in.
What is obvious to me here is that more women have breast cancer now because the pill is prescribed by OBGYNs for countless problems to women and girls of all ages. There are other ways to treat many of these issues, which is another issue as well. But if women were told the truth by their doctors, I feel many women would not be taking the pill. There is a great book out there called Fertility Cycles and Nutrition. I wonder if PP would ever consider giving out that book for free as a way for women to plan their families.

Interestingly, the New York Times and other large news publications refused to report on the Mayo study findings. I wonder if they refute every study at the Mayo Clinic…. or just ones that cause a bit of a stir. In my opinion, that’s front page news right there.

There are so many other organizations that support the women with breast cancer, and they are hurting for donations. Partner the economy and Komen with their finger in every pie, and these other organizations are running on a shoestring.  The majority of the other organizations try to help with women with breast cancer, NOT research. 
Just something to think about.

Great point. Working for a small NPO, I totally hear what you’re saying. I
agree.

I actually took part in the “Race for the Cure”this year and was touched at the great multitude of supporters for breast cancer research. However my experience was bittersweet. I came to learn before the race that our registration fees for the race did not go towards cancer research. As a family we raised funds to help cover the costs of registration and my husband and I donated the money we earned to what we thought we were racing for. I was very upset. What was I racing for? Breast Cancer Awareness and a hope for a cure. What did I end up paying for? A t-shirt? The road I
raced on? The “free” snack and other trinkets I received for completing
the race? I am still trying to figure it out.

This is wonderful!!

=/ That’s really sad.

Wow.

Thanks for linking this……so, a thought I am having as well relating to the “third trimester hormones begin the final maturation of the cells, etc”…….doesn’t this also perhaps point out that with so many on hormonal birth control for so long, hence delaying childbearing or not having children at all, is making them more vulnerable as well? I believe part of this is we are making our bodies go against the way God created them to function. Whether you agree or not, women’s bodies were created to have babies and breastfeed the babies….obviously I am not talking about women that are unable for different reasons, but about so many women artificially stopping this process or not allowing it, etc. Just a thought.

Breastfeeding is so important for women. It is true that Breastfeeding does not reduce the risk of breast cancer in women. Is the biological norm, women’s bodies are connected to do.

Love this.  Posting it to the Pinkwashing Hall of Shame page on facebook  www.facebook.com/nopinkwashing

Just adding to the reasons I don’t support this organization.

I think I might vomit.  This is eye-opening.  I have seen these things and never given them any thought.  Thank you.

It is an informative post. The body is losing the changes in all stages of lactation was due to increased risk of neglect.

Breast feeding is a good for mother and their kids, It is true that Breastfeeding does not reduce a woman’s risk of breast cancer. But its reduce the ration of the breast cancer. 

sports supplements

What’s worse?  According to the IRS 990 (2009) posted on Komen’s website:  they lost approximately $4 million dollars on their “races” – thus making them a waste of time and money for those who participate in the belief that they are helping to fund research to end breast cancer.  And according to Schedule B which lists individual (i.e., corporations) that donate more than $5000 to Komen, one “individual” donated a total of $45 million dollars.  Who, why and what is the relationship?  Furthermore, Komen refuses to fund the first preventive breast cancer vaccine developed at the Cleveland Clinic last year that has the potential to end 95% of breast cancer in ten years.  When is this going to make the front page of the NY Times, 60 Minutes, or Dateline????????  Dr. Kathleen Ruddy, Founder and President, Breast Health & Healing Foundation, breasthealthandhealing.org/breastcancerbydrruddy.com

FYI  vaccine is coming however KOMEN who has trademarked for the cure and markets to people they are researching for a cure IS NOT! The declined the only vaccine of its kind that is for PREVENTION and cure rate of 100% in mice.  i am involved  with funding this vaccine we are doing it slowly but  we are doing it. I have stage IV Breast cancer I am also an RN. I have asked them numerous times Dr Vince Touhey has applied forfunding and they DECLINED THE CURE VACCINE  and they knowexactly what this vaccine means, its the end of KOMEN. Add Lobby Me Pink  to your phones free app put in zip code, write to your representatives in congress tell them you don’t  have my vote if you don’t vote in funding for the cure vaccine of Dr Touheys its about time America does the right thing and choose LIFE instead of GREED!
https://secure3.convio.net/ccf/site/SPageServer?JServSessionIdr004=qd5wly6cc2.app334b&pagename=tuohy_api_donation_form