Pink Ribbon Problem

Warning: This is a bit of a rant.

I catch myself being cynical when I see a new PINK RIBBON product or the new ‘PINK FOR BREAST CANCER’ version of something. I think, “What is the true motivation for this PINK product? Is it truly about doing good and wanting to help find a cure for cancer, or is it a marketing ploy to sell more?”

The perky pink ribbon can be found on everything from credit cards to toilet paper (can you believe it?), car brands and even kid’s items. With so many PINK items I want to scream, “Do you really understand the toll this disease takes – on a person, on those that love them, on the community, on healthcare, on the world?!” A recent google search revealed 25-million pages of Pink Ribbon things on the internet. And untold facebook pages.

With that much awareness, intiative, energy and funding of products, why is there still so much breast cancer?! The amount of effort and expense involved in creating 25-million-plus web and facebook pages to promote products is considerable, not to mention the costs associated with actually producing and selling the products.

How do Breast Cancer patients benefit? How much does it boost a company’s bottom line? I’ll have to investigate the amount of funding generated by Pink Ribbon items. Stay tuned…

The SCAR Project

A friend of mine who underwent a mastectomy as part of her cancer treatment posted a link to this amazing photographic project, The SCAR Project. SCAR stands for: Surviving Cancer. Absolute Realty.

Fashion photographer, David Jay photographed young breast cancer survivors (under age 40). The website defines the project this way: “The SCAR Project is an exercise in awareness, hope, reflection and healing. The mission is three-fold: Raise public consciousness of early-onset breast cancer, raise funds for breast cancer research/outreach programs and help young survivors see their scars, faces, figures and experiences through a new, honest and ultimately empowering lens.”

I love the title of the book:
The SCAR Project: Breast Cancer Is Not a Pink Ribbon. (Volume I)
To read my thoughts on the plethora of Pink Ribbon items click here.

Two salient points:
• 10,000 women a year under the age of 40 are diagnosed with Breast Cancer
• Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in young women ages 15-40