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What Do YOU Think about Pink?

By Megan

From The Occasional Hot Flash

Sometimes when I see pink it makes me see red. And in the midst of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I've been seeing a lot of red, er, pink.

I know that many women with breast cancer are comforted by the pink ribbons that bloom in October. The ribbons show that people are aware of our suffering and want to alleviate it. I, too, am touched by well-meaning efforts to support women with breast cancer.

But there are aspects of the annual pink-ribbon bonanza that disturb me:

The pink ribbons exploit my illness as a marketing opportunity for businesses to promote products of all kinds and build a base of loyal customers. Buying pink ribbons or ribbon-labeled merchandise from companies that donate a few pennies from each purchase lulls consumers into feeling they have done their part in eradicating the disease.

Meanwhile, sponsorship of breast-cancer nonprofits by pharmaceutical companies limits nonprofits' freedom to think and act with independence. If a manufacturer of conventional chemotherapy drugs provides vital financial support for an advocacy organization, how likely is that organization to question the value of those drugs?

Then there's the rah-rah factor. Like the tissue carnations in a homecoming parade, the pink ribbons generate a premature sense of victory that obscures the truth, which is that relatively little progress has been made in preventing, treating or curing breast cancer.

And perhaps nearly as detrimental, that rah-rah spirit invokes the importance of a "positive attitude." The flip side of the belief in the curative value of a positive attitude is the notion that women have only themselves to blame if they do not survive --- and thrive. 

So I've stopped reflexively reaching into my pocket when I see pink. Instead of buying beribboned products, I've started writing checks directly to the organizations that I know from experience are helping women with breast cancer and aiding in the search for causes and effective treatments. That way I know that the full amount goes where it counts.

What about you -- what do you think about pink?
 

 

Posted October 18, 2010.

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I think that the pinktober is a good idea gone bad for all of the reasons that you have pointed out. In addition, I feel that it has had the affect of lulling people (patients and medical professionals as well) into thinking that breast cancer is the only cancer in the world - that as long as you have a mammogram - ok and a pap smear - that you are good to go. Unfortunately that attitude has limited awareness and funding for research for cures of other cancers such as stomach, ovarian, pancreatic and so and and so forth. Let's support awareness and a cure for ALL cancers because every MAN, WOMAN, and CHILD deserves a lifetime!

— MaryAnd

 
I see more awareness for breast cancer than any other cancer. Gosh, I can go to the store to buy a loaf of bread, there is a ribbon! It is so easy to detect breast cancer now, we have self help stuff to hang in our showers.
We don't have all of that for the cancers that are so hard to find or are "silent". I would like to see a share of fundraising for all cancers. I believe that breast cancer has the highest around. I am sorry for anyone that gets this horrible disease but the great news is that there is so much research, and support.
What about ovarian, bladder,stomach, pancreatic, Brain Cancer ect.? They need to be noticed just the same!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

— HeidiLynn

 
I've just written a blog post, in conjunction with a breast-cancer-survivor friend, on this very topic:
http://carcinista.com/2010/10/16/pinktober-from…-point-of-view

Let us know what you all think!

— The Carcinista

 
Very interesting topic. I have had mixed feelings about all the pink, too. Mostly around the marketing aspect. It certainly is powerful marketing for all things and true that product makers are profiting from their mostly tiny donations. But, even with all that cynicism, I think the long term and overall result is positive. And yes, there is a lot more focus and dollars spent it seems on breast cancer than others, but it is a really prevalent disease (1 in 8, I think). It does create a 'rosy' picture of the disease, sometimes, too. You somehow feel that as a survivor you must now do a 2 day walk, or half maration, or triatholon or something.. nevermind that you never ran a step before the disease! :-). I am a recent ovarian cancer survivor and people I meet assume I've had breast cancer. But I must admit, I have met so many women in the last several months that have or have survived breast cancer.. the occurrence of the disease is really staggering.

— Trudie

 
I have an ovarian cancer-afflicted mother and a grandmother who just underwent a mastectomy for her second primary breast cancer. Because of that, I've been able to look at this cancer war between two completely different lenses, and I don't like what I've seen.

There's a point in certain diseases when "awareness" is very important. For example, the vast majority of ovarian cancer cases are diagnosed at a late stage because women (and, sadly, doctors) simply don't know to equate vague digestive and bladder symptoms with the deadliest of all gynecologic cancers. If more people knew to associate bloating with ovarian cancer, and if we had clearer practice standards for doctors dealing with OC's warning signs, then maybe more women could be diagnosed early.

The same could be said for many other cancers--awareness and detection at a localized stage could mean the difference between life and death for thousands.

The lack of awareness for "other cancers" is blinding. Ovarian cancer cannot even get proper coverage in its awareness month (September) because businesses and organizations are already gearing up for Pinktober. No one knows what a teal ribbon stands for. Most women (and, again, some doctors) think that a yearly PAP test screens for ovarian cancer.

However, please tell me one person in this country who is not "aware" of breast cancer. Who would look at a pink ribbon and wonder, "What's that for?" Who couldn't tell you that breast cancer is screened with mammograms. That's been a real success of the Pink movement, and it's to be applauded. But it's time to let some other cancers step out of the shadow of breast cancer awareness and stop being marginalized by the inordinate attention that is paid to pink.

I say since pink has succeeded in making us all aware of breast cancer, it's time to move towards the big-picture issues: Prevention. Causation. Cure. Money needs to stop being thrown at research that will only lead to meager improvement in the lives of the women who endure this disease. All sides of the fundraising battle must come together and make a concerted effort towards solving these problems.

The sad reality is that those of us dealing with other cancers still depend on breast cancer research to lead the charge. If Pink succeeds, we will ride its coattails. If breast cancer is cured through billions of dollars of research funding, then those findings will eventually trickle down to all malignancies. But if they keep pumping money into pointless awareness efforts, if BC fundraising entities raise money just to justify their own existence and don't do anything to further big-picture gains, if people really get conditioned into believing that buying something pink is all they need to do to fight this disease, then the Pink movement is setting up all cancers for failure. That's what I see happening, and that's what I fear most.

— Katie

 
Hee hee-- I'm online now looking up the Carcinista's post to share with some female friends with other cancers (rectal and thyroid) (as I type this, Carcinista's post is the one before this one).

I have survived ovarian and breast cancer. I hate the pinkocracy. I agree with what has been posted already.

Having started an awareness campaign for OC, I hear from women all over. I ache when I hear that they have been denied participation in certain programs because they are for BC patients only. Women who have been through other cancers have faced mortality, body image issues, continuing medical issues resulting from treatment and all of the other things that BC patients have. Why discriminate?

I want to raise awareness of ovarian cancer because it is important that people know of the symptoms. But, when people ask me about where to donate, I first tell them to look locally, to look at programs at their local treatment center that help all women.

— Teal Toes

 
I am a Teal Warrior myself....an Ovarian cancer survivor.
The pink does not bother me. I just wish there was more awareness for other cancers.
What does bother me about the whole pink campaign? Slogans like "Touch your boobies", "Feel your Tatas" and ones about Husbands groping your wives.
That cheapens the whole thing and I don't know about anyone else, but Tata makes them feel like playthings and, while my husband may enjoy that reference, I do not. They are an important part of my body. It would be akin to campaigning for prostrate cancer by suggesting "Let's go play some ball".

I also believe that breast cancer needs to start looking at reproductive organ cancers as a hand-in-hand campaign. Often when a woman gets cancer in her breasts, she is also at risk for ovarian cancer and vise versa. Women with breast cancer need to know the signs for ovarian cancer for their own health as well as all other women out there in the world.

I know some OVCA warriors complain about all the pink. I understand that it(Pink campaign) has been around for a long time and has the most exposure but we need to work as one unit to make awareness for all cancers. We need the backing of well-known public figures, celebrities and organizations. We need a PR person to make this happen.

http://atattooonhispalm.blogspot.com/

— Denise

 
When I was diagnosed with breast cancer ten years ago, I was really happy to see the pink and the awareness campaigns. I remember how empowered I felt adding my name to a breast cancer awareness quilt, how I could say in public, "Yes, I have breast cancer too." But now I just cringe every October. The crass commercialism gets worse every year. A couple of weeks ago I really lost it watching the Giants-Texans football game when for NFL breast cancer awareness day a pink Cadillac drove onto the field in Houston and a bunch of cheerleaders in hot pants and pink sneakers jumped out waving pink pompoms and yelling "Woo hoo, Texans number one."

For the past year and a half I've been the Director of Metastatic Programs at SHARE and I've learned that most women with metastatic breast cancer hate all the commercialism and feel so excluded from the celebrations of "survivorship." October 13th is officially Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day, thanks to advocates, but it isn't enough to have one day. Enough with the pink balloons--let's talk about what's really going on with women who are living with the reality of advanced breast cancer.

— Ilene Winkler

 
My cousin was diagnosed last year with Stage 3 Breast Cancer. That news cut like a knife for her any my entire family. This year it is Stage 4 and spread.
I wear a pink band everyday for her. I can understand the big business of the pink ribbon...-even pizza comes in a pink box... What's next... Pink beer and pink cigarettes? I know the pink ribbon has been exploited big time, but I never imagined that I will forever wear pink and worry about her everyday.
I agree with another who posted about the "save the tatas" and other slogans, I have been attending Relay for Life events for many years and always hated that! I hated it before my cousins diagnosis and I absolutely despise it now!

— Sam Schwartz

 
I am in teatment for Stage 3 her2 + and hate all the pink - since I have not worn anything pink.

— leah

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