Friday, October 30, 2015

Being Careful not to get lost in a sea of PINK!

I love hope!  If I didn't have hope my arthritis would have a cure one day I wouldn't have had children knowing there is a strong genetic link.  I currently have a sister who is in breast cancer remission and I have hope she will be just fine.  I am grateful for cancer research that helped put her and several of my friends in remission.  Each one is an inspiration in my life (you know who you are).  But after two straight weeks of a "Pink Out" at both NMSU and than Mesilla Elementary I have started questioning for the first time if our society have we lost our way a little.


When I was younger my 2nd older sister (who is six years older) did breast cancer projects through Zeta Tau Alpha sorority.  She put a card up in our shower to check your breasts while you are in the shower as a daily habit.  It taught me how and to this day I still do it.  With a mom and eldest sister who have had tumors, this could save my life one day or my daughters.  Education and research should always be the focus of our campaign.

But somewhere as a society we went from cancer awareness and walks to a total PINK OUT where every place you can imagine is hocking a pink ribbon product.  It's almost like Pumpkin products now.  You can't go anywhere with out a pumpkin spice anything being pushed in your face and while pumpkin is so yummy; what difference is PINK making in finding a cure.  When we buy these products are we really supporting breast cancer research?  Honestly, not always.  Most companies will not specifically disclose the amount of money that the product you are buying goes to research.  Some companies are suspected of donating no money towards research.

Companies have learned that pathos sells products and they make.  For example New Balance and Yoplait cap donations.  So for example Yoplait promised to donate up to 1.5 million in yogurt sales for their pink lid campaign.  They made an estimated 3.5 to 5 million from the campaign which led to significantly extra profit for the company.  Susan G Komen foundation has a CEO who makes on average $550,000 a year more than Arby's CEO does.  

Furthermore the biggest thing I've noticed this year is that we are losing the message.  It is no longer about: awareness, research, and support as the focal points of the campaign.  I mean really "save 2nd base" tees is a respectful way to share that message?  As a feminist, woman, and mom this isn't funny, yet all over NMSU and elsewhere in town I've noticed these items.  The "I love Boobies" bracelet was on a teachers aide at my kids elementary school causing my seven year old asking me why I he should love boobies.

After 3 straight days of Pink Week at Mesilla I asked my kids what have you learned about Pink Week.  Rachel responded it is about curing cancer.  So I asked her what cancer was... "I dunno".  Which was a better than when I asked my two boys who responded it (Harmon) is about getting out of class and my favorite (Cally's) "I dunno".  So yesterday I asked one of the teachers what they were teaching the kids, the teacher responded that it is our job as parents to teach kids what cancer is and what Pink Week means.  They are just sharing a message of love and hope.  It bugs me that we are doing PINK and yet we are not doing anything substantial to teach kids.  If it is too heavy of a topic to really talk about than what are the kids doing all week?

This month needs to focus on the survivors.  We need to teach prevention and education. Next do please donate, but choose carefully to donate donate directly towards specific groups rather than just buying second hand products.  Finally we should remember those survivors of cancer other than breast cancer and other diseases.  Breast cancer has become a trend and it's a good trend if done right but it doesn't take away from the fact that there are other cancers killing people everyday that don't receive attention.  This summer due to early detection I was blessed to catch Melanoma in it's earliest stage.  I lost my mother to a brain tumor last year and my husband lost his aunt to colon cancer.  Lung, pancreatic, colon, leukemia, and so many others are also killing our mothers, daughters, and sisters.  With diligence I do have hope we can find cures but some hookey little fad campaign isn't going to do it by itself.  It has to be more.

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Friday, October 30, 2015

Being Careful not to get lost in a sea of PINK!

I love hope!  If I didn't have hope my arthritis would have a cure one day I wouldn't have had children knowing there is a strong genetic link.  I currently have a sister who is in breast cancer remission and I have hope she will be just fine.  I am grateful for cancer research that helped put her and several of my friends in remission.  Each one is an inspiration in my life (you know who you are).  But after two straight weeks of a "Pink Out" at both NMSU and than Mesilla Elementary I have started questioning for the first time if our society have we lost our way a little.


When I was younger my 2nd older sister (who is six years older) did breast cancer projects through Zeta Tau Alpha sorority.  She put a card up in our shower to check your breasts while you are in the shower as a daily habit.  It taught me how and to this day I still do it.  With a mom and eldest sister who have had tumors, this could save my life one day or my daughters.  Education and research should always be the focus of our campaign.

But somewhere as a society we went from cancer awareness and walks to a total PINK OUT where every place you can imagine is hocking a pink ribbon product.  It's almost like Pumpkin products now.  You can't go anywhere with out a pumpkin spice anything being pushed in your face and while pumpkin is so yummy; what difference is PINK making in finding a cure.  When we buy these products are we really supporting breast cancer research?  Honestly, not always.  Most companies will not specifically disclose the amount of money that the product you are buying goes to research.  Some companies are suspected of donating no money towards research.

Companies have learned that pathos sells products and they make.  For example New Balance and Yoplait cap donations.  So for example Yoplait promised to donate up to 1.5 million in yogurt sales for their pink lid campaign.  They made an estimated 3.5 to 5 million from the campaign which led to significantly extra profit for the company.  Susan G Komen foundation has a CEO who makes on average $550,000 a year more than Arby's CEO does.  

Furthermore the biggest thing I've noticed this year is that we are losing the message.  It is no longer about: awareness, research, and support as the focal points of the campaign.  I mean really "save 2nd base" tees is a respectful way to share that message?  As a feminist, woman, and mom this isn't funny, yet all over NMSU and elsewhere in town I've noticed these items.  The "I love Boobies" bracelet was on a teachers aide at my kids elementary school causing my seven year old asking me why I he should love boobies.

After 3 straight days of Pink Week at Mesilla I asked my kids what have you learned about Pink Week.  Rachel responded it is about curing cancer.  So I asked her what cancer was... "I dunno".  Which was a better than when I asked my two boys who responded it (Harmon) is about getting out of class and my favorite (Cally's) "I dunno".  So yesterday I asked one of the teachers what they were teaching the kids, the teacher responded that it is our job as parents to teach kids what cancer is and what Pink Week means.  They are just sharing a message of love and hope.  It bugs me that we are doing PINK and yet we are not doing anything substantial to teach kids.  If it is too heavy of a topic to really talk about than what are the kids doing all week?

This month needs to focus on the survivors.  We need to teach prevention and education. Next do please donate, but choose carefully to donate donate directly towards specific groups rather than just buying second hand products.  Finally we should remember those survivors of cancer other than breast cancer and other diseases.  Breast cancer has become a trend and it's a good trend if done right but it doesn't take away from the fact that there are other cancers killing people everyday that don't receive attention.  This summer due to early detection I was blessed to catch Melanoma in it's earliest stage.  I lost my mother to a brain tumor last year and my husband lost his aunt to colon cancer.  Lung, pancreatic, colon, leukemia, and so many others are also killing our mothers, daughters, and sisters.  With diligence I do have hope we can find cures but some hookey little fad campaign isn't going to do it by itself.  It has to be more.

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