For sometime now I have had misgivings about the Pink Ribbon Campaign and this post has been in draft form since December.I thought I should take the time to explain my thoughts on pink. To be honest, pink, along with blue have always been my favorite colors. Pink actually looks great on me and my mom too. I suppose it's our fair complexion that we share that pairs just perfectly with pink.
When mom was first diagnosed with Breast Cancer a little more than four years ago we embraced that pink symbol of hope, courage and surviving. It was a symbol I was proud of. Who wouldn't be proud to be sitting alongside a courageous woman fighting her own battle and winning against Breast Cancer. You see when the diagnosis is anything but Stage IV there is great hope. There's allot of , "well if she's going to have cancer it's one of the better ones to have" or "they've come along way and Breast Cancer is treatable". There's not allot of discussion about the very real fact the 30% of women with Breast cancer metastasize approximately 36 months from the start of the initial treatment.
Well it's been about 36 months and mom didn't beat the odds this time. I can't help feeling that pink and pink ribbons are just a reminder of all the ways we are failing 40,000 women annually. It was exciting the first time I saw the NFL wearing pink. I was touched to think that they would change their uniforms to support Breast Cancer Research and awareness. Anyone who follows football knows the rules regarding uniforms are strict, look how often they scrutinized Bill Belichick for his fashion faux pas until they realized there was something there to capitalize on. Hence the Bill Belichick clothing line! And come to think of it the pink uniforms in support of Breast Cancer awareness got off to a slow start right around the time that the "pink hat phenomenon" was full speed ahead. For those of you unfamiliar there are true long time female sports fans and then there are the "pink hats", fans because it's fashionable to be one. Don't get me wrong, I have a few pink hats -- they are way cuter, but I am not a "pink hat". The NFL has done a fabulous job capitalizing on the movement and then some.
I realize now that the percentage of profits related to anything pink or pink ribbon far outweigh the percentage of money donated to research and even that far outweighs the actual money spent on research after paying for countless expenses and frivolous salaries to the individuals that run these foundations. Now that sounds dramatic right? Well to that I say do some real research. Don't just look at what goes to the research and the really important work like helping those living with cancer. Look at those salaries and ask yourself could you or someone you know do that job well for a more reasonable salary? I bet your answer is yes. You see its one thing for the CEO of a multi-billion dollar for profit company who built it from nothing to set her salary at 6+ figures but it's another thing entirely for that same position in a non-profit foundation to be so high...it's non profit people...you can be paid well without becoming a member of the 1%! I say that as a conservative at heart so don't get all political on me.
That's really just the tip of the ice burg.
In truth there are a few foundations, especially local ones that truly are non profit and do their jobs very well. There are I imagine some larger foundations who also do better than others. Don't get me wrong, I believe that without this campaign and the true intentions behind it we would not have come so far . As they say, we have come far. I give credit where credit is due.
But you see, pink is no longer my favorite color because it is a reminder of something that no longer includes mom, of conversations that are never had about the reality of Metastatic Breast Cancer outside of that private meeting when you get the news and the few wonderful bloggers such as But, Doctor I Hate Pink and other support groups.
It's all a bit disheartening really. And until you join this club that no one speaks of...I think it's really hard to understand this point of view. I hope this club membership dwindles and those of you who don't quite understand why I feel this never do. I hope that someday the research that is done and done well eliminates this club altogether. But forgive me if I support you despite my dislike of pink.
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