October is national Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Breast cancer is a serious health concern across the globe. African American women who develop breast cancer are more likely than white women to suffer a second cancer in the other breast, with those who are diagnosed under age 45 being more likely to get a primary breast cancer of a more aggressive form according to the scientific literature.
However, one question that remains is whether breast cancer awareness is of any service in dealing with cancer in general. All around us we see pink from ribbons to wristbands and cleats in the National Football League. It is almost out of hand and even sickening for some people to use this as a simple marketing ploy. I would argue that there are better ways to bring attention to the need for research dollars and preventive care than turning everything pink around us from Kentucky Fried Chicken buckets, Lay’s potato chips and even Campbell’s soup cans.
This is just too much and is closer to commercialization than genuine desire to find a cure. We even forget about other pressing issues. Let us not forget that October is also National Dyslexia Awareness Month, Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Spina Bifida Awareness Month, and Rett Syndrome Awareness Month.
Breast cancer awareness is important but people should recognize that it is a real disease and more than just pink ribbons. The way things stand now, this is lost for so many people it is just blatant consumerism. If we really want to do something about breast cancer, people should stop using toxic chemicals in and around their homes. This will go a lot further than wearing a pink ribbon for a single month. –torrance stephens
