Pinkwashing is Year Round

Susan G. Komen for the Cure makes mockery of self with KFC pinkwashing campaign (opinion):

'via Blog this'

The above referenced article really points out the dichotomy of Susan G. Komen for the Cure. On one hand they want to get people to donate money to their Fund. On the other hand, they have almost any company endorse as long as they are willing to add pink to their printing press. Yes, it is as simple as all that. PINK, Pink, Pink. It is virtually all year round now, not just in October.

Also, another article I found (http://www.naturalnews.com/Komen_for_the_cure.html), links The Big K with Planned Parenthood. I am not seeing a relationship here. Why are they donating funds to them? I am not going to get into a debate on birth control, womens' rights, pro-life or pro-choice here. My point is that these funds, according to the Big K, are going to pay for mammograms and health checks for women. The basis for the donation deals with the reduced incidence of breast cancer when a pregnancy is carried to term. Turn the statistic around! Can it not be said that abortion is contributing to breast cancer? This is an argument that never should have been entered into by the two organizations.

I also found that in 2010, KFC was selling Buckets for a Cure, resplendent in their pinkness. You need to read the journalist's point of view. I agree with him that it seems that Big K is encouraging the consumer to eat the KFC fried chicken. Now, let us review this! What covers the chicken? White flour, salt and MSG along with the secret seasonings. The first three ingredients are quite harmful. As a matter of fact, MSG is a known carcinogen. Eating this fried food leads to obesity (not that I am one to talk, being seriously overweight) and that is proven to lead to increases risk of breast cancer as well as others. Frying at a high heat produces

acrylamides, toxic chemical by-products of cooking that are believed by manyhealthexperts to promote cancer (http://www.naturalnews.com/acrylami...). One scientific study, for example, demonstrated thateatingacrylamides boosts kidney cancer rates by 59 percent. Acrylamides are also linked to ovarian cancer. {Thursday, April 22. 2010, Mike Adams}

P. F. Louis writes in this article about where Big K's money goes (http://www.naturalnews.com/033783_Komen_for_the_Cure_pinkwashing.html) that the former CEO of Big K received $500,000 per year. Nancy Brinker, founder, has stepped in to take over but there are no figures pertaining to her salary. In the 2009/2010 fiscal year, they handed out teh following:

$141 million for education, $47 million for health screening, and $75 million for research. Fundraising costs and affiliate expenses were approximately $60 million with general administrative costs at $37 million.

Do not get excited about these monies. Not once has anyone been educated correctly about nutrition and what foods to avoid to help prevent breast cancer. There are doctors in this country and abroad who are working on drugs to help treat breast cancer but they have not received any funds. What about the thousands and thousands of metastatic patients out there? Any money going to help them? I have seen any reports on that front. Let us not forget the men who have breast cancer. My father died from breast cancer and the males who have a family history are not exempt. Big K does not recognize them to the best of my knowledge. It is only PINK!

Big K has been raising money since before 1982. Why, in all these years, have they not found the ever elusive cure? Of course not. Think of the corporate executives in the pharmaceutical industry, the chemotherapy producers and the radiation technology suppliers. They would be standing in the unemployment line right next to the mets patient who cannot hold a job longer than the respite in between chemo and radiation. 


Off to go fight other windmills kids! Sancho, saddle my horse and give me my lance and helmet. What color shall we use for the ribbons? Certainly not PINK!


Love and hugs,
Beth


P.S. Thank you to 

Spotlight on Small Business, Faith and Hope Boutique

Having been part of a family business for over 20 years, I would like to take the time on my personal blog to shine a spotlight on samll businesses, especially one that supports the cancer survivor/previvor community.

This blog is focused today on Faith and Hope Boutique, located in both Abington and Philadelphia, PA.  When I was going through my upheavals in my BRCA journey, I ended up losing my left implant following my Prophylactic Bilateral Mastectomy (PBM) due to very bad staph infections.  I was a mess emotionally because of the way I looked with a skin flap on the one side just hanging there.  I had heard about Faith and Hope Boutique  through my plastic surgeon, Dr. Brian Buinewicz (http://www.phillyplasticsurgery.com/).  He suggested I visit and see what they can help with to even out the sides.  Never having been one to wallow much, I visitied my mom and she encouraged me to go over there since the store was around the corner.

I met Jeanette first, she is pictured on the left.  She heard my long, sad and involved story.  Turns out that she and her sister, Bonnie, also had the same PBM and used Dr. B!  During Jeanette's chemotherapy and after their surgeries, neither one of them could find a store that sold the camisoles and bras needed post-surgically.  Jeanette also wanted to find nice looking hats, pretty and stylish scarves and wigs when she was also under-going chemotherapy.  So, the idea for Faith and Hope Boutique was born!  They opened the Abington store in October, 2007.  Soon afterward, an opportunity arose to open another branch located at the University of Pennsylvania.  They alternate who tends after which store.  Everything they have is there to help cancer survivors of all types.  Since Jeanette is a survivor of breast cancer(4 years now) she is very aware of what a survivor is looking for in supplies.  Bonnie, a previvor, underwent the PBM at the same time as her sister to be a support of one another.

To quote the ladies, who care about their community as well:  "Our mission is to enhance the lives of women affected by breast cancer from diagnosis, throughout their treatment and living well - beyond!  Faith & Hope Boutique is a one of a kind shop, reaching out to Survivors & Friends who are transformed, but not defined by the disease." 

Speaking for myself, I was treated with care and compassion.  When I got my mastectomy bra and fitted with a fiber-fill prosthetic, I cried and so did Jeanette.  According to Bonnie, the crying happens all the time.  You feel transformed into a swan from an ugly duckling.  I felt "normal" again, like a woman. 
The tears were happy ones as well as relief.  As I got my fills on the left side with the tissue expander, I took out pieces of the fiberfill so the tow sides were even.  I have been back for post-surgical bras that fit without irritating areas where scar tissue has formed.  I have bought survivor-themed jewelry, car magnets, hats, scarves and clothing! 

AND NOW THEY ARE ACCEPTING MEDICARE and can direct bill for their patients!  What this means is that they are slowly getting approved with other Insurers too so they can direct bill for bras and prosthetics which are considered durable medical supplies.

There have been other friends of mine who have had other cancers other than breast cancer.  I had a gift basket made up and sent to one of my former college friends when she was undergoing her chemo.  The Internet site they have displays more of the popular items they carry.  I still use the Lindy skin care products that have a good SPF content since I am at a higher risk for melanoma due to being BRCA2+.

Both ladies are also very involved in their community.  Jeanette and Bonnie both help with Young Survivors Coaltion of Greater Philadelphia (http://www.youngsurvival.org/philadelphia) and host an annual "Courage Night" in October.  Jeanette also runs the YSC support group at Gilda's Club in Warminster (http://gildasclubdelval.org/).  Bonnie is very active in the Philadelphia Outreach chapter of FORCE (http://www.facingourrisk.org/).  The Abington store also hosts a Book Club the 2nd Thursday of every month.  You can also follow them on Facebook, Faith and Hope Boutique!  All of these venues have given me a chance to meet new friends and help where I can too.

Please visit either in person or online.  The two locations are staffed by survivors and previvors who have gone through the experiences and help those in need.
Abington location:
1915 Guernsey Ave.
Abington, PA 19001
215-885-1143  Hours: closed Monday, Tues-Fri 10-6, Sat 10-3

U of P location:
Perelman Center @UPHS
3400 Civic Center Blvd.
1st Floor, suite #1-680
Philadelphia, PA 19104
215-615-3321  Hours: Mon-Fri 10-4

And of course 24/7 on the web at http://www.faithandhopeboutique.com/

If you know of a family-owned small business you would like to see spotlighted, please forward me the information!

Love and hugs,
Beth