Slog
News & ArtsWednesday, May 30, 2012
Health / The Ladies Breast Cancer Sufferers Have Such Beautiful Gardens
Posted by Dan Savage on Wed, May 30, 2012 at 2:14 PM
Saw this billboard—which makes breast cancer sound like an energy drink—in South Lake Union yesterday...
...and it make me more anxious to see this documentary than I already was:
2
Why cure anything these days? You can make more money by treating illness and keeping cancer survivors or HIV patients on medications for years and years. And that's good for your bottom line!!
3
I think the point of the billboard is that you're enjoying all the little things in life after recovery. It makes you grateful to be alive. And I don't think you can equate the Cancer Care Alliance with the Komen Foundation without doing some research. Komen de-funded cancer testing for poor women in order to attack Planned Parenthood for policitcal reasons, and Komen only uses 24% of funds donated for the cause they are donated.
4
I hated pink ribbons before it was cool. Seriously, my mom had breast cancer twice when I was a kid, and survived both times, but any cancer gathering just reminds me of going to her radiation treatments (she thought that would make it less scary), taking her to chemo, bringing her back the milkshake she was craving and then hearing her throw it up into the sink immediately, helping her shave her head. Going to Race for the Cure with my mom and my best friend and seeing all the survivors and remembering all of our family members who had died of it and were dying of it was horrible.
I'm an immunology graduate student. A lot of my professors and colleagues are cancer researchers, but they're hardly seeing any money from places like Komen or even the American Cancer Society. Raising awareness is all well and good, but it doesn't cost over a billion dollars to raise awareness. You can fund over 1,000 labs for 2-4 years for that much money, and still have money left over for some stupid billboards on the freeway that remind you to get screened every few years.
I'm an immunology graduate student. A lot of my professors and colleagues are cancer researchers, but they're hardly seeing any money from places like Komen or even the American Cancer Society. Raising awareness is all well and good, but it doesn't cost over a billion dollars to raise awareness. You can fund over 1,000 labs for 2-4 years for that much money, and still have money left over for some stupid billboards on the freeway that remind you to get screened every few years.
5
A few years ago, I went to the Cancer Care Alliance web site to get info about parking because I was driving a friend there for an appointment. For weeks afterwards, I was retargeted by Cancer Care Alliance ads ALL OVER THE INTERNET! Until that point, I didn't realize that cancer care centers had to advertise, but apparently treating cancer is big business.
8
SCCA has nothing in common with Komen; this billboard is strictly advertising for the SCCA. They're definitely shooting for what #3 described. In terms of the "big business" claim, the SCCA is mounting an advertising blitz because they're struggling to attract patients and have seen growth forecasts decrease. Private physicians have few incentives to refer patients for clinical trials (main appeal of the SCCA), as this represents a loss of income for them.
While #2 is certainly a troll, I've definitely had patients express similar sentiments and wonder precisely from where those thoughts come. It feels like the popularity of conspiracy theories is inversely related to the average education level of the populace. Never fails to make me fall into a severe depression.
While #2 is certainly a troll, I've definitely had patients express similar sentiments and wonder precisely from where those thoughts come. It feels like the popularity of conspiracy theories is inversely related to the average education level of the populace. Never fails to make me fall into a severe depression.
9
c'mon Dan - that sentiment on the billboard? i know you've had important people in your life who have been very ill. you know that after recovering from severe illness or injury those little things really do become wonderful joys and victories. they become Important.
i swear gardening has saved my fucking life.
i swear gardening has saved my fucking life.
10
I agree with the rest. SCCA is great. I feel fortunate to have them in my own city-- though I hope never to need them.
13
The ribbon used to be salmon? Este Lauder is behind the pink?
This explains my "what's with the fucking pink?" question I've been asking for years.
This explains my "what's with the fucking pink?" question I've been asking for years.
15
@14, I'm excited to see it too, though it's based on a 2006 book by Samantha King that claimed to be questioning "for the first time...the effectiveness and legitimacy of privately funded efforts to stop the epidemic among American women." http://www.amazon.com/Pink-Ribbons-Inc-P…
As far as I'm concerned Barbara Ehrenreich has "for the first time" bragging rights, owning this terrific story with her magnificent 2001 "Welcome to Cancerland" for Harper's, a piece I've been plugging here for years. http://www.barbaraehrenreich.com/cancerl…
As far as I'm concerned Barbara Ehrenreich has "for the first time" bragging rights, owning this terrific story with her magnificent 2001 "Welcome to Cancerland" for Harper's, a piece I've been plugging here for years. http://www.barbaraehrenreich.com/cancerl…
16
I read the book a couple years ago, but this is the first time I've heard of the documentary! I'm so excited!!
I fucking hate pink ribbons.
I fucking hate pink ribbons.
17
Cato the Younger Younger as comment #2 is paranoid and stupid. I'm getting so pissed off at that argument now. Do you have evidence? Have you considered that whoever discovers a cure beats all the other pharmaceuticals that only have treatments and gets to take all the cash? Not to mention the prestige of curing HIV or a type of cancer! You can't buy publicity like that!
18
although kind of a weird billboard, i understand the reasoning behind it. i went through something, not cancer, but something similar at least in terms of how it impacts your life. almost died from it.
while recovering (still am, years later) i began to appreciate plants. watching them grow, and helping them grow. it helped me remember how to be a human.
while recovering (still am, years later) i began to appreciate plants. watching them grow, and helping them grow. it helped me remember how to be a human.
19
@2: People who know absolutely not a thing about virology or medicine should not make uninformed conspiracy statements about them.
Cancer is essentially cured. We can cure about 90% of cancers as long as they are detected early enough. The treatments are not easy or pretty, but they work. This is a fucking miracle based upon where we were 30 years ago, and the realities of how and what cancer is.
HIV/AIDS is a retrovirus meaning it is almost impossible to cure. However, we can prevent HIV from becoming AIDS with the right medicines, as costly as they are. This is also a fucking miracle, considering we have only known about the disease for 30 years.
Read a book.
Cancer is essentially cured. We can cure about 90% of cancers as long as they are detected early enough. The treatments are not easy or pretty, but they work. This is a fucking miracle based upon where we were 30 years ago, and the realities of how and what cancer is.
HIV/AIDS is a retrovirus meaning it is almost impossible to cure. However, we can prevent HIV from becoming AIDS with the right medicines, as costly as they are. This is also a fucking miracle, considering we have only known about the disease for 30 years.
Read a book.
20
Not being from the area, I know nothing about the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, but let's be careful not to conflate all cancer organizations with Komen.
21
@13 - Yes, Estee Lauder is behind the pink ribbon, not Komen.
Evelyn Lauder and her organization, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, has poured millions of dollars into research. Over 90 cents per dollar is donated to research and awareness programs. Their grants now support 186 scientists based in 13 countries (and with projects extending to 28 countries). They funded the original studies on the BCRA1 and BCRA2 genes along with many other scientific contributions.
Evelyn Lauder died last year from complications from breast cancer.
Komen really screwed things up for everyone - they were a shitty organization with shitty leadership. I'll be glad when they go out of business. Please do not tar all 'pink' organizations with the same brush, because there are quality organizations out there fighting this disease.
Evelyn Lauder and her organization, the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, has poured millions of dollars into research. Over 90 cents per dollar is donated to research and awareness programs. Their grants now support 186 scientists based in 13 countries (and with projects extending to 28 countries). They funded the original studies on the BCRA1 and BCRA2 genes along with many other scientific contributions.
Evelyn Lauder died last year from complications from breast cancer.
Komen really screwed things up for everyone - they were a shitty organization with shitty leadership. I'll be glad when they go out of business. Please do not tar all 'pink' organizations with the same brush, because there are quality organizations out there fighting this disease.
22
@19: As a former cancer researcher, I can confidently state that cancer is nowhere near "90% cured." It depends greatly on the person, the cancer, and who is doing the treating. There is no magic bullet for any cancer, and there is no "cure." There are treatments, some are very effective.
Also, ditto to all the comments about how the SCCA is not Komen. The SCCA does real, actual, good work. They save lives. I honestly don't know what good Komen really does.
Also, ditto to all the comments about how the SCCA is not Komen. The SCCA does real, actual, good work. They save lives. I honestly don't know what good Komen really does.
23
Have you read the book? It's great - carefully and incisively dissects the charity-industrial complex using breast cancer as a case study.
24
Kudos to the pinkwashing movement aside, the ad is ridiculous. I saw it on a bus. As a breast cancer survivor, my first thought was, "Weird thing about breast cancer, I now enjoy telling people who annoy me to eff off!"
25
Research has to be the next step in eradicating cancer. The federal government is the largest funder of that critical research, so it is imperative that our legislators do not cut funding for cancer research. The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) is working hard to protect funding during the current budget debates. For more information about these critical efforts, visit http://www.acscan.org/content/making-the….
26
Research has to be the next step in eradicating cancer. The federal government is the largest funder of that critical research, so it is imperative that our legislators do not cut funding for cancer research. The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) is working hard to protect funding during the current budget debates. For more information about these critical efforts, visit http://www.acscan.org/content/making-the….
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