Warning: Cancer For Sale

I sometimes think that the criticism of "the pink ribbon" movement is too harsh. Many other cancer groups damn the pink ribbon, the month of October, and the fundraising efforts of major breast cancer advocates such as Susan G. Komen for the Cure. I think awareness and fundraising are important, so I don't agree with all the rants. However, I do agree with I2Y's recent post that the commercialization that we are seeing in recent years is pretty outrageous. In other words, the ridiculous adoption of the pink ribbon on all kinds of products has gone too far. The consumer is being bamboozled, which is unfortunate for the legitimate companies that are making significant contributions. But look at the labels of these "pink" products. What are they donating? How is your purchase really helping? I support companies that commit to something like "20% of all proceeds from the sale of this item will be donated to xxxxx". Read that again -- "20% of ALL proceeds". There is no limit, no cap, and your purchase will make a difference in the bottom line.

Now compare that to a recent bamboozle I saw at our local supermarket. We were walking down the dairy aisle when we came across a huge bin of cute, soft, cuddly stuffed bears. Some of them had a pink ribbon on them, some of them were all pink. I picked one up and squeezed it. Do I buy this cute thing for a good cause?? It was $8. Not bad. I read the tag more closely. This company will donate $2 from the sale of this bear for up to a total of $10,000 to breast cancer research and education. Now wait a minute! That SCREAMS profit margin and not charitable donation. Selling 5,000 bears for charity. They probably scammed that off of consumers in the first month this thing hit the store aisles. Now it's all jut profit in their pockets. I was pissed. I threw the bear back in the bin, upsetting my husband, who happens to have real empathy for stuffed bears and was worried that I hurt the bear. What makes this story worse is that a few days letter I get a phone call from a co-worker who saw this very same bear bin in this very same store. She was excited to tell me of this great opportunity to "help the cause". When I told her the bamboozle, she couldn't believe it. I can only hope that she will become a smarter consumer and stop supporting this "cancer for sale" attitude that so many companies think is okay to propagate.

I also beg these companies that cap their donations, plaster their products with pink as a marketing ploy, and don't clearly explain what they are giving to STOP watering down the pink ribbon. STOP turning breast cancer awareness into a marketing trap. STOP profiting off of peoples' desires to help. STOP taking advantage of ignorance. STOP sellling cancer.

Breast Fest

I have been following this movie festival since earlier this year. I really wanted to make a film to enter the competition, but didn't have the time to organize it. I am keeping this on my list for the future, though. I voted for the winning film, Dead Girl Walking.

Breast Fest Film Fest

Hope For Triple Negatives?

Ran across this article about a vaccine that targets the MUC-1 protein in breast cancers, which studies are showing most triple negative breast cancers express. Wow, there might be something out there for us Triple Negs after all!

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081212141847.htm

And then go on and read this article to understand why it is so important to have something like that vaccine. And now that I am sufficiently freaking out, I will stop reading.

A Tweet To A Blog

Just when I think I can't be surprised by the power of social networking...yep, something happens that surprises me. After several months, I went back to my twitter account and used it for taking notes during a Symposium. The next day, a friend twittered a workshop that I couldn't go to and I got insights I otherwise wouldn't have. I was pretty happy with that, and wanted to keep some activity up, so I decided to pick my research blogs back up and twittered a few links to remind myself to post them. I didn't think anything of it. Today I got a note that I had a new follower on my twitter. I checked the profile, and it is a breast reconstruction surgeon in San Antonio. Must have picked up my tweet on the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium. Now that is pretty cool. He appears to be an active blogger and posts lots of great information, so I will advertise his blog while I'm thanking the amazing aspects of social networking. He also is on Facebook.

Breast Cancer Reconstruction Blog, http://breast-cancer-reconstruction.blogspot.com/

Message Sent To The Lymphatic Research Foundation

I would like to know how I could become more involved in advocating for lymphatic research, particularly as it relates to lymphedema induced by breast cancer treatment. I am in Champaign, Illinois, the home of the University of Illinois and Mills Breast Cancer Institute. I am a patient advocate with the North Central Cancer Treatment Group. Apart from donating, what can an individual like me do to advocate for research and improved treatment?

Thank you,

xxxxx

Ovarian Cancer Clinical Trial

To bring up with my oncologist in January, but there is at least one criteria that I may not meet:

Phase II Randomized Study of Levonorgestrel in Patients at High Risk for Ovarian Cancer (Levonorgestrel in Preventing Ovarian Cancer in Patients at High Risk for Ovarian Cancer)

http://www.cancer.gov/search/ViewClinicalTrials.aspx?cdrid=532268&version=HealthProfessional&protocolsearchid=4876012

Another to bring up:
National Ovarian Cancer Early Detection Program Blood and Genetics (NCT00531778)
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00531778?term=NCT00531778&rank=1

Alamo Breast Cancer Foundation Scholarships

Scholarship applications for the 2009 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium will be taken starting April 2009.

Patient Advocacy

Last month I started my journey along Patient Advocacy. I joined the Patient Advocate program through Carle Clinic and Mills Breast Cancer Institute. The program is part of the North Central Cancer Treatment Program (NCCTG), associated with Mayo. Patient Advocates play an active role in cancer research by bringing the patient perspective to the investigative and clinical environment. As a patient advocate, I get the opportunity to attend scientific meetings, review trial protocols, and make presentations to interested groups of scientists and clinicians. I joined the Patient Advocacy group specifically to bring the Young Adult issues to the forefront of research.

Some patient advocate stories: http://www.curetoday.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/article.show/id/2/article_id/885 http://www.curetoday.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/article.show/id/2/article_id/895

News from San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium 2008

http://media.curetoday.com/htmlemail/sabcs/
(Be sure to check out all 3 Days of updates!)

Something to take note of: Zometa, a bisphosphonate that is used to prevent bone loss, has been found to have positive effects on preventing cancer-recurrence.

Article in the Washington Post (Dec. 11, 2008) also mentions benefit to pre-menopausal women:

"In June, doctors were stunned when a big study found that Zometa _ given to prevent bone loss caused by certain cancer treatments _ also greatly cut the risk that cancer would recur in women who developed the disease before menopause"

8 weeks to go

and I am feeling really unprepared. Not physically. I know I can do this physically. But I haven't yet gotten my walking shoes. I haven't looked for a sleeping bag or mattress. I think I need to be sending in my medical form or some such thing. I haven't thought about who I might share a tent with. But I still have time for all of this, don't I?

I've been tracking my miles since April, and I have racked up over 450 miles so far. That's pretty good. This weekend I am supposed to walk 15 miles Saturday and something like 10 or 12 on Sunday. It's so time-consuming, but I will try hard to fit it all in.

We have a fundraiser on July 8. I am only halfway to my goal.

Still a lot of work and preparation to do.

Progress

After 2 weeks of tracking my walking steps and recording my mileage, I found out that my stride really is 2,000 steps = 1 mile. I had been basing my mileage on 2,500 steps equaling 1 mile. So I have vastly underestimated my miles. Oh well. I thought my average mileage per day, without trying to do anything extra, was 3 miles (7500 steps). My average was really 3.75 miles, or even 4 miles/day. Okay, probably not that big of a deal. But it did make a difference when I looked at my long mileage days. My 8 mile days were really 10 miles, for example.

It feels like I am getting a slow start to increasing my walking, but the other evening I got on the treadmill and walked while I watch TV. Boosted my miles to 9 that day. I'm also riding my horses more since the weather is finally nice, and that boosts my miles. I've also noticed that I am generally more active at lunch time and when I am doing my chores around the barn. I just add extra things in all the time. (I admit, today I could have helped my husband pick up the trillions of sticks and branches on our 5 acres, but I stayed in the house instead. Would have been a great way to rack up miles!) So the past couple of days my average has been 8 miles a day. Not that bad. The 3 Day training guide is still asking for less than that each day, so I think I am ahead.

Still need to get shoes that won't give me blisters! That will have to wait until next payday, since all my money has gone to the horses and donkeys this month.

Also on my to-do list: follow-up on the fundraising activities!

Fundraising Ideas

I've been doing some brainstorming for fundraising ideas and came up with 2 pages worth! Now I need to find the staff to go out and get the things organized and done. :-) I will be relieved when I have reached my minimum donation amount. The good news about the fundraising is that I'm thinking about all FUN ideas! Dog biscuits, wine tastings, horse washing, and it goes on and on.

Chicago Breast Cancer 3-Day 2008

I am a breast cancer survivor of 1 year. I am walking to end breast cancer.

The Chicago Breast Cancer 3-Day, August 8-10, 2008.

The walk benefits Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

Eighty-five percent of the net proceeds of this event go to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Every advancement in breast cancer research, treatment, education and prevention in the last 25 years has been touched by a Komen for the Cure grant.

The remaining fifteen percent of net funds goes to the National Philanthropic Trust Breast Cancer Fund, which provides ongoing support to breast cancer initiatives.