Every October, we’re inundated with the color pink. It’s Breast Cancer Awareness month and it has become a circus. Even Star Magazine is in the act. You can read about John Travolta’s homosexual trysts, starting on page 42, and shop from the Breast Cancer Awareness Shopping Guide on page 60, where you’ll find a pink plaid straightening iron, a pink mug and pink cosmetic sponges.
The thousands of companies hawking these pink products promise to donate part of their proceeds to fund breast cancer research or support for survivors. But where is all this money really going? Why does Dr. Vincent Tuohy, from the esteemed Cleveland Clinic, have to plead for $16,000,000 from the government and foundations so he can put his promising breast cancer prevention vaccine into clinical trial?
When I blogged about Dr. Tuohy a few weeks ago, FOF Mel commented:
“I guess I’m getting cynical, and definitely have had my opinions colored by watching a younger sister die from ovarian cancer, but I have to ask why isn’t there tons of cash sitting around for people like Dr. Tuohy? There are pink ribbons everywhere! There are runs/walks/jewelry sales/foundations/yogurt lids/NFL sponsored pink team shirts/pink/websites, etc., etc., etc!! Where is all the money??
As my sister suffered for almost six years with her disease, she lamented that you couldn’t open a magazine, watch TV, shop, have lunch at work, open email, or anything without being smacked in the face with a request for funding breast cancer research –one result is that people with ALL kinds of cancer cannot forget for even one moment about their disease and that’s almost criminal. Let them have some peace! Although my sister felt all the “pink ribbons” were a daily burden, she said it would be worthwhile if the money really went to research and cures. Where is the money?? Has the public been played?
Are women buying a certain brand of yogurt because they think the 10 cents the company sends to cancer research is a good deed? You spend over 40 cents to mail the darned lid!! Post Tuohy’s address and let people send him money instead of going to charity balls, running around towns with pink shirts, pink sneakers, buying yogurt, and tormenting cancer patients with an endless barrage of “Cancer” at every turn.
Mel has a great idea: If you want to help ensure that Dr. Tuohy gets the critical funding he needs, write your check to The CC Dept. of Immunology Research Institute and send it to: The Cleveland Clinic Department of Immunology Research Institute, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44195. Be sure to include a note saying your donation is to help fund Dr. Tuohy’s breast cancer vaccine.
Enough with Breast Cancer Awareness Month! It’s the cure we need.
0 Responses to “We got the point. It’s time for a cure!”
{Charity} Have you been Pinkwashed? | Fab Over Fifty Style Blog says:
[…] But what does that really mean? How are these products helping to stop breast cancer? And, if millions of products are selling every year, why can’t a doctor at one of the nation’s leading research facilities, The Cleveland Clinic, fin… […]
Toby Wollin says:
Ding! Exactly. Don’t allow anyone to get between you, your checkbook and the people actually doing the damn research. You don’t need an intermediary to handle your check – you …can…send…it…direct. The other thing is this: What if you feel that the research being done on breast cancer should be on preventing it in the first place, to find out what actually causes the cells to mutate and get rid of that? Wouldn’t THAT be unique? Well, then Google THAT – and send those people your check instead. that way, you know that your money went to the people who are doing what YOU want. Not what Susan Komen wants..not what Lance Armstrong wants. What YOU want.