Today at the Beach

Jess, I'll bet that was really neat, all the ribbons. I wonder what they are doing with all the money they are raising.

 

I got very upset at the telly last week that I actually threw something (a stuffed giraffe) at it. It was announced that around Dec, they would be releasing a vaccine against prostrate cancer. Let's see, here, shall we? When diagnosed in it's early stages, it's 98% curable. There's that magic little word, curable. I deeply resent that not only is there no vaccine for b/c but it is NOT curable.

 

I will step down from the soapbox and say thank you for painting the word picture.

 

Love, Jo-Ann

You guys are preaching to the choir here!
The site of all those pink ribbons on that fence were for women who this disease had lost. It was heartbreaking.

I get in trouble when I get started BUT...I was a professional fundraiser for many years and donated money NEEDS to be accounted for.

For example: The Lean Cuisine Deal. How many people actually think Lean Cuisine gives a rump about BC? It is a marketing ploy. If you read the box it says 10 cents will be donated for each box bought UP TO $100,000. OK- $100,000 donated where? For what? And I am sure the makers of Lean Cuisine could donate MUCH MORE than that. If it says donated to the Komen foundation ok think about it- first you take the $100,000, there is the salary of the people in charge of collecting and organizining that money. Then it gets sent to the people at Komen- the adminstrators, staff, etc. take it in and "decide" what to do with it. When they finally send it to its ultimate location there is probably $12.95 left.

Avon, Clinique et al... they want to sell mascara and rouge- they really are NOT doing it because of some overwhelming urge to cure breast cancer. But a woman shopping sees it- it strikes a chord in her - and she buys it thinking she has helped. She walked past the Lancome mascara because she THINKS Clinique will do more good. Well she has helped. She helped Clinique make more sales in the month of October.

I am VERY HAPPY the "Pink Ribbon" movement got BC out of the dark ages and brought our disease to light- BUT- I resent having it exploited for marketing gains.

That is why I really only trust the ACS and that Research Lab that I am always talking about.

The walk on Sunday raised 2 million dollars- the ACS HAS to put that towards BC because they are strictly regulated. The Cold Spring Harbor Lab does ONLY research for BC and they have made incredible discoveries that are going to help us. 85% of every dollar goes Directly to research. That is an unheard of number. They are ranked #1 in fiscal responsibilty for non profit organizations.

Here in NY the new thing is these magnet pink ribbons for your car. You buy them at the card shops or newsstands. NONE of the money goes to BC research. I don't understand that one at all.

I know I have said this before but AIDS in America gets FOUR TIMES more funding than ALL cancers combined. Have you ever bought an item- or seen a single product- that says 10 cents for each box is donated to AIDS research? No. And THEY get more money, have newer, more humane treatments coming out all the time.

We have to think about this. Next time you are tempted to buy a "pink" item maybe the price of the entire item should be sent to an active BC Research lab instead.

OK- now I that I have managed to piss off just about everyone I will put my soap box under the bed. Wait til MK comes home. I promised to be so good.

But when you really think of the numbers, the amount of promotions and the LACK of anything good coming our way it DOES make you wonder doesn't it???

Love,
Jessie