Should Pink Ribbons Be Banned?

By Virginia Prescott on Wednesday, September 30, 2009.

Get ready for pink-ribbon season! October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Now in its 25th year, the event promotes awareness of a disease that strikes one in eight women in their lifetimes. And it’s expected to claim nearly 40,000 lives in the U.S. this year alone.

Efforts to bring attention to the disease and raise money for a cure are ongoing. But some women with breast cancer, as well as survivors are troubled by what they see as exploitation. A growing number charge that companies capitalize on suffering to boost profits. And many regard the proliferation of pink ribbons as a marketing ploy.

We’re joined by Kris Frieswick. Her mother passed away from breast cancer, and her article on the dark side of pink-ribbon marketing will appear in this Sunday’s Boston Globe Magazine. We also talk to Jeanne Sather, a blogger in Seattle who's currently battling metastatic breast cancer and blogs at The Assertive Cancer Patient. She's known in the breast cancer community for her fight against using pink ribbons as a marketing tool, and is leading a "Boycott October" campaign.

"Pink Ribbons, Inc.: Breast Cancer and the Politics of Philanthropy" by Samantha King

Jeanne Sather's blog post debunking the "one in eight" statistic

(Photo by Premier Packaging via Flickr/Creative Commons)

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I am glad to have this brought to my attention. I cancer survivors don't like it, then I'm apt to avoid buying the products. My daughter loves pink, but I don't want a 10 year old worrying about breast cancer before she has any; so I sometimes have to redirect her to other items. I'd prefer less marketing and more direct funding. I have also wondered how our focus on breast cancer impacts other cancers? No other cancer, or disease, gets the same attention.

Submitted by Teresa Gocha on Wed, 09/30/2009 - 16:30.

In there quest to raise money for breast cancer they are promoting pink plastic dinner ware - plastic coffee mugs - plastic utensils. Support breast cancer research by buying a a plastic product that produces cancer. BAN THE PINK.

Submitted by Kathy from Vermont on Thu, 10/01/2009 - 07:17.

First of all, thank you for introducing me to Jeanne Sather and her blog. I haven't read all of her posts, but agree with, and laughed while I read, all the ones that I did. However, I don't think we should boycott October; I like October. But, I do want to remove October's association with breast cancer awareness.

I am all to "aware" of breast cancer because my wife, like Jeanne, has metastatic breast cancer. We are constantly "aware" of it. One way we deal with the situation is to put it in the back of our minds when we can. All Breast Cancer Awareness month has done is put it in our faces all the time, especially in October. I tune in NHPR to catch the news and they are talking about it. I drop the kids off at school and someone is wearing a pink BCA T-shirt. We turn on the Ellen show (humor is the best medicine) and she has a pink BCA backdrop. Arghh!

Another way we deal with our situation is to remain as positive as possible. Who come up with the name "Breast Cancer Awareness" anyway? How about Breast Cancer Cure Month or Breast Health Month or just plain Cure Cancer Month?

All Breast Cancer Awareness has done for me is ruin the color pink and now it's ruining October as well.

Submitted by Scott Allen on Sat, 10/03/2009 - 14:32.

Idea Smackdown: Round III

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Word of Mouth is all about what's new. Online and on-air, the show looks at our fascinating and ever-changing world, and puts the latest ideas under a microscope. Word of Mouth investigates everything from science and technology, to health and the environment, to new trends in popular culture. The show airs Monday through Thursday at noon and is hosted by Virginia Prescott.