The Komen Foundation's curious relationship with the science of cancer prevention

[Galraedia]

With its decision to stop funding Planned Parenthood, the political agenda of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation finally is becoming widely recognized. The foundation that supposedly is all about fighting breast cancer now is understood to be controlled by right-wing ideologues who are waging a dangerously dishonest war against reproductive choice. But the story is even worse. Because even as it uses its very public position as sponsor of various breast cancer awareness events, the Komen group also has been more quietly undermining the real fight against breast cancer.

In an article originally published in Harper's in 2001 and now available on her website, Barbara Ehrenreich wrote of her own experience with our culture's approach to breast cancer:

The effect of this relentless brightsiding is to transform breast cancer into a rite of passage -- not an injustice or a tragedy to rail against, but a normal marker in the life cycle, like menopause or graying hair. Everything in mainstream breast cancer culture serves, no doubt inadvertently, to tame and normalize the disease: the diagnosis may be disastrous, but there are those cunning pink rhinestone angel pins to buy and races to train for.

And she pointed to feminist breast cancer organizations that long have worked more quietly and directly to emphasize the science of prevention, detection and treatment, and to challenge different unproven and at times questionable approaches that became popular fads.

Read more: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/02/05/1061504/-The-Komen-Foundations-curious-relationship-with-the-science-of-cancer prevention?via=blog_1

[Angry Dragon]

1. Boycott them

[Matariki]

2. Well there's a recipe for profit for some evil 'geniuses'

Genetically modify our food and dump toxins in our air and water then charge us lots of money to cure the resulting cancer - all the while 'normalizing' it with a pretty pink ribbon.

[niyad]

5. and keep denying that there is anything in the environment that might cause problems

[NYC Liberal]

3. "The effect of this relentless brightsiding is to transform breast cancer into a rite of passage"

I never actually considered that, but I can absolutely see it.

Support organizations that are truly doing everything to stop this horrific disease.

[niyad]

4. they will never get a dime from me, nor will their sponsors

[aquart]

6. How is "brightsiding" the worst thing in the world?

How is the inclusiveness of a "rite of passage" worse than the awful separation of disease?

A "rite of passage" is something you go through and come out the other side. WHAT IS WRONG WITH THAT when your mind is otherwise numb with terror?

And, frankly, when you are facing mutilation, what is wrong with seeing yourself as normal instead of abnormal?

Is mitigating horror forbidden? No Santa Claus, no heaven, no hope?

[Matariki]

7. It's the normalization of the experience that's alarming.

At turning into a cultural 'rite of passage' such as menstruation or menopausal - things which are inevitable. The article points out the dangers of treating cancer as something 'normal' and 'inevitable' instead of reacting with alarm at the increasing prevalence of the disease and looking at what in our environment is causing it.

[saras]

8. Is brightsiding good enough to CAUSE cancer for? That's the question.

The problem with cancer prevention is that it points directly to reining in the chemical and agricultural industries, among other. Radically.

[Quantess]

9. All of this shows the Komen Foundation isn't serious about fighting breast cancer.

At least, it isn't their top priority. Maybe not even one of their top 4 or 5 priorities...