Health & Fitness
Komen Backlash Among Breast Cancer Survivors
Does Susan G. Komen have breast cancer patients seeing red instead of pink? Read about the social media movement criticizing Susan G. Komen and give us your opinion.
For many in the non-breast cancer world, you think of Susan G. Komen you think of breast cancer.
The Susan G. Komen Foundation started to help raise breast cancer awareness and is now, undoubtedly, the "face" of breast cancer. Some angry, breast cancer bloggers/supporters are calling this giant corporation out in light of their actions.
Many women are wondering why Komen would partner with KFC or M&M's to raise money when these companies sell an unhealthy product that leads to obesity, which is known to be a risk factor for breast cancer. The pink handgun by Smith & Wesson was another controversial partnering with Komen to raise funds for breast cancer. This recent social media movement was spurned by a feeling that Komen is more about green than pink and finding a cure.
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SGK has been accused of using its nonprofit funds for filing lawsuits with many small volunteer organizations for using its trademarked "for the cure" slogan. Oddly enough, Komen has recently changed its October campaign from breast cancer awareness month to breast cancer action month. What's ironic is there is already a California organization known as Breast Cancer Action; this is an organization that provides education and advocacy and it trademarked its name long ago. In fact, BCA dubbed October as Breast Cancer Industry Month, referring to all the companies that profit from breast cancer during October. Weird that Komen would sue over trademark slogans yet take another company's name for its new slogan. Will BCA sue Komen over this trademark infringement as Komen has sued small, volunteer organizations? I will keep you posted on this as it unfolds and post more as I find it out.
Popular blogger, Brenda Coffee, on breastcancersisterhood.com has taken her advocacy to the next level by getting in contact with USA Today to voice the anger breast cancer patients have against Komen. Coffee met with Ms. Szabo from USA Today and the article, "Komen's Ribbons Raise Lots of Green, Many Questions," was published in the July 18 USA Today.
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I applaud Ms. Coffee's efforts to bring about change using social media; after all, didn't some angry people overthrow their dictator via facebook this year?
Interestingly, the first blog post I ever wrote was about Pink Fatigue, but did not publish because some friends of mine said I would upset people. I have always wondered where all the money raised for any breast cancer fundraiser goes to because I know that, sadly, many people capitalize on breast cancer. I think it is fine to use money raised to advertise and keep your business running but not at the expense of the people for whom the money was raised. You can get a full peek at SGK financials by checking out guidestar.org and searching for Susan G. Komen and selecting National Office (its the first one to come up). Per guidestar.org Komen 2009 IRS statements show a reported income of $172 million dollars with $75 million going to cancer research grants or "other organizations."
This means over 50 percent of funding went to pay salaries, advertising, etc. What exactly is "other organizations"? Who are the other organizations and do they help breast cancer research or awareness or funding for patients in need? The answer is we do not know. To read my discussion in its entirety please visit:
Your Breast Cancer Answer:
Think before you pink! Make sure you do your research before just buying a yogurt with a pink ribbon or a pink key chain. Ask how much gets donated to breast cancer and where the money goes. I think Komen has done a lot for awareness and advocacy, and that should not be overlooked. I do think Komen should listen to the massive amounts of disgruntled women who are taking action via social media. After all, we all just want to help make better treatments for breast cancer patients and provide them with assistance when they are in need. We definitely need businesses with some pull to get us the funding, but not at the expense of the people we are raising the money for. You go, girls, for doing your homework and taking the time to dig a little deeper; MBCA is all about breast cancer survivors.
I look forward to everyone's thoughts/reactions on this hot-button issue.
Your Friend,
Heather Flanagan, ARNP
Founder, My Breast Cancer Answers
Questions for Thought:
What do you think about the Komen backlash?
What percentage do you feel not-for-profits should spend directly on the people/subjects they are raising money for?
Are you surprised to learn this about Komen?
What do you think about Komen's partnership with unhealthy products to raise money for breast cancer?
What are your thoughts on Komen's policy not to refund individuals who raise money for the three-day walk, but do not raise the required $2,300, so they are not allowed to walk?
To post, go to our forum by clicking the link below and find the thread for Komen:
http://www.mybreastcanceranswers.com/index?catid=0&func=listcat&view=listcat
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