Breast Cancer Advocacy

This is Not Pink: Breast Cancer is More Than a Marketing Campaign

As you are flooded with pink during the month of October, I urge you to stop and educate yourself before you spend your money on empty campaigns. Thousands of organizations use the pink ribbon, the color pink and the faces of women like me to sell their deceptive marketing campaigns. The majority of these marketing campaigns do absolutely NOTHING for breast cancer research and have NO direct impact on the lives of those living with breast cancer.

I am educating and empowering each of you to find out where your money is going. When you walk into the grocery store and see all those pink gifts for sale – ask where the money is going.

Find out what percent of the proceeds will be donated and then do your research on the organizations.

Find out what donation caps the organizations abide by and learn about the direct work these organizations are doing with survivors and/or research.

There are many amazing organizations and companies doing great things for those living with breast cancer and directly funding meaningful and groundbreaking breast cancer research. In order to evaluate the charities/organizations you support, I highly suggest you use Charity Navigator. I have also noted my favorite organizations below, which I feel are worthy of your money and your support. I work directly with these organizations and I have seen their direct impact on the survivors I know and love.

Young Survival Coalition

Living Beyond Breast Cancer

Metavivor

Handled With Care

Lacuna Loft

Fighting Pretty

This year, I want to highlight Metavivor and educate everyone about the realities of Metastatic Breast Cancer. It is very important to know that women (and men) don’t die from breast cancer.  They die from METASTATIC breast cancer. Metastatic breast cancer means the cancer has spread from the breast(s) to other parts of the body (liver, lungs, bones, brain). There is no cure for Metastatic Breast Cancer and 41,000 women (and men) are dying each year from this deadly disease. That means 113 women (and men) are dying per day from Metastatic Breast Cancer. Despite these staggering statistics, only 2-5% of breast cancer research funding goes to Metastatic Breast Cancer. This is both heartbreaking and infuriating. 30% of all breast cancer cases will eventually advance to Stage IV (metastatic) meaning that all survivors live in fear and frustration at the current state of funding and lack of research in this area. I am tired of seeing my friends die of Metastatic Breast Cancer. It is time to do more! I want to see my Stage IV fighters grow old and grey. Let’s fund the research to make that happen.

Metavivor is the ONLY US organization providing 100% of proceeds directly to Stage IV Metastatic Breast Cancer. I highly encourage you to take the money that you may have previously spent on a pink trinket, a shirt, or other pink paraphenalia and instead put it towards organizations like Metavivor who are funding research that will make my future and the future of my friends and loved ones living with Metastatic Breast Cancer possible.

So here is your chance to take action. You can head directly to Metavivor to make a donation or you can purchase one of the amazing ToteSavvy diaper bag/purse organizers shown below. Life in Play has partnered with Metavivor to donate 100% of their proceeds on the magenta ToteSavvy organizer for the month of October.  I am obsessed with my organizer and I will be giving one away to a lucky follower who makes a donation of $25 or more to Metavivor this month. The giveaway will run through October 31st, and proof of your donation will be required in order to be eligible. Please see the end of the post for giveaway instructions.

[promosimple id=”c343″]

6 Comments

    Jennifer Anderson

    October 4, 2017Reply

    I agree – I don’t donate to empty campaigns that go to ” Cancer Research” most likely they don’t. I do support my local Seymour Pink in Connecticut- They helped me and help others in my local valley area with defraying the costs of bills for breast cancer fighters while they are going through treatment so they can worry about getting better and not whether the lights might get shut off or missing car payments.

      Anna

      October 4, 2017Reply

      That is so wonderful! There are so many amazing local organizations making a direct impact on the lives of survivors. We should support businesses like these instead of the multi-million dollar corporations who use the pink ribbon as a marketing gimmick.

    ChiMom2B

    October 4, 2017Reply

    Completely agree. My mom started a local nonprofit with other survivors in Cleveland to raise money for breast cancer research and support.

      Anna

      October 4, 2017Reply

      That is wonderful to hear. People like your mom truly make a difference.

    Melisande L. Balleste

    October 4, 2017Reply

    Great article .

      Anna

      October 5, 2017Reply

      Thank you so much for your feedback

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *