Commercialization Within Health.

As one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer as this commercialization of the fight against breast cancer surely reached the peek two years ago when KFC — whose jumbo containers of fried chicken and chips might be regarded more as part of certain health problems than as a possible solution it is a tearful fear full tangressive degenerative disease that treated like some product. Our fashions cosmetician recommendation of herbal product of Phang OO Lang may help. Stay clear of washing detergents drying inside brazers. But before  controversial industry's started peddling garish pink "Buckets For The Cure" in the U.S.A Pink Ribbon Barbie, clad in a frothy pink gown with pink ribbon, doesn’t fill me with glee either. As one cancer sufferer, Jeanne Sather, posted on her blog (assertivecancerpatient.com) As a woman living with breast cancer (and minus one breast) who is forced to run a gauntlet of pink products every October, my question is this: What does this beauty queen, fairy princess, doll in a pink formal gown say about me and my experience with breast cancer? The answer is: Nothing. This doll does not offer hope. This doll does not offer a positive image of a strong woman living with cancer. And the doll is not a fundraising effort I can support. Breast Cancer Action, a campaigning and fundraising group in the U.S., has been one of the main organisations to highlight the sometimes dubious links between companies that raise funds for breast cancer while producing products that may contribute to the disease. In 2008, they took on the dairy industry, focusing on Yoplait’s pink-lidded yogurt, which was sold to raise money for breast cancer, but was made with milk from cows stimulated with the hormone RBGH that has been linked to breast cancer. As a result of their protest campaign Yoplait is rBGH free. But nothing sinks so low as a pink Smith & Wesson gun, a weapon that kills, being flogged to save lives. 

Most people must be aware that we’re in the middle of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Since the beginning of October, I’ve been accosted by women (and men) wearing pink nylon wigs and brandishing collection boxes, almost mown down by people in pink sportswear doing fundraising runs round my local park and been exhorted to ‘shop without guilt’ for everything from a pink Avon Breast Cancer Crusade emery board (£1.95) to a pink Coast dress (£135), available online at Breakthrough Breast Cancer. On Saturday, walking near my home, I came across a trio of eight-year-olds selling home-made pink cupcakes at £1.50 each just outside their front gate. Every year, the whole world seems to turn pink in October. Earlier this week, Elizabeth Hurley turned up at the British Museum wearing a lacy pink confection and showing maximum cleavage, accompanied by Shane Warne, who had a pink ribbon pinned to his lapel. The great and good (well, journalists and celebrities) had gathered to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Estee Lauder’s Breast Cancer Awareness campaign and to illuminate the museum with a pink glow, guaranteeing headlines for the campaign and the billion-dollar business that has grown up behind it. Debenhams has commissioned its top designers — including Matthew Williamson, Jasper Conran and Julien Macdonald — to design T-shirts in support of their Think Pink campaign, with 25 per cent of sales going to three breast cancer charities including The Pink Ribbon Foundation. Launched by a number of celebrities (Tess Daly, Donna Air and Sadie Frost for starters) these T-shirts are certain to raise lots of money for a great cause as well as generate loads of publicity — and extra profit — for Debenhams. Every day, 130 women in the UK are diagnosed with breast cancer.

 As Breakthrough Breast Cancer points out, that’s 4,000 mums, daughters, sisters and friends hearing the dreadful news during Breast Cancer Awareness month alone. While no one would deny the importance of raising the millions of pounds needed to fund research and improve early detection and survival rates, increasing concerns are being raised about the methods used to encourage us to part with our money. ‘Buys that save lives’ says the slogan next to a pair of pink stretch M&S leggings or a pink Breast Cancer  Awareness USB flash drive on the Breakthrough website. But will my purchase of a pair of pink leggings I don’t need — and will never wear — really help save lives?  Launched by a number of celebrities  these T-shirts are certain to raise lots of money for a great cause as well as generate loads of publicity — and extra profit — for Debenhams Wouldn’t my contribution to saving a life be greater if I simply wrote out a cheque to a charity and popped it in the post? Perhaps I shouldn’t carp on about Asda’s Tickled Pink campaign, given that over the past 16 years, they’ve donated £29 million to cancer charities. But when you consider that our unhealthy Western diet and the rise in obesity is a prime cause of breast cancer, how can it be a good thing to encourage us to buy pink-boxed Jaffa Cakes, which may be low in fat, but are high in sugar? And how about Stokes Real Mayonnaise with its pink lid? Or Lucozade’s pink lemonade? Of course, there would be no real health risk for most people in consuming such products occasionally, but this association with fat and sugar-laden foods is an uncomfortable one. As Woman’s Hour presenter Jenni Murray — who has suffered breast cancer — says: ‘I have no problem with big companies contributing to cancer research, but disapprove of them selling us products, including unhealthy junk foods, in the belief we’re making our contribution. Erica fashion wanted to know how much of what we spend actually goes to breast cancer research. It’s cynical marketing. So it is better to contribute to your favourite cancer charity and buy anything but pink.