Pink October
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, so I thought I would make today's post about a few ways you can support the cause this month.
- Shop!
- Bed, Bath and Beyond is selling a collection of items specifically to support the cause. A portion of the sales on these items will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Foundation.
- Target is donating a portion of their sales of special pink items to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
- Saks is donating 2% of all sales between October 12 and 15 to various women's and breast cancer charities.
- RedEnvelope is asking everyone to "Think Pink" this month with special pink items. For each purchase, they will donate 10% of the proceeds to the Entertainment Industry Foundation's Women's Cancer Research Fund.
- Origins is donating $1 from every purchase of their Make a Difference skin care products up to $35,000.
- Apply for a National City Diamond Edition Visa. National City will donate $5 from every purchase using the card to the National Breast Cancer Foundation.
- Don't forget about those cute rubber duckies at Munchkin. They may be a kid's store, but I'm sure some adult women in your life would appreciate the pink ducky. Especially when it's for such a good cause.
- Eat!
- Pink M&Ms are back! Mars, Inc., makes a donation to the Susan G. Komen Foundation for every bag of pink M&Ms purchased. Don't buy plain when you can buy pink!!
- Save your pink Yoplait lids and mail them back to the company to donate 10 cents to the Susan G. Komen Foundation for each lid. Their goal is to contribute $1.5 Million to the Foundation.
- KitchenAid is sponsoring Cook for the Cure with special pink items for sale, events, and donations.
- To support the cure Lean Cuisine offered special designer lunch bags that were so popular that they've already sold completely out! However, you can still buy specially marked frozen dinners at your local grocery store. For each one purchased, the company will donate 10 cents to the Susan G. Komen Foundation.
- Drive!
- If you've been in the market for a Mercedes, now is the time to buy one of their Special Edition 2007 E350 Sports Sedans. Through sales of these cars, they are helping raise $1 Million to support the Saks KEY TO THE CURE Campaign.
- Pay Your Bills!
- No one likes bills, but if you use the Breast Cancer Awareness stamp, at least you can be donating to a worthy cause at the same time. These stamps are 45 cents; the extra 6 cents is donated to breast cancer research and is tax-deductible. The post office has been selling these stamps since 1998 and time is running out. They are scheduled to be removed from sales on December 31, 2007.
- No one likes bills, but if you use the Breast Cancer Awareness stamp, at least you can be donating to a worthy cause at the same time. These stamps are 45 cents; the extra 6 cents is donated to breast cancer research and is tax-deductible. The post office has been selling these stamps since 1998 and time is running out. They are scheduled to be removed from sales on December 31, 2007.
- Surf the Web!
- Visit the Breast Cancer Site every day. All you have to do is click on one button. Just for visiting the site, the site sponsors donate money for free mammograms for women in need. Please support the site sponsors by at least visiting their sites. They also have great items for sale in support of the cause.
- Visit the Breast Cancer Site every day. All you have to do is click on one button. Just for visiting the site, the site sponsors donate money for free mammograms for women in need. Please support the site sponsors by at least visiting their sites. They also have great items for sale in support of the cause.
- Walk (or just donate)!
- The American Cancer Society is sponsoring Making Strides walks across the nation to raise money for research, prevention, early detection and support programs.
- The Komen Foundation is sponsoring the Race for the Cure.
- Avon Breast Cancer Crusade is also sponsoring the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer, as well as other events.
posted by Tonua @ 7:03 PM
4 Comments:
For an interesting twist on the topic of the "pinking" of breast cancer awareness, please see the link on my website, http://www.honestmedicine.typepad.com, to the article "Welcome to Cancerland: A Mammogram Leads to a Cult of Pink Kitsch," by Barbara Ehrenreich. (You can access the article by going to the left side of my site, under “articles of importance.”)
This article will give you a different perspective on the topic! It is a classic.
Sincerely,
Julia Schopick
http://www.honestmedicine.typepad.com
While I understand frustration with the "commercialization" of cancer treatment and survival, there are many (including me and Tonua I'm certain) that believe a postive attitude can help prolong life. In the very least, hope, the potential to help others, and participation in a community improves one's quality of life. Communities are built on shared experiences and common goals. If cancer's ever increasing burden and impact on society didn't generate a diverse, spiritual, goal-focused, and economically powerful community...well, then we would have missed an opportunity to improve the quality of life for those who are dealing with the cancer inside ourselves, loved ones, or the stranger on the street with the pink ribbon and short hair. If people find value in simple every day participation in this community by making a little extra-effort in their everyday life such as wearing pink, ribbons, or buying from companies who will donate some small amount for finding treatments and cures for cancer, then I say PINK IT ALL!
Dave W
I have to admit that I did not make it all the way through the article. I got sick of the anger and resentment expressed by the author.
Cancer is a very personal thing, and everyone reacts differently. But, yes, as Dave suggested in his comment, I believe quite strongly that a positive attitude prolongs life.
My experience wasn't at all like the author of that article. My entire medical team has been fantastic about answering every question I've asked, involving me in the decision making process, giving me a lot of gentle support, and generally treating me like an intelligent person. Maybe it's because I never held any of them personally responsible for my diagnosis.
As for all the commercialization of breast cancer, I don't mind giving my business to companies that are donating towards breast cancer research. If you haven't figured out by now, we live in a capitalist society. We vote with our money. I vote for the companies that give back something... like those that donate to breast cancer.
As for all the pink, its how individuals, companies, and society shows its support for curing breast cancer. Awareness groups are borne out of the realization that early detection makes a huge difference in survival of this disease.
I'm certainly not one to criticize the form that any support takes. And, if the author of the article thinks it's unique to breast cancer, she's never been close to someone with heart disease, multiple sclerosis, or, in fact, other forms of cancer. They may not be as widely spread as breast cancer awareness, but that's because women (and men) with breast cancer are the ones that are out there working to spread the word.
And it's working.
As for me, I love pink!
I just came across your blog from the GatorNation Network. My mother is just over a 2 1/2 yr survivor, my grandmother was a 10 yr survivor at the time of her death, my godmother is an 11 yr survivor, my mother's cousin is a 5 yr survivor and her daughter just became a one year survivor and has a beautiful baby boy whom she carried during her treatments. I agree whole-heartedly in buying from those companies that donate. My mom never liked the color pink, until she was diagnosed and EVERYONE we knew sent pink items with ribbons on them. Now our entire house is covered in pink. Every October I can not get out of a store without something with a pink ribbon on it. It sounds like you do already, but if you haven't, I strongly recommend getting involved with the ACS Making Strides event. Its very powerful to see all of the women who have overcame or are overcoming breast cancer.
I wish you the best of luck and I wish I could offer more support during your fight than just words. In one of your entries you wrote, "If you were sitting next to me, you wouldn't know I was being treated for breast cancer unless I told you." I think that is amazing; it really shows your strength.
Keep your head high!
Amy Skates
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