Buyer Beware: The Market Value of Breast Cancer Awareness Month

It’s October, and social media sites are full of vendors selling merchandise featuring pink ribbons. Shoes, socks,t-shirts, flip flops - anything you can think of that manufacturing facilities can produce in pink is out there. By 8 am on Oct. 1 my daughter, who was diagnosed with breast cancer at 27, had four ads in her feed. But here’s the thing…

For the most part, the money you are spending, thinking it is going to support women with breast cancer, is more likely contributing to the bottom line of the company selling the product.

The success of Breast Cancer Awareness Month cannot be measured. Mammogramscreening ages are being moved downward so more young women can catch their breast cancer early enough for treatment to potentially be curative. Funds pour into research organizations whose drugs are saving lives, including my daughter’s, or helping women with metastatic disease live a little longer. Unfortunately, that success has been jumped on by some who are profiting off the suffering of women young and old like my daughter and mother-in-law and countless others in our world.

Last year, each time I saw an ad marketing a Breast Cancer Awareness Month product I posted this question in the comments: Can you please share how much of the proceeds from sales of this product go to supporting women with breast cancer either through direct support or for research to look for a cure? Out of the over 40 times I asked that question, only one came back with a response indicating that their profits did just that.

This October, as you consider how you might support Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I encourage you to take the extra step to see where the profits from that hoodie or pen or lapel pin are going. There are many organizations out there whose sole purpose is to help women with breast cancer live longer and with better quality of life. Alternatively, calculate how much you would spend on a product and donate that money directly to a known research entity or a national or local organization that provides much needed support.

One of the most devastating aspects of my daughter’s breast cancer treatment experience was the loss of hair, not only on her head but also the eyelashes and eyebrows that help define her face. We found two organizations that helped with that. One was a group that helped provide wigs at no cost, and the other offered special classes showing women like her how to apply eyebrows and attach false eyelashes safely. Imagine your donation allowing a woman to look in the mirror and see someone who looks more like her pre-cancer self than she thought possible.

The impact of chemotherapy and radiation made it unsafe for my daughter to drive. While she didn’t need it because I was there, there are organizations that take care of offering rides to and from treatment centers to those who do. Imagine the relief of being taken door to door instead of figuring out public transportation and hoping you could get home without the side effects hitting you hard along the way.

My daughter was lucky that her workplace insurance allowed her to be paid when she simply couldn’t work so her necessities like rent, utilities and food were all covered. Once again, her family would have stepped in had it been required but not everyone has that kind of safety net. There are some organizations that offer the kind of financial support that keeps people sheltered and fed while they are facing one of the most grueling moments of their lives. Imagine your donation dollars going to that.

In today’s hectic world when there are so many demands on our time, I understand how what I am asking might seem like a lot. But if you have the space to do it, know that doing your research and directing your financial contributions to organizations that use it to make a difference instead of pad their bottom line will also mean a lot for young women like my daughter and all the other one in eight women who will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetimes.

This piece reflects the author’s personal experience and perspective. For medical advice, please consult your health care provider.

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