More on giving up hope, taking up action

[Debbie L.]

"Why I'm Not Celebrating Breast Cancer Awareness Month": http://tinyurl.com/26x2ddd

"The Downside of Awareness Campaigns": http://tinyurl.com/23zbd7b

I tried to reply to the Huffington Post article but was far too longwinded (by over 150 words), no surprise. In case you're interested, here's what I tried to say:

" Finally. An October message that makes sense. An October message that demands new action. I’m impressed with how succinct and clear and right this message is.

(I have been trying to write a response in support of this message for over an hour now and am realizing how difficult it is to be clear and succinct, because there are so many things to say.)

Since diagnosis nearly 10 years ago, I’ve been befuddled and frustrated by the incredible outpouring of energy, money, and fluff that happens every October around breast cancer “awareness”. Alas, it’s an energy full of good intentions. But it’s gone far off-track. It’s descended into empty rhetoric and commercialism. Much of the dogma approaches brainwashing and is insulting to thinking women.

How could we think that eating pink CAKE could help stop breast cancer?! How can we keep believing that "early detection" with mammography will stop breast cancer?

Perhaps in the beginning, 25 years ago, it WAS important to bring breast cancer front-and-center, so that it was not a hidden disease, endured in secret. We did a great job there. We’ve accomplished that goal, and women are aware. Women could not possibly get any more aware.

So it’s time — PAST TIME -- to redirect those good intentions, that tremendous effort, and that money.

It is true that some of that money over these 25 years has helped support research into causes, treatment, and even prevention of breast cancer. We do know so much more about breast cancer than we did then. But that body of knowledge has grown so huge that we have lost focus and direction.

Each well-intentioned researcher is working hard. But the work is spiraling off on countless narrow paths and the work is uncoordinated. Cancer is turning out to be SO complex. I can easily imagine that in 10 years, if nothing changes, we’ll know a lot more about many narrow-focus details of cancer. Yet we will still not have come close to stopping breast cancer.

It is not enough to continue with business-as-usual. We have tried it this way (lots of money, lots of research, lots of support, lots of mammograms, lots of effort and emotion, lots of pinkwashing). It is not working. I am proud and excited to join NBCC in giving up hope and taking up action.

Debbie Laxague