Pink is everywhere this month.
From toxic pink coloured M&M’s, to football jerseys, and carcinogenic Estee Lauder make up, Breast Cancer Awareness Month is really giving the push to buy more products.
But what do these products (with their toxins and all) really have to do with preventing Breast Cancer?
More importantly, with more than $200 million dollars raised in 2013 for Breast Cancer Awareness, where is all the new research, progress and breakthroughs?
I have a lot of mixed feelings when it comes to different cancer organizations, as I find that at the root of it all, big pharma and marketing companies are really the ones cashing in. Not to mention, not-for-profit CEO’s that have overflowing pockets and salaries in the $600,000 mark!
Awareness is vital! But more importantly, prevention is where our dollar needs to go. I don’t need to chew on M&M’s, watch a football game and smear on blush to show my support for Breast Cancer Survivors and women currently undergoing treatment.
Collectively we need to come together, and as individuals, we need to empower ourselves with the right information, ask the right questions and seek out alternatives if we want to find effective solutions for preventing, treating and supporting breast cancer and any other disease for that matter.
In the past 40 years, and with billions of dollars in funding annually, treatments have barely improved and survival rates are no better. Thirty years ago the World Health Organization declared that up to 90% of all cancers are caused by pesticides, radiation, and other toxic chemicals in our environment.
Hold on. Let me repeat that…
Thirty years ago the World Health Organization declared that up to 90% of all cancers are caused by pesticides, radiation, and other toxic chemicals in our environment.
Global production of man-made chemicals increased from 1 million to 400 million tonnes between 1930 and 2000, each year! And these chemicals are deemed as posing no “unreasonable” risk of harm?
If we want to talk about addressing a “cure,” then let’s address the known carcinogenic (cancer causing) chemicals that are lurking in our environment.
Let’s ask our government to take action against the pesticides, herbicides, and chemicals sprayed on our food.
To ban the sulfates, parabens, sodium benzoate, PEG, FD&C colors and pigments, alcohols, urea and fragrances in our personal care products..
To request that all patients, suffering with cancer or any disease, work in conjunction with allopathic and naturopathic medicine, so that an all encompassing protocol and treatment can be designed to truly heal and support people.
Let’s reduce our exposure to BPA plastics and water bottles that are disrupting our endocrine (hormone) system which can increase our risks for hormone dependant cancers such as breast, prostate and testicular cancer.
Let’s demand that organic food be accessible to everyone and cost effective.
Let’s demand for more time off work to enjoy with our families and do the things that bring us joy.
Let’s become more proactive and make our health a priority today!
As a woman, a friend, a sister, a daughter, I have been deeply affected by the loss of friends and family to cancer. It is painful, it is heartbreaking, and it is all encompassing.
I am not writing to offend anyone that partakes and donates to the breast cancer foundation. I am simply saying that we can all do better.
“We are living in a collective society where everything you do affects me and everything I do affects you. We are all responsible, all culpable. The same can be said about the cancer dilemma. We are the cause of the present state of affairs, but we are also the cure.” – author unknown
With love, with compassion and truthfully, anger at political and corporate forces,
Samantha Gladish xo
Resources:
http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/teacher_resources/webfieldtrips/toxics/
http://www.ewg.org/enviroblog/2014/09/top-ten-problems-industry-s-chemical-safety-bill
http://investigations.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/06/10/18869742-susan-komen-ceos-salary-draws-fire-as-donations-drop-races-are-canceled
