Wednesday, December 29, 2010

On My Christmas Wish-list for 2011


Finally - someone has the nerve and knowledge to tell the truth about the pink-washing of America that goes on every October. Hats off to sociologist Gayle A. Sulik for her new book "Pink Ribbon Blues: How Breast Cancer Culture Undermines Women's Health." I want this book! Really wish I could have gotten it this year for Christmas, though...

I found out about the book from another survivor's Facebook post about a book review that appeared on Slate.com. After you read the review, take a look at the comments below it that do everything from complain that breast cancer gets too much attention (compared to other cancers) to placing the blame for getting the disease smack on the laps of survivors. Sickening, really...

But I do agree with Sulik that we need to do a better job holding companies that make shit piles of money on the business of "racing for the cure" much more accountable for how they spend what they raise. To me, giving a CEO a $459K+ salary wastes too much of what is supposed to be for research (cough, cough, Komen). My son and I lived on 1/12 of that the year I was diagnosed while paying for my own health insurance (I was self-employed), treatment co-pays (like radiation which was $100 a week for six weeks) and hospital and doctor payments following surgery, so, yes, I think that is too much money to be giving a CEO of a non-profit agency that is supposed to be about raising cash to cure this stupid disease. But, that's just me...

No comments: