October too pink for me

Pink is the wrong color for breast cancer. There's nothing soft about breast cancer, its treatments or its effects. Color breast cancer ashen or bloody or the tint of skin scabs. Color breast cancer the bright red or clear - the color of the chemo drugs pumped through your veins. Color breast cancer white for the sea of white coats that parade endlessly by. Color it silver, or black or ...

Yet, everywhere I look during the next 29 days, I'll see pink as the United States acknowledges October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month. A sea of pink ribbons sets the theme.

Even before my daughter was diagnosed with breast cancer, I disliked the commercialization of the fight to eliminate breast cancer. Collect yogurt lids or buy this or ... and the company will donate to this organization or that.

Some agree with me, some don't. The writer of the My Cancer Blog, sees it as a way to heighten awareness.

For another viewpoint, visit Think before you pink. The site also offers some questions to ask before you buy:

• How much of your purchase will go to fight breast cancer?
• Did the company put a cap on its "donation"?
• Will buying the product spur a donation or do you need to do something more like buy something, visit a web site, etc.?
• Is the money going to the right place? You know, one that spends more money on research or helping then raising money?

The explanation about the pink ribbon is a good read too.