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NEWS: Art Contest Promotes Breast Cancer Research

Hope there arent too many "OMG CHANCE TO DRAW BEWBIES ROFL1" people, though.

OK, I'll be the grinch. Breast cancer awareness is so fashionable right now, we are way over exposed. What's the problem with that? The problem is that since we are so focused on breast cancer that research and advertising about other diseases are less likely to be funded. Heart disease is the number one killer of women and most women don't even know the signs of a heart attack. I'd like to see just one company jump off the bandwagon and fill a need instead focusing on the 'in' disease. Guess this one won't be it.

Hey grinch,

Funding does not stem from advertising and hype. The NIH and all the other funding sources are much more strict about their money than just, "Hey, this looks kinda neat. Give him a few hundred thousand bucks."

I work in a breast cancer lab, the people in it just made a huge breakthrough, but let me tell you, the funding does not come easily. At all. Hype or no hype, despite all the claims that "all proceeds will go to the blahblahblah organization!!!!" or whatever, the money does not reach the labs. And truthfully, even if you raised like, $100k for a lab, it'd be used up in less than a month.

Maybe heart attacks are your "cause." But breast cancer may be someone else's.

I'm just sayin'.

SakechanBD wrote:

Hey grinch, Funding does not stem from advertising and hype. The NIH and all the other funding sources are much more strict about their money than just, "Hey, this looks kinda neat. Give him a few hundred thousand bucks." I work in a breast cancer lab, the people in it just made a huge breakthrough, but let me tell you, the funding does not come easily. At all. Hype or no hype, despite all the claims that "all proceeds will go to the blahblahblah organization!!!!" or whatever, the money does not reach the labs. And truthfully, even if you raised like, $100k for a lab, it'd be used up in less than a month. Maybe heart attacks are your "cause." But breast cancer may be someone else's. I'm just sayin'.

Actually my "disease cause" is something completely different than either.

I suppose by funding I was thinking about the variety of companies who have made a "breast cancer" line for their product to bring in money and increase awareness. I am sure that funding for research is indeed hard to get, and I know that most money never gets where it could actually help. That is a part of the big problem I have with the sheer amount of hype out there. It makes me sick that a serious disease has become the cause of the week, yet the people involved (in the hype, not the real stuff) apparently don't give a damn about it. Not to mention the fact, for some reason, people out there think buying these products actually helps. Haven't they realized yet, they could donate that full amount to some place that will actually use it??

My other problem is that most of America is ignorant and the fact that the trendiness of "helping" breast cancer has caused them to think it is their highest risk. Again, it irritates me to know how many more women will die of heart attacks than breast cancer, yet most women don't even know the symptoms of a heart attack. If just a few companies or peole jumped off that bandwagon for a minute, think of the good it would do. Women could know they should take action and watch for both. (And, yes, I am really starting to think that most people are not smart enough to know that.)

Anyway, my problem isn't that people do things to draw attention to breast cancer. It's just the sheer insanity of the whole cycle, which I feel accomplishes little other than making the host company look benevolent. Well, that and I'd like to see people educated on more than one risk.

**In case, I sound cranky. I am. It's not just the the cancer thing. This exact same cycle happens lots of different cases and has become a pet peeve of mine.

Yikes! I am a member of theOtaku.com and I had to sign up on here just so I could speak my opinion on this. You say, "trendy disease"? Is that what you would say to those who have lost loved ones to the disease, or are affected by it personally? That's horrible. It doesn't matter what disease, none of them are "trendy". They are a fact of life, until a cure is found. Thankfully, there are steps women can take to catch it early on. And yes, you are right about more women dying from heart disease. I do have to say that there are a large portion of those cases that could have been prevented, though. Heart disease as well as breast cancer can be hereditary. Though, heart disease is also contributed by lifestyle factors as well. How many women die from heart disease because they didn't eat right, or smoked, or other destructive behaviors? Not that this can't be a factor for breast cancer, but women who have a family history of breast cancer also have a high risk of getting it as well, even if they live a healthy lifestyle. My point is that heart disease does not have to be the #1 killer of women. If breast cancer was the #1 killer, and this contest was for heart disease, would you still be complaining? It doesn't matter. It's for a good cause. And this is not also for a cure, but also for AWARENESS. So that breast cancer does not become the #1 killer. So women can detect it early on, before it's too late. However, I'm sure there are many women out there who know their risk of heart disease, but yet do not do anything to try and avoid it. I'm just ashamed that someone had the nerve to say such a thing as you did. If you feel so adamant about heart disease, perhaps your voice would be better heard in a heart disease forum. Perhaps you should put some of that energy into helping to promote heart disease, but in a more positive way.

As for Grinch... you said it! A part of you knew that it was a horrible thing to say. This is not about Breast Cancer vs. Heart Disease. They are both a terrible thing. And both are good causes. The convention and contest could benefit any cause and people would still give. Because it's a GOOD cause.