Good morning West Texans and all you good, fine, friendly folks out there who wish you were . . .
It’s o.k. not to wear pink this weekend if you’re a Texas Tech fan.
There. I said it.
I know it won’t sit well with some folks and there have even been some saying I shouldn’t write this column but somebody has to do it so it might as well be me. I can take the heat, it’s nothing compared to dealing with three to four hours of live radio most days . . .
As most of you know, this weekend’s game against Oklahoma State is being billed as a pink-out by some organizations, most notably game sponsor Covenant Health Systems. Many fans have the impression that Texas Tech is promoting the Susan G. Komen Foundation for Breast Cancer Research and Awareness, but in fact the pink shirts are being pushed by the game sponsor and not Texas Tech’s athletic department. As one Tech official told us, “we’d love to see our fans wear red, but of course they can wear any color they choose”.
Tech’s in a tough spot here. How do you tell a game sponsor you’d rather they not politicize a Tech game when it is something as emotionally driven as breast cancer?
Make no mistake, Covenant and Komen have every right to do what they want to and to use any promotion they can get their hands on to drive dollars their way for their cause. Texas Tech though is facing a tough dilemma, like many schools and business these days, in figuring out who and how to support charities. The trouble that Texas Tech faces now is many other groups are going to ask, “Where’s our day, where’s our shirt and where’s the platform for our cause?”. It is a valid question.
Meanwhile back to this weekend. Many fans will don the pink shirts and never give it a second thought. Unfortunately that’s becoming more and more of a trend in our society. I grow weary every time I hear about some “awareness campaign”. We are aware, trust me. We have replaced action and deeds with simple clicks of a like button on a facebook group or the wearing of a band or a t-shirt. It is an easy morality play that means nothing at the end of the day sadly.
Some fans will also find themselves in the awkward position this weekend of having to explain that while they hate breast cancer and want to see it cured, they just don’t happen to support the Komen Foundation. Aye, there’s the real rub. For some they look at Komen and wonder if too much is spent on administration, in lobbying for political causes that they may not agree with their growing links to Planned Parenthood that many religious and conservative groups have a problem with. There can be numerous reason some might not want to support Komen but still donate to research universities or other organizations they feel do a better job in spending the money in finding a cure.
Those reasons don’t even include the controversial ( to some ) idea that Komen/Breast Cancer Awareness has become more a cause celeb and the trendy thing to do for celebs and others because it is the hip thing right now. There are numerous stories in marketing about companies using “pink” to move product and sway buyers to their wares. All the while things like heart disease, lung cancer, prostate cancer and other more deadly medical conditions get their funding canabilized by the sweeping cash-grab of Komen.
When you combine all of these things you can see where there are legitimate reason for some folks not to wear pink this weekend when Tech plays OSU, and that’s o.k. The real question going forward is whether or not Texas Tech athletics should allow game sponsors to hijack Jones Stadium and use it not just to promote their business, but to promote whatever cause they deem worthy? Perhaps it is time for not just Tech but other schools to tell sponsors they’d rather they not make their fans decide whether they want to make political or other statements by how they have to dress when going to cheer on their favorite team.
So, this weekend wear pink if you want to-that’s fine by me, but don’t let others make you feel bad if you don’t. You don’t have to support every organization to hate and cure cancer.
Hyatt
You have made many great points.
“We have replaced action and deeds with simple clicks of a like button on a facebook group or the wearing of a band or a t-shirt. It is an easy morality play that means nothing at the end of the day sadly.”
and…
“Komen/Breast Cancer Awareness has become more a cause celeb and the trendy thing to do for celebs and others because it is the hip thing right now.”
Anyone remember the yellow Live Strong bracelets? People would buy them just because they were “cool” but didn’t know the reason behind them. After a year or so, every company and non-profit had their own bracelet and the meanings all got lost.
We’ve all seen the NFL putting pink out there, but what is it really doing? If the NFL really wanted to help, why not donate 20% of all the money they make in October to Koman or breast cancer research. It would actually do a lot more than just having players wear pink gloves.
I have always taken issue with Komen. It recieves a ton of press because it is the trendy one to support. Who doesn’t love boobs? But it doesn’t kill in nearly the high percentage that colon cancer, prostate cancer, or other less trendy cancers. I would buy a bracelet for colon cancer that said, “I Heart A**holes”.
I understand your point. And saying that we have become pointers and clickers is true, but for others it gives ideas. Komen is an important group for me because I lost a grandmother to breast cancer, had another grandmother with a scare from it and currently have an aunt battling it. It’s from watching groups like Komen that gave me the idea and ability to create an event that helps raise awareness and makes me feel like I might be able to make a difference. I am the organizer of a walk for the cure during a local high school football game. We are selling t-shirts to try and have a pink out and to raise as much money as we can to donate to Komen. We aren’t doing it to be cool or push any agenda other than we want to help in the battle. I am sure there will be quite a few who don’t buy the shirt for our game, or don’t wear pink, but if they are there then they will see the message we are trying to send. There are those that buy the shirt just to be considered in the cool group, but then there are those who have listened enough to know they want to make a difference or at least try and that is the target audience for events like these. Fewer pointers and clickers and more people taking action.
If any of you are in that group that are tired of all Komen stuff all the time but still want to support Breast Cancer awareness/research you should check out the National Breast Cancer Foundation. (http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/)
Plus, there are several great Red Raiders that are very high up in the organization!
Yes, you’re correct! The SGK and their campaign has become the cause celeb for a lot of people. My mom had IT, survived IT and to this day doesn’t really think wearing pink at a sports game mean will fight IT. Yes, we’re aware of IT. In Dallas and other fine towns in America there is the SGK Run. We are aware of IT. How much is going to research and how much is funding THE foundation? Not to be cynical, I’m sure I will get a nasty response from someone who’s been affected by IT. SOTFW?!?!?! So have I and I don’t see the need to guilt fans in to wearing pink to a game. Yes it’s one game, but we don’t get those many games in a year. Ask most college students and they’ve heard of breast cancer. Prostate? Colon? Testicular? Maybe not so much. How about cancer awareness in general? And I don’t think we need to wear a special shirt for that campaign.
You definitely have to be cautious with all of the pink ribbons every October — more of them every year. You have to look at where the pink money is going. It often takes quite a bit of research. I’ve seen pink garment steamers — that one was legit — and also pink breath mints, pink bubble wrap, and pink stationery that I’ve wondered about. The one that made me the sickest was the pink buckets of fried chicken — fried food to cure cancer … give me a freakin’ break.
That being said, there have been several remarks about breast cancer being more ‘well-known’ than other cancers. I agree with those remarks, and the other cancers deserve a month / a day / a run / a special color — we need an end to all of these cancers. But say what you will about Komen — breast cancer is more ‘well-known,’ and gets more press, and gets pink shirts into Jones Stadium and everywhere else, because Komen gets the word out, and gets the awareness going. These other cancers need an organization like Komen to push their cause.
I can’t imagine all Tech officials are against wearing pink, even the band is wearing pink on their hats at the game this weekend. Wearing pink has become larger than the SGK foundation, its about supporting finding a cure for breast cancer…which in turn leads to finding cures to all types of cancer, even the ones that are not as easy to promote (although I would TOTALLY buy a “I heart A**holes” bracelet). And while I don’t think anyone is “unaware” of breast cancer, I think of it more raising awaresness of the people with the purse strings, that this is a cause the public cares about and wants them to support. Even if it means wearing pink and not red for one saturday out of the year.
I will support http://www.bcpinstitute.org but not Susan G. Komen. Also, for more information about Susan G. Komen, check out http://www.lifeissues.org for articles on the links between abortion and breast cancer as well as many other issues. The series “Facing Life Head-On” (under the link of programming) did a show on this very subject of Susan G. Komen. I learned a lot from it.
Great article, Ryan! Thanks for your insight!
My introduction to Komen Lubbock was through my volunteer work with grants. I have had the opportunity to work with Komen Lubbock and their community grants programs now for several years. The generosity of Lubbock and the surrounding communities positively impacts the lives of many women and their families each year. Komen Lubbock values our many collaborative community partnerships such as those with Covenant, University Medical Center, Texas Tech Health Sciences Center, The Larry Combest Community Health and Wellness Center, the YWCA, and Texas Agrilife Extension Services. Yes, we do spend money to maintain an office and pay employees. We couldn’t conduct educational outreach, raise money to fund these partnerships, or give women and families in need a place to turn to if we did not. The research supported by Susan G. Komen doesn’t occur in isolation; some research is breast cancer specific, but many cancer research programs generate information and progress useful to medicine regardless of the cancer they are targeting. I encourage all people who donate to any cause to research the organization(s) which they wish to support. A great place to start is on http://www.charitynavigator.org. Their website presents information on program costs, administrative costs, and fundraising expenses and efficiency for hundreds of non-profits. We all want our donated dollars to make the most impact for whichever organization or cause we decide to support. Last year so many Red Raiders made their pink shirts a platform for their support of women’s health issues AND Texas Tech. Many of us are still smiling about some of the creativity. Other fans wore their red and sported the Susan G. Komen running ribbon. For Komen Lubbock this is not a loyalty test and I imagine that it isn’t for Texas Tech either. Red Raiders, Lubbock and its surrounding communities are some of the most generous people anywhere in the world. We all benefit from the collective “can do” spirit our corner of the world brings to any cause.
This game should not be about guilting someone into wearing a color, especially if it doesn’t mean anything to them, I’ll totaly agree. But go to their website, read about what they do, and how they use their money before you jump on the anti-Komen band wagon. Plus it’s one football game. Wear red, wear pink, whatever, but dont tar and feather the cause. A cure for one cancer is a cure for all.
Susan G. Komen for the Cure is the global leader of the breast cancer movement, having invested nearly $1.5 billion since inception in 1982. As the world’s largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists, we’re working together to save lives, empower people, ensure quality care for all and energize science to find the cures.
Since 1982, Komen for the Cure has played a critical role in EVERY major advance in the fight against breast cancer – transforming how the world talks about and treats this disease and helping to turn millions of breast cancer patients into breast cancer survivors. We are proud of our contribution to some real victories:
• More early detection – nearly 75 percent of women over 40 years old now receive regular mammograms, the single most effective tool for detecting breast cancer early (in 1982, less than 30 percent received a clinical exam).
• More hope – the five-year survival rate for breast cancer, when caught early before it spreads beyond the breast, is now 98 percent (compared to 74 percent in 1982).
• More research – the federal government now devotes more than $900 million each year to breast cancer research, treatment and prevention (compared to $30 million in 1982).
• More survivors – America’s 2.5 million breast cancers survivors, the largest group of cancer survivors in the U.S., are a living testament to the power of society and science to save lives.
I would like to address a few points made in this article as well as from the comments.
It was stated that breast cancer is not as deadly as some other cancers. Thank heavens! We have seen major advancements in the five year breast cancer survival rate, when the cancer is caught early, before it is spread beyond the breast. This victory is due in large part to the efforts to spread breast cancer awareness and early detection messages through education programs and events such as Pack the Jones in Pink. The more we talk about breast cancer, the more opportunities we have to reach women and men with these life saving messages. We do still lose people to breast cancer every day. Every 69 seconds another woman dies of breast cancer. This year alone, 200,000 women will die of breast cancer.
Pink on a football field won’t cure breast cancer, but I disagree that “it does nothing” to help fight the disease. Such awareness efforts continue to mobilize concern, dollars and action from millions of people who watch, play and love the game of football. And such efforts are needed to fight a disease that still targets a woman somewhere in the world every 69 seconds.
A comment was made that foundations are needed for other more deadly cancers. I completely agree that there should be foundations for all cancers. Foundations like Susan G. Komen for the Cure are created by very passionate people who have a true commitment to the cause at hand and want to see advancements made in how the patients are cared for and ultimately a cure for the disease. Breast cancer has become “well known” thanks to the many breast cancer awareness groups and efforts such as Pack the Jones in Pink. I hope that some of the people who have commented on the need for these additional foundations have the passion and commitment necessary to lead the way in creating foundations for these very worthy causes.
When an advancement is made in breast cancer research, many times it helps other cancers as well. While Susan G. Komen is dedicated to breast cancer research and awareness, our work often times effects the treatment of many other types of cancer. The knowledge gained in the creation of Tamoxifen has led to improvements and new drugs in the fight against prostate and pancreatic cancers.
A few comments have been made in regard to pink products. The purchase of “pink” products provides consumers a simple and easy way to contribute in their own way toward improving research as well as community programs. There is still not ENOUGH pink. Let’s take a look at what the red ribbon did for AIDS awareness. Until there is a cure for breast cancer, there cannot be enough pink.
I want to clarify questions regarding how much of the funds raised are actually spent on the mission. Komen is 2nd only to the National government in funding of breast cancer research. We are the number one private funder of breast cancer research. 84 cents of every dollar raised is spent on our mission. Only 16 cents goes toward administration. For the fourth consecutive year, Charity Navigator, the country’s leading charity watchdog, provided us a four-star rating, its highest accolade. Receiving this designation four years in a row places Susan G. Komen for the Cure among the top 9 percent of charities nationwide. And the Pew Charitable Trust said this year Susan G. Komen for the Cure is the most trusted charity in America. And, for the record, we do not pay for advertising. It is either donated or created by the staff at Komen.
Planned Parenthood – Susan G. Komen for the Cure exists for only one reason: to save lives and to end breast cancer forever. In the past 27 years, we’ve invested more than $1.3 billion to accomplish those goals through research and for programs that educate, screen and treat people in communities all around the world. Early screening through mammograms and education is critical to end the suffering from this disease: 98 percent of women treated for early stage breast cancer, before it spreads, are alive five years later. The widespread use of mammography and heightened public awareness of breast cancer both contribute to these favorable statistics. And while Komen Affiliates provide funds to pay for screening, education and treatment programs in dozens of communities, in some areas the only place that poor, uninsured or under-insured women can receive these services are through programs run by Planned Parenthood.
These facilities serve rural women, poor women, Native American women, women of color, and the un- and under-insured. As part of our financial arrangements, we monitor our grantees twice a year to be sure they are spending the money in line with our agreements, and we are assured that Planned Parenthood uses these funds only for breast health education, screening and treatment programs. As long as there is a need for health care for these women, we will continue to fund the facilities that meet that need. Another piece of misinformation being spread by many who criticize Komen for the Cure for its Planned Parenthood grants is that abortion causes breast cancer. Well-conducted research consistently fails to support this claim. We agree with the bulk of scientific evidence – from the National Cancer Institute, Harvard, a rigorous study in Denmark and from Oxford University – that there is no conclusive link between breast cancer and induced abortion or miscarriage. It is important for women to receive accurate information about risk factors for breast cancer. There are steps a woman can take to reduce her risk of developing breast cancer (for example, maintaining a healthy weight) as well as important steps every woman should take to make sure that, if she does develop breast cancer, it is detected and treated as soon as possible. A complete list of risk factors and screening recommendations can be found on our website http://www.Komen.org.
Charity Navigator – For the fourth year running, Susan G. Komen for the Cure® has once again received the coveted 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, the nation’s largest independent evaluator of charities. Just 9 percent of charities achieve a four-star rating four years in a row, a testament to Komen for the Cure’s stewardship of your funds and dedication to our mission. According to Charity Navigator President Ken Berger, this rating indicates Susan G. Komen for the Cure “consistently executes its mission in a fiscally responsible way, and outperforms most other charities in America.”
I hope that those reading this thread find this information useful and informative. If there are any additional questions I am more than happy to visit. Please contact me at 698-1900.
Thank you for your support of Komen and this mission.
Sincerely,
Ashley Hamm
Great post Ryan! You stated what many of us have been thinking for awhile. Your hate mail should be interesting to say the least.
Hi, Ryan!
Great column.
I won’t pick a fight over which killer we should all be working to overcome, but I’ll mention an alternative to wearing pink. It’s donating a ponytail — and yes, these folks will take hair with gray in it too! It’s called “Lovely Lengths” and is sponsored by the Pantene company.
In fact, the YWCA here in Lubbock has a program to help women without insurance get screenings for breast and cervical cancer. That program’s partly funded by a Komen grant, but the Y also helps fund it, and they furnish it with office space, phones, supplies and personnel. (Their color
is orange, though, so …)
It’s true that finding a cure for one cancer is finding at least a partial cure
for them all. Many readers here may not remember that men get breast cancer too.
As a eight year breast cancer survivor who went through eight rounds of chemotherapy and seven weeks of radiation I don’t want anyone to go through what I went through. When I see people wear pink at a breast cancer awareness event, like Pack the Jones in pink, it gives me hope. Hope that with their awareness, understanding and support there will be a cure.
To bad Hyatt was too much of a wuss to answer to those who he calls out in this blog when they tried contacting him this week. He did what many lame “journalists” do by publishing their own private agendas and twisting words from unnamed sources to help justify his position. What a PUSS!!! Put that on the radio, big guy.
I’ve offered anyone any response they’d like in the same forum we’ve been discussing this. I talked about it on the show Tuesday or Wednesday and it really didn’t generate much discussion. I’m on 5 days a week, three to four hours a day. Call in anytime at 1-866-984-5326. Nice yahoo account name.
Hyatt
I am proud to be a 3 year breast cancer survivor. I was only 29-years old and pregnant with our second child when I became the first woman in my family to ever be diagnosed with breast cancer. PINK is more than a color to me- it symbolizes healing, a sisterhood, awareness, education, and the quest for a cure. Once cancer has touched your life in such a personal way, you never see PINK the same again.
I wore PINK to the game and was touched by the sea of pink shirts and accessories. Pack the Jones in Pink brings together all of my favorite things…Covenant Health System, Komen and their vision of a world without breast cancer, and Texas Tech football!
Covenant physicians and staff played a vital role in my treatment and healing. My unborn daughter and I received the best care in the nation just 10 minutes from our home. I am also honored to be a Komen volunteer for the many reasons addressed above by Ashley. Komen dollars funded the research that saved my life and my daughter’s life. My daughter battled through a mastectomy and six rounds of chemo right along with me…and I am determined to fight for a cure so she never battles this disease again. Finally,my husband and I are both Texas Tech graduates and love Tech football!
It is imparitive that women- particularly college students and young women- understand the risk factors for breast cancer and are equipped with breast health information. This education helped save my life! Pack the Jones in Pink is the perfect venue to spread this life saving message of awareness, education, and hope, all while honoring the memory of those who have gone before us, those who have battled this disease, and those who are currently fighting. We will never know the number of women (and men) who will examine their breasts and/or undergo screening because of the awareness
and education created by Pack the Jones in Pink and Breast Cancer Awareness Month. What if just one life is saved? What if that one life is your wife, mother, sister, best friend, or grandmother? Will it have been worth it? My answer is a resounding YES!
I believe a cure for breast cancer will lead to a cure for all cancers. I will continue to support Komen for the Cure with my time, energy, and donations until a cure is found. You see, I made a promise to my daughter that I would be a part of finding a cure. An important aspect of that is sharing our story and educating women in an effort to save lives while we move closer to a cure for this nasty disease. No one should have to lose their best friend, mother,
Grammy, sister, or aunt to this disease. I will do whatever it takes to see an end to this disease. That is the POWER OF A PROMISE.
Thank you to Covenant, Komen, and Texas Tech for honoring me, my survivor sisters, and my brave friends who have gone before me. Today I am cancer free and my daughter is a beautiful, smart, and healthy 2-year old…all for God’s glory!!!
Sincerely,
Christie Devitt