This morning, we talked about breast cancer awareness, and Danielle read her poem titled pinkwashed. Before I get to the poem, Id like to thank the listener who called in after the poem to discuss some of the content with us. Danielle got her information from a book titled Living Downstream, an investigation into the overlap between ecology and oncology. A lot of the studies in the book are preliminary. There is a lot of discussion on the topic of environment and cancer: as only a small percentage of breast cancers are caused by the much-publicized breast cancer genes, the environment is believed to be a key factor in the development of the other 90+ percent of breast cancers. But, when all is said, correlation doesnt necessarily indicate causation. Also, her dad is a farmer, and she does not intend to indict individual farmers for engaging it what is considered best practice. Finally, it is intended as a piece of spoken-word art, and not as a scientific thesis. That said, the Twin Falls Public Library has a copy of Living Downstream if you want to read on the topic. (James) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ they tell me that early detection is key and an annual mammogram might just save me the way that it spared my aunt and grandmother but failed to rescue so many others because cure rates, I know, are a far cry from fairness though October’s been pinkwashed in the name of awareness will your pink power tools and Save The Tatas shirts provide a scan to a woman whose bank account hurts? will charity auctions of bedazzled brassieres do something to lessen or counter the fears of my aunt whose surgical site was infected or my colleague whose treatment didn’t go as expected? Angelina’s bold move to remove both her breasts is absurd for so many who face the same threats and how many of us can afford reconstruction after tumors and knives leave their paths of destruction? besides, most breast cancers are caused by pollution a month of awareness? That’s not the solution I knew about cancer at six years of age when my grandma’s left breast felt the burn of its rage and I learned that prosthetics are not just for limbs because I caught a quick peek when she’d come tuck me in but all this “awareness” did not help one iota see, my town’s full of farmers, and to meet the crop quotas, all the croplands were smothered by poisons and sprays that can modify genes and devolve DNA so pinking a hammer, a shirt, or a gun won’t help these two breasts. The damage is done. my cells were corrupted back in my preteens before the buds blossomed to 32 double-d but it’s not in my nature to sit back and wait to see if my grandma and I share a fate of tumors and surgery and chemo twice over// here’s why Susan G. Komen doesn’t make a good lover: if an ounce of prevention’s worth a full pound of cure why *do* we buy into this pinkwashed allure? raising awareness isn’t out of the question but the fundraising stats give me harsh indigestion think I’ll pinkwash my gut with that thick pepto bismol ‘cause the fraction of funds sent for research is dismal “Real Men Can Wear Pink,” I’m not denying this fact but ending this scourge is going to take more than that Save the Tatas. I Heart Boobies. Call my breasts what you will but if nothing gets changed, this disease will still kill
Posted on: Fri, 24 Oct 2014 15:05:02 +0000
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