A Plea for Help to the Breast Cancer Community

Black and Pink...Fighting Cancer Together!

Dear Breast Cancer Awareness Supporters….

We in the Melanoma Awareness Community need your help.  You may have heard that some of us have “Pink Envy.”  In reality, I believe we have Pink Inspiration (read this post to see what I mean).  In truth, we’re as interested in the awareness of ALL cancers as much as you are.  But as it turns out, those that wear the Pink seem to get more press and attention…and that’s why we need your help.

A friend of mine attended a fund-raising 5K run last month in honor of Breast Cancer Research and Awareness.  One of the door prizes was a free month of appointments at a local tanning salon.  More recently, tanning salons have been offering discounted tanning sessions for every person that wears pink for Breast Cancer Awareness.  A pink ribbon was even spotted on a bottle of tanning lotion.

In case you didn’t know, tanning is a direct contributor to melanoma…the deadliest form of skin cancer.  It’s the second leading cancer of women under 39, behind breast cancer.  It’s the MOST COMMON form of cancer in young adults age 25 to 29.  Some (much) of this is attributed to UV ray exposure…the same UV rays in tanning booths and the sun.

Everything is covered in pink in October.  It’s a sign of your incredible awareness campaign.  We are envious, but we are inspired.  However, the placement of pink ribbons upon tanning products is a step too far.  This would be the same as placing your pink endorsement upon cigarettes.  Tanning booths and cigarettes are both recognized carcinogens…cancer-causing agents. 

I know that you, the typical member of the breast cancer community would not endorse the placement of pink ribbons on anything associated with cancer.  So I ask you to speak out.  Contact your local organization and encourage them to withdraw any support to the placement of pink ribbons on anything tanning related.  Tell those that display your ribbon as a means to promote their tanning business that you’re offended.

We all stand up together in the fight against cancer.  All cancer.  Please help us in the fight against melanoma by withdrawing any association with skin cancer-causing activities.

Thank you…

Thank You Barb!

I wanted to share a quick follow-up to my previous blog about spotting the black ribbon on a Breast Cancer Awareness display at the mall.

One of my many great readers on my Facebook page, Barb Maxwell, decided to contact the American Cancer Society regarding the use of a black ribbon.  Well, she got a response!

Thank you for sharing your important concerns with your American Cancer Society. Congratulations on your survivorship! I am truly sorry to hear about the loss of your friends to breast cancer, and understand and concur with your desire to see more done to raise awareness for melanoma, as well.

As black is melanoma’s signature color, I can see how the sign you saw could lead to confusion and frustration, and sincerely apologize for this oversight on our part. I appreciate your bringing this matter to my attention, and have made certain to forward your feedback on for further action.

The American Cancer Society takes the battle against melanoma cancer seriously, and works to fight the disease and its effects through research, education, advocacy, and patient services. If you are interested in opportunities to volunteer with the Society in promoting melanoma awareness, please reply to this message, and I will be happy to forward your request to our advocacy coordinator.

Thank you again for taking the time to share your thoughts with the American Cancer Society. Your feedback is invaluable.

Sarah
Online Cancer Information Specialist

Thanks Barb for taking my thoughts a step further!  Addressing such concerns more directly is the first step that all of us can make in increasing Melanoma Awareness.  This is certainly a lesson learned in advocacy!

Also thank you to the American Cancer Society for replying to Barb's concern.  Let's hope they truly "forward the feedback" and perhaps also have a more aggressive Melanoma Awareness campaign during OUR month of May.

And finally, thanks to all of you who have read my words and the thoughts of others and started discussions online, in person, and through email and advocacy campaigns.  Like the letter above says, there are opportunities to do more, through the ACS, MRF or any other such group.

We'll Support Your Pink, But Let Us Keep Our Black!

I visited the Pink Palace today…otherwise known as the neighborhood mall.  My kids commented on how much pink there was and asked where the pumpkins and ghosts were since it's October.  I explained that it’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month and that many stores have special deals in which proceeds from sales go to breast cancer research and awareness.  I explained to them that it’s a good thing and that’s why so many people and stores participate.  And it is.

Then my daughter said, “Look daddy!  It’s YOUR ribbon!”  Sure enough, I looked at the Lady Footlocker display and saw this:

Well, obviously, it’s not “my” ribbon…it was part of a display for "Making Strides Against Breast Cancer."  Still, I was a little taken back in that breast cancer awareness is a pink RIBBON campaign…but here before me was a black ribbon associated with breast cancer awareness.

Melanoma awareness isn’t as established, and there’s a mixed of orange and black awareness colors, but the primary associated color is black.  Black ribbons represent many other things (mourning, remembrance, and gang prevention among others)…but when it comes to cancer, it belongs to melanoma awareness.

I understand the main color of the display was pink, with black lettering.  But when it comes to the actual ribbon…breast cancer awareness folks, PLEASE stick with pink.  We melanoma folks are having a tough enough time establishing our own presence without having our ribbon color be used by others.

(And for those that might call me hypocritical since I use the word “pink” in my own campaign, you may have a point.  But I've only used a black ribbon, with the exception of the black AND pink ribbon when discussing the genetic link between the two cancers.)

Linked to Pink?

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  But did you know that Melanoma could have a direct link to the Pink Cancer?  It’s true!  An article in the Skin Cancer Foundation’s website explains how having one of these cancers raises the odds of developing the other.   (Thanks to the curator of Hotel Melanoma for bringing this to our attention).

Dr. Gillian Murphy of the Beaumont Hospital in Dublin, Ireland, states that patients with melanoma or other skin cancers have always been at higher risk of developing other malignancies , but with breast cancer, there’s a fourfold increase.  Per Dr. Gillian, this “raises the possibility of a genetic predisposition linking the two cancers.”

This is good news for a couple of reasons.  First of all, research for one type of cancer may now aid in research for the other.  Any little bit of new information we learn about one just may indeed help out the other.

The second reason is admittedly more selfish.  Melanoma Awareness needs a boost…and the Breast Cancer Awareness campaign is about a big a boost as a campaign can get.  In the month of October, you’ll see about as much pink as you will traditional autumn colors.  Whoever first marketed the idea for this pink awareness campaign was either a genius, a sales whiz, or really darned lucky.  But imagine…a small amount of proceeds from everything donning a pink ribbon goes to Breast Cancer Research or Awareness.  And not just t-shirts and hats, but candy, detergent, and even Chick-fil-A meals!  I know that there is never enough money for research, but by golly, the Pink Warriors have a good thing going.

This might sound like jealousy.  It’s not. Despite this blog’s name “Black is the New Pink,” I’ve had the utmost respect for the Pink Ribbon campaign.  No…not jealousy.  Envy.  Like an LA Clipper fan that envies the Lakers.  Like a NY Mets fan that envies the Yankees.  It’s not hate…it’s envy.  And in my case towards Breast Cancer Awareness, it’s respect.

I would love to see the Melanoma Awareness campaign be half as effective as the Pink Ribbon campaign.  Unfortunately, we have a few things going against us.  For one thing, the gurus that determined the cancer awareness ribbon colors assigned Melanoma the color black.  This is appropriate in that the word “melanoma” literally means “black tumor.”  But unfortunately, black ribbons also represent death and mourning.  Orange is an alternate color I’ve occasionally seen associated with Melanoma Awareness…but black dominates for now.  I doubt that Keebler would don the black ribbon on their packaging for fear the public would think the elves died. 



© Keebler...dead or alive



Another thing going against us is that non-melanoma skin cancer is so damned treatable.  This is a good thing if you discover your skin cancer is non-melanoma…but it’s a bad thing for melanoma’s street cred.  “It’s Just Skin Cancer.”  No…it’s not…but most folks just don’t get it.  Until they get it.  I don’t wish for non-melanoma cancers (such as basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma) to become more deadly, however the fact that they’re very treatable creates an ironic barrier for Melanoma Awareness Campaigners.

Partnering up, or perhaps merely riding the coattails of Breast Cancer Awareness might be Melanoma’s big break.  Whether it is or not, we at least have our small rebellious forces of Melanoma Warriors…screaming from our blogs and Miles For Melanoma events…and hoping to be heard.

In this spirit of breast cancer awareness, I’ve prepared a little treat.  I’m not a programming genius, but I made up a movie (my first attempt ever) with my own little take regarding the link between Breast Cancer and Melanoma.  I apologize for no sound to this movie.  It’s a little over a minute long, so the silence shouldn’t be too overbearing.  If any readers have some suggestions regarding a freebie soundtrack or enhancement, feel free to inquire and I’d be willing to make an adjustment.  Until that point, please enjoy what I’ve prepared…and by all means share it!