(By Clergygirl) A few days ago I noticed a tweet that gave me a reason to pause and think. It bothered me to say the least. It reminded me of a game you play with your kids….what two things don’t go together.
See for yourself. Can you pick out TWO things that should not go together?
If you said a breast cancer research foundation and fried chicken, you were right! Here’s why…
Current research says that obesity is linked to cancer. As much as I don’t like it, it just is. We know estrogen is stored in fat and cancer grows on estrogen. I’ve known plenty of thin people with cancer so this isn’t saying this is the ONLY way to get breast cancer, but it’s a sure link. The more estrogen you have in your body in your life span, the higher your risk.
Then there’s that recurrence risk. Obesity is a clear risk for recurrence of many kinds of cancer, not just breast cancer.
So here I am, two years out from breast cancer, running 4-5 miles 4 times a week and trying to do yoga and weight lifting 1-2 times a week. I eat as healthy as I possibly can. I’ve never been super thin, in fact, I regret the weight gain that I allowed to sneak up on me during my pregnancy years. I’ve got three kids under 9 and a life I want to live fully, so I watch the research and I try to do what I can to keep from recurrence. It is very clear that a healthy diet and exercise are key.
So I have to say as a breast cancer survivor, it was like a slap in the face, it was a blow to everything we work for as a breast cancer warriors to see the premiere breast cancer research foundation teaming up with the premiere fat-laden fast food restaurant (see announcement for double-down sandwich). It just seems to me if I work hard to do the best I can do, Komen would consider the current research as well. Ummm…..they are a “research foundation” now aren’t they? Hmmmm.
This was a sell-out Komen. Did you ask anyone with breast cancer how they would feel seeing that big pink greasy bucket of chicken? Was someone going to lose their job if you didn’t raise cash quick? I really don’t get it? Research also shows smoking and alcohol consumption are clear links to cancer, so why not team up with Marlboro or Bud Beer? It’s not just about money, and quite frankly, don’t raise money on the backs of research that is clearly linking to cancer promotion. Please!
So I was excited to run in my local Race for the Cure coming up in April. This is the first year I’ve been healthy enough to do it since my diagnosis in 2008. But now I question my support of Komen.
Now you know how I feel, how do YOU feel about it?
Mothers With Cancer 
KFC is still Kentucky Fried Chicken to me.
Honestly, I find this horrifying. I am speechless. Komen gets some money and KFC’s greasy deep fried chicken comes in a pink bucket, which somehow makes it seem healthy. Horrifying.
I could not agree more!!! I felt the same way when I saw a big bucket of PINK KFC! I felt weird….knowing that like you, I had un-lost baby weight, was never naturally thin and that I probably contributed to my breast cancer by being overweight. I too am concerned about recurrance, even though I am close to my goal weight…but it’s always a struggle. What about the people who don’t research and who don’t know any better?!?! They might think, well if Koman is teaming up with it, than it must be ok to eat…NOT! I, after doing three 3-day walks sponsored by Koman, am not impressed with Koman. Most of the very woman I did those three day walks with were not supportive AT ALL, while I was going through my toughest time with breast cancer. That was a slap in the face to me. Well it kinda felt just like Pink buckets of KFC/linked up with Breast Cancer. Kind of hippocritical. Sure, they all raised their money and said they care about Breast cancer, but what about the woman actually going through it!!!??? I am not saying all women who do/did this walk are like this, just the ones that I was associated with. And after 3 times of doing it, that’s a lot of woman. I have wanted to get that off my chest for a very long time!
Even though my IBC (Inflammatory Breast Cancer) is hormone negative I still have to agree with you that this is a shocking initiative in the name of raising money for a cure. I live in New Zealand so we have other Breast Cancer foundations here but I would object mightily if something along the same lines happened here.
Thanks for this post – I agree so strongly with every word. I am disgusted with KFC and Komen both.
I know it’s probably not what most people will do – but I just bought a bucket of grilled chicken breasts for my family. Didn’t go there because of the pink bucket, but I guess I’m glad 50 cents went towards a good cause.
Thanks for this post. It is a truly offensive and harmful alliance. Breast Cancer Action is calling out KFC and Susan G. Komen for the Cure on this pinkwashing partnership. Over 1,400 people (many of them living with breast cancer) from all over the country have written to KFC and Komen to denounce this pinkwashing. You can find the campaign here: http://www.thinkbeforeyoupink.org.
I’m peeved over this as well, on a personal level.
And YES, thinkbeforeyoupink.org is a fantastic organization — go visit them if you haven’t before!
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I stumbled onto your website after reading “Cancer makes me angry” by Susan Niebur on Mamapedia. I am new at blogging, so, forgive me if I overstep my boundaries on this site. Just let me know, I am a quick study!
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