It’s not often you get to use the word brouhaha in a sentence.

As a current breast cancer patient I am sure I’m benefitting from Susan G. Komen, so I have been feeling a bit hypocritical about my rants over the past couple of days. I’m not flipflopping on my position, however.  I still feel they were wrong and I’m still happy that Planned Parenthood got so much support in response.  I’m still not sure how wrapping cancer up in a pretty pink bow helps anyone and I felt that way long before my own diagnosis.

If using pink kitchen gadgets and festooning yourself in pink ribbons makes you feel like you are doing something, that’s great.  If a small portion of what you spend on those items actually goes into breast cancer research, even better. Pink handguns?  really?

I’ve never understood how packaging artery clogging fried chicken in pink buckets and wrapping products made with cancer causing chemicals in pink bubble wrap exactly helped breast cancer patients.  I bet it did help the companies who directly or indirectly cause cancer feel better about themselves (and make a lot of money off a public who can’t seem to see beyond the pink). I am not disputing the Susan Komen foundation has done a lot for breast cancer awareness.  Have they done a lot to find a cure?  I have no idea. My cynical side tells me there is no money in a cure.

If anything this whole cluster has reminded me to look really carefully at where funds go (and don’t go) before donating to any organization based on an emotional reaction.  That’s not a bad thing.