BCA E-Alert October 2007

To view this email online, paste this link into your browser:
http://e2ma.net/map/view=CampaignPublic/id=12538.774589234/rid=3aca345300999617de4081f2870e9c18
___________________________________

October 2007 Breast Cancer Action E-Alert

SPREAD THE WORD--if you like this e-alert, please help us by sharing it with your
friends and family. Forward this message and let them know that they can subscribe
at http://www.bcaction.org/Pages/GetInformed/AlertList.html

WE PUBLISH A SNAIL MAIL NEWSLETTER TOO--We just can't get enough of you...and hope
that you can't get enough of us! If you're not already on our mailing list we'd
love to send you our bimonthly print newsletter, the BCA Source, filled with
information on treatment, diagnosis, politics, and true prevention updates. Check
out the archives and subscribe at
http://www.bcaction.org/Pages/GetInformed/Subscribe.html

INVEST IN BCA'S WORK--With your investment, we will continue to reach ambitious goals
and to effect changes that others consider impossible. Individuals like you fund
more than half of BCA's annual budget and 80 percent of every dollar raised goes to
our programs. Help us end the breast cancer epidemic. Donate today through Network
for Good at
https://www.networkforgood.org/donate/MakeDonation2.aspx?ORGID2=943138992

--------

In this issue...

NEW AT BCA
-BCA Launches Sixth Annual Think Before You Pink Campaign
-Hot Off the Virtual Presses: October BCA Source Now Online
-A New Way to Support BCA

IN THE NEWS
-Think Before You Pink in the News
-Alcohol and Breast Cancer Risk
-Taxol Gets a Second Look

TAKE ACTION
-Tell Car Companies You Want Clean Cars, not Pinkwashed Products
-VOTE!
-Ask the Presidential Candidates about Health Care

SAVE THE DATE
-Fourth Annual Early Environmental Exposures Meeting, November 8-9, Cincinnati, OH
-San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, December 13-16, San Antonio,TX
-Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Cancer Therapies for Cancer Advocates,
January 10-11, West Palm Beach, FL
-Annual Conference for Young Women Affected by Breast Cancer, February 22-23,
Jacksonville, FL

FAQ OF THE MONTH
-How did the pink ribbon become the symbol for breast cancer awareness?

----------

NEW AT BCA

BCA Launches Sixth Annual Think Before You Pink Campaign

BCA launched its sixth annual Think Before You Pink campaign on October 1st. Think
Before You Pink continues to demand accountability and transparency from companies
that do pink
ribbon marketing. This year, the campaign focuses on "pinkwashers," companies that
claim to care about breast cancer by promoting a pink ribbon campaign, but
manufacture products that are linked to the disease.

While many cosmetics, dairy, and alcohol manufacturers engage in pinkwashing, this
year Think Before You Pink is taking on three car companies--Ford, Mercedes, and
BMW. These companies are asking consumers to buy or drive a car in the name of
breast cancer, even though toxins in car exhaust have been linked to the disease.

If you haven't taken action yet, visit
http://www.thinkbeforeyoupink.org/Pages/FocusOnPinkwashers.html and tell the car
companies
you want to see clean cars, not pinkwashed ones.

Hot Off the Virtual Presses: October BCA Source Now Online

The October issue of the BCA Source is now online and includes an analysis of the
Silent Spring Institute's research on environmental toxins and breast cancer, a book
review of Toxic Exposures: Contested Illnesses and the Environmental Health
Movement, BCA's response to the cancellation of the STELLAR trial, and a personal
account of a journey into the world of pink ribbon marketing. Find it at
http://www.bcaction.org/Pages/GetInformed/CurrentNewsletter.html

A New Way to Support BCA

Interested in independent films that make you think? Ironweed is a movie club
service that provides independent films and documentaries. Subscribe and get a
special offer available to Breast Cancer Action members and supporters--a free copy
of The Breast Cancer Diaries
and only $14.95 to sign up for the monthly membership. For each subscription, BCA
will receive a commission of $10 for the first month, and $2 per month for the next
11 months when you sign up by clicking on this link:
http://www.ironweedfilms.com/breast_cancer_action

--------

IN THE NEWS

Think Before You Pink in the News

BCA's Think Before You Pink campaign is getting wide coverage across the United
States, Canada, and even the United Kingdom. The Associated Press, the Detroit News,
Minnesota Public Radio, Phoenix Public Radio, and MSN.com are among the outlets that
looked at pink ribbon marketing and included comments from BCA's Executive Director,
Barbara Brenner.

The topic was widely discussed on blogs like Tara Parker Pope's Well in the New York
Times and the blog NewsTarget.com, which said, "Amid all the mindlessreporting about
breast cancer awareness month in the mainstream media, there is at least one blip of
intelligence on the radar: The Think Before You Pink campaign by Breast Cancer
Action." The Canadian Broadcast Corporation also aired throughout Canada a story
about cause marketing, for which Barbara Brenner was interviewed.

Find these stories online:

Associated Press:
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hP-sEEqAzqTavZIU1bYxfsuq4lFwD8S96N3G0
MSN.com:
http://lifestyle.msn.com/mindbodyandsoul/womenintheworld/article.aspx?cp-documentid=5537148
Well blog: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/10/04/pick-your-pink-wisely/
NewsTarget.com: http://www.newstarget.com/022115.html
Canadian Broadcast Corp:
http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/2007/09/30/cancer-pinkribbon.html

Alcohol and Breast Cancer Risk

Drinking alcohol increases breast cancer risk, and the type of alcohol consumed
doesn't make a difference,according to a study conducted by researchers at Kaiser
Permanente in Oakland. Although the study found a slight increase in risk in women
drinking one or two drinks per day, the highest risk was seen in women having three
or more drinks per day. The risk was the same regardless of whether wine, beer, or
liquor was consumed.

This study of more than 70,000 women is one of many to show that alcohol increases
breast cancer risk and alcohol is already a well-established link to breast cancer.
An article in the San Francisco Chronicle highlights the findings of the study,
including BCA's perspective on this topic. BCA hopes the focus of future research
will shift toward the involuntary exposures, instead of the already established
lifestyle factors, that contribute to breast cancer. To read the San Francisco
Chronicle article, visit
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/09/27/MN1ESEOND.DTL&hw=alcohol+breast+cancer+risk&sn=002&sc=327

Taxol Gets a Second Look

A new study published in the October 11th issue of the New England Journal of
Medicine suggests that the chemotherapy drug Taxol is not effective in treating the
most common form of breast cancer--HER-2 negative, estrogen-receptor-positive
disease. The study indicates that the drug was most effective for women who had
HER-2 positive breast cancer. At most, 25 percent of women with breast cancer have
HER-2 positive disease. If further studies confirm these findings and clinical
practice changes as a result, it's estimated that approximately 20,000 women a year
in the United States will avoid getting a chemotherapy drug they don't need. To see
an abstract of the study, visit
http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/short/357/15/1496

In a news release applauding the study, Barbara Brenner, noting Taxol's serious,
long-term side effects, said "With the amount of money we have invested in breast
cancer research, we should have known this information long ago." To read the news
release, visit http://www.bcaction.org/Pages/GetInformed/PressReleases/PR101107.html


--------

TAKE ACTION

Tell Car Companies You Want Clean Cars, not Pinkwashed Products

This year's Think Before You Pink campaign is focusing on pinkwashers--companies
like Ford, BMW, and Mercedes--that are participating in pink ribbon campaigns while
their cars pollute our air with toxic compounds linked to breast cancer.

If you haven't taken action yet by sending these car companies a message, please do
so at http://www.thinkbeforeyoupink.org/Pages/2007EmailAction.html

If you already have, THANK YOU and please pass the information on to your
friends and family at http://www.thinkbeforeyoupink.org/Pages/2007SpreadTheWord.html

For more information about pinkwashers, visit
http://www.thinkbeforeyoupink.org/Pages/FocusOnPinkwashers.html
For more information about the link between toxins in car exhaust and breast cancer,
visit http://www.thinkbeforeyoupink.org/Pages/CarsAndBreastCancer.html

VOTE!

What can you do, besides shop, for breast cancer? Get into the voting booth on
November 6th! Voting for officials and policies that will put public health first is
one of the many ways you can help make a change in breast cancer. For voter
information in your state, vist
http://www.vote-smart.org/voter_registration_resources.php

Ask the Presidential Candidates about Health Care

Do you have a question about health care you'd like to ask the presidential
candidates? Now's your chance! Starting tomorrow, October 18th, the American Medical
Women's Association, along with BCA and other women's health organizations, will be
hosting Conversations with the Candidates, a bi-partisan series of national
conference calls with presidential candidates and their policy staff to discuss the
issue of health care--and to give YOU the opportunity to ask a question. The first
call will be with Hillary Clinton on Thursday, October 18th at 3:45 EDT, and
conversations with other candidates will follow. Learn more and sign up at
http://www.amwa-cwc.org/details.htm

-------

SAVE THE DATE

Fourth Annual Early Environmental Exposures Meeting, November 8-9, Cincinnati, OH

The 4th annual national scientific conference presents the latest findings from the
Breast Cancer and Environment Research Centers (BCERC) of the National Institute of
Environmental Health Sciences. For more information, visit the BCERC web site at
http://www.bcerc.org/2007mtg/index.htm

San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium, December 13-16, San Antonio, TX

The San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium (SABCS) is the largest annual medical
conference dedicated exclusively to breast cancer research. Participants will
include researchers, advocates, physicians, and other health care providers. Housing
and
registration are now open at http://www.sabcs.org/

If you are planning on going to SABCS and would like to help staff the BCA table in
the exhibit hall, please contact Pauli Ojea at pojea [at] bcaction.org or call (415)
243-9301 x11. We are also organizing a no-host advocate lunch in San Antonio on
Saturday, December 15th. Please contact Pauli if you'd like to attend.

Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Cancer Therapies for Cancer Advocates,
January 10-11, West Palm Beach, FL

The Annie Appleseed Project invites you to learn more about complementary and
alternative medicine (CAM) at the Evidence-Based CAM for Cancer Advocates
Conference. Participants will include advocates, people living with cancer,
caregivers, and others interested in the evidence behind CAM. The conference will
also cover issues such as evidence gaps, funding, choices, patients' stories, and
much more. Learn more and register at
http://annieappleseedproject.org/evcamforadc.html

Annual Conference for Young Women Affected by Breast Cancer, February 22-23,
Jacksonville, FL

The Young Survival Coalition and Living Beyond Breast Cancer's Annual Conference for
Young Women Affected by Breast Cancer is the only international event focused on the
unique needs and issues faced by young women who are diagnosed with breast cancer.
Created by young women for young women and their caregivers, the conference has
grown to one of the largest meetings in the world for women with a history of breast
cancer. This one-of-a-kind event features educational programming focused on every
phase of a young woman's breast cancer journey:
from recent diagnosis, to treatment, to living with advanced breast cancer to
post-treatment and years beyond. Learn more and register at
http://www.youngsurvivorsconference.org/

FAQ OF THE MONTH

How did the pink ribbon become the symbol for breast cancer awareness?

The first breast cancer ribbon was peach. It was developed by a woman named
Charlotte Haley, who had lost many family members to breast cancer. Inspired by the
red AIDS ribbon, Charlotte would make some ribbons out of peach cloth, and put them
on a card on which she wrote, "Did you know that only 5% of the National Cancer
Institute's budget goes to breast cancer prevention? You can change this. Write to
the NCI!" Charlotte would sell the ribbons and use the money to make more ribbons.

Self Magazine and Este Lauder, the cosmetics company, learned about Charlotte's
efforts and
asked her if they could market her ribbon to make it the symbol of breast cancer.
Charlotte refused, seeing their offer as more about the corporate bottom line than
about womens lives. The companies sought legal advice, and were encouraged by their
lawyers to find a new color for the ribbon. Self and Este Lauder picked pink as
their color. Comforting, reassuring, and non-threatening--it was everything a breast
cancer diagnosis is not. Este Lauder makeup counters started giving away the pink
ribbon, and it quickly became the worldwide symbol for breast cancer awareness.

Because no one holds a trademark on the pink ribbon, anyone can put a ribbon on
anything to support breast cancer, and many companies do. Today, you'll find the
pink ribbon on a vast array of products, from toilet paper to tennis balls to TV
dinners. BCA's updated Parade of Pink lists many pink products being marketed for
the cause. ThinkBeforeYouPink.org also lists the critical questions BCA recommends
you ask before making a purchase in the name of breast cancer.

Learn more about the pink ribbon and breast cancer cause marketing:
"Pretty in Pink" by Sandy M. Fernandez:
http://www.thinkbeforeyoupink.org/Pages/PrettyInPink.html

BCA's Parade of Pink: http://thinkbeforeyoupink.org/Pages/ParadeOfPink.html

Critical Questions to Ask of Pink Ribbon Marketing Campaigns:
http://www.thinkbeforeyoupink.org/Pages/CriticalQuestions.html

-- YOUR INPUT WANTED: Is there a question you want answered, or an issue that you
want BCA's opinion on? Send it to info [at] bcaction.org and we'll try to answer it
personally or feature it in a future e-alert!

--------

That's it for this edition! Feel free to contact me if you have any questions or
comments about this e-alert.

Thanks for your continued support of BCA. Until next time,

Pauli Ojea
Community Organizer

Our members are the driving force behind our efforts to end the breast cancer
epidemic. Because Breast Cancer Action does not accept funding from the government
or the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries, we need your support. You can
donate online or call
415-243-9301, or toll-free at 877-2STOPBC. All gifts are deeply appreciated. Donate
today through Network for Good at
https://www.networkforgood.org/donate/MakeDonation2.aspx?ORGID2=943138992

Breast Cancer Action is funded in part by a grant from the California Wellness
Foundation (TCWF). Created in 1992 as an independent, private foundation, TCWF's
mission is to improve the health of the people of California by making grants for
health promotion, wellness education and disease prevention programs.


Breast Cancer Action
55 New Montgomery St. #323
San Francisco, CA 94105

Toll-free at 877-2STOPBC (278-6722)
http://www.bcaction.org
http://www.thinkbeforeyoupink.org
___________________________________