My coworker had a great word on the back of her pink t-shirt: Survivor. She is one year out from finishing her radiation therapy for her own breast cancer. We all wore matching pink shirts to show her what she already knew: we cared. We cared a lot.
The NFL’s breast cancer awareness month scatters random pink all over the field. I just can’t quite buy it, though. Something doesn’t feel right. I have questions, and I haven’t found the answers.
How much did all this pink gear cost? All for awareness? Come on, people, awareness is the lowest form of knowledge. Awareness is saying, “Look! Over here! Pay attention to me! Me! Me! Me!” Awareness is knowing it’s raining, but not caring because you’re inside a dry, warm home. Awareness is realizing the game on television is tied, but not really needing to know because you’re busy updating your Facebook status about what you just had for lunch. Awareness on its own, folks, isn’t worth much.
How much is the NFL donating, and where? To whom? I’m having a hard time finding a real answer to this. I’m finding statements like “Auction Proceeds!” and “Net Profit!” I’m not finding a true commitment to providing mammograms for diagnosis or payment for expensive anti-cancer drugs. I’m not finding real information in the form of names (organizations) or numbers (amount of actual donations, even donation goals).
As I’m watching Aaron Rodgers drape a bright pink towel around his neck, something doesn’t feel right. My coworkers t-shirt was much more meaningful.
Your post is exactly right. It pinpoints the PINK explosion for what it is: a bid for sympathy, maybe even empathy, for cancer patients. I have always wanted to know if there is cash raised from this “awareness” to pay for mammograms for poor people, chemo and pain medication, and surgeon and oncology fees.
I love that–“Awareness is the lowest form of knowledge.” Exactly why I ignored all the ice bucket challenges all August. Awareness doesn’t do ANYTHING. I, too, would love to know exactly how MUCH that glorious non-profit NFL donated towards treating cancer patients. THAT would be a worthier cause than blowing money on pink cleats.
I always thought the lowest for of knowledge is ignorance. I think awareness is a good thing. We certainly do not have the time to do an in depth study of all subjects. I am aware of breast cancer. I have been exposed to it in family (my family and inlaws). So I am aware of people beating the cancer, and those who do not survive. I do find the pink on the football field distracting.
I find your post confusing.