Of course, Nancy Brinker, founder and president of the Komen Foundation for the Cure (because they trade marked 'for the cure') had to grab onto the Angelina Jolie announcement. She latched onto the disparities of availability of the BRCA test and affordability of breast cancer treatment for lower income women.
Why doesn't this surprise me?
Anyway I digress. She was very proud to announce that Komen has donated a whopping $34 million dollars for BRCA research since their start, out of the total $755 million research investment.
$34 million is peanuts for them.
In their fiscal 2012, Komen raised $342 million. In one year. So if you do a little math, their total BRCA research investment is 1/10th of their total annual revenues. It only took them 30 years to reach that number (they started in 1982). What they have donated to research over 30 years, would take them just over 2 years to reach at their current revenues.
So Komen doesn't really fund research. They fund community programs and also spend a lot of money on pinkification. I guess if you don't think they fund research this is okay. I think we all thought they funded research.
Why do I blog about Komen? Because they just irritate me so much. They are a really good example of a poorly run organization which has problems with putting their foot in their mouth regularly and they might have just done it again.
All Ms. Brinker's post did for me was highlight more discrepancies in what they do vs what we all thought they did.
If you want to help fund cancer research do not donate to Komen, send your money elsewhere.
Showing posts with label donating. Show all posts
Showing posts with label donating. Show all posts
The Perils of Pink
I finally found an article which explains the perils of pinkification better than any attempt I have ever made. You can read the whole thing here or you can read my cliff notes version below.
“The biggest misconception people have is that the proceeds from a product or fundraising event are directly contributed to the cause, or toward progress in ending the breast cancer epidemic, and that’s an assumption which may not be true,” said Gayle Sulik, author of “Pink Ribbon Blues: How Breast Cancer Culture Undermines Women’s Health.” Whether it’s a entering a walk-a-thon or buying a dusky-rose pair of sneakers, Sulik recommended reading the fine print. “If there are not specifics, if it’s a general, ‘All profits go to support the fight against breast cancer,’ that’s a red flag,” she cautioned.
Here are three product examples:
"The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, for example, uses less than nine cents per dollar raised on fundraising and administrative expenses, compared to the United Breast Cancer Foundation, which spends a whopping 72 cents per dollar before beneficiaries see any of that money. Watchdogs like CharityNavigator.org can help you compare charities to see where your money is going."
The next consideration is there a cap on the amount that goes to the charity - either an end date or a total amount:
When you find a product that supports the cause transparently — and there are plenty out there — try to find out whether there’s a cap on the donation, meaning the donation ends once a certain amount has been met. If the promotion mentions a specific time period and you buy the product after the cut-off date, the would-be donation may go straight to the company, so check for a time limit.
Some tips for where to donate your money are:
“The biggest misconception people have is that the proceeds from a product or fundraising event are directly contributed to the cause, or toward progress in ending the breast cancer epidemic, and that’s an assumption which may not be true,” said Gayle Sulik, author of “Pink Ribbon Blues: How Breast Cancer Culture Undermines Women’s Health.” Whether it’s a entering a walk-a-thon or buying a dusky-rose pair of sneakers, Sulik recommended reading the fine print. “If there are not specifics, if it’s a general, ‘All profits go to support the fight against breast cancer,’ that’s a red flag,” she cautioned.
Here are three product examples:
- Hershey's Kisses for the Cure Pink Ribbon Music Box, retail price $49.99 has a major selling point that portion of the proceeds to be donated to help fight breast cancer. That amount might be a $1.00 and the authors could not find out what charity the money was going to. Recommendation - skip it.
- Gaiam Ink Ribbon Yoga Mat, retail price $21.98. $1 goes to charity.
- "Andee" Breast Cancer Watch from Coach, retail price $258, $20 goes to charity.
"The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, for example, uses less than nine cents per dollar raised on fundraising and administrative expenses, compared to the United Breast Cancer Foundation, which spends a whopping 72 cents per dollar before beneficiaries see any of that money. Watchdogs like CharityNavigator.org can help you compare charities to see where your money is going."
The next consideration is there a cap on the amount that goes to the charity - either an end date or a total amount:
When you find a product that supports the cause transparently — and there are plenty out there — try to find out whether there’s a cap on the donation, meaning the donation ends once a certain amount has been met. If the promotion mentions a specific time period and you buy the product after the cut-off date, the would-be donation may go straight to the company, so check for a time limit.
Some tips for where to donate your money are:
- The smaller local charities who are helping people you know in your community.
- Breast Cancer Research Foundation
- MD Anderson
- Johns Hopkins Avon Breast Center
- Lynn Sage Cancer Research Foundation
- Memorial-Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Here is an inspiration
He's blind.
He's had thyroid cancer.
He's traveling to 30 MLB ball parks in 30 days.
He's raising $900,000 for Thyca - Thyroid Cancer Survivor's Association.
We should all be inspired by Reggie and his story. If we were all so motivated the world would be a better place.
Seriously a bit of altruism would help us all.
He's had thyroid cancer.
He's traveling to 30 MLB ball parks in 30 days.
He's raising $900,000 for Thyca - Thyroid Cancer Survivor's Association.
We should all be inspired by Reggie and his story. If we were all so motivated the world would be a better place.
Seriously a bit of altruism would help us all.
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