In 2014 alone, 40,000 women have been estimated to die due to breast cancer. About one percent of all breast cancer cases occur in men and in 2014, there have been more than 2.8 million women with a history of breast cancer in the U.S., according to breastcancer.org.
Breast cancer is a disease that has affected millions of people and since 1990, Susan G. Komen investments have helped reduce the breast cancer mortality rate by 34 percent.
But what about other diseases that also affect thousands and millions of people everyday? The month of October is not just dedicated to breast cancer, it is shared with domestic violence, suicide awareness, Hispanic heritage month, LGBT history month and so many others.
According to lupus.org, “Our research estimates that at least 1.5 million Americans have Lupus.”
Lupus is, unfortunately, a common disease that attacks the immune system. It flares when the symptoms worsen and a patient feels ill and in remissions, the symptoms can improve and patients can feel better.
So when athletes and stars advocate for breast cancer awareness by supporting the color pink, why aren’t there other colors right next to it? When the National Football League players come out on the field in October, why isn’t there a pink sock on one leg and a purple sock on the other to show support to people diagnosed with Lupus?
“It is believed that 5 million people throughout the world have a form of Lupus,” according to lupus.org.
Susan G. Komen’s total revenue in 2013 was $263,673,268. Lupus Foundation of America’s total revenue in 2012 was $14,509,470.
The numbers are a drastic difference and so are the number of people who are affected by both diseases, but should one disease be treated differently just because it helps more people? No.
Yes, Susan G. Komen has helped save more lives of breast cancer victims than Lupus Foundation of America, but neither have a cure. It is obviously affecting our society in a negative way, so why isn’t Lupus treated the same as breast cancer?
Now that professional athletes support breast cancer victims, how can they only support that one disease? Our own school only supports breast cancer victims through our pink games. What qualifications are there to have athletes wear pink during their games?
It’s good to speak out about diseases, but is it now just an act of publicity? A way to make money or a way to actually speak out about the cause?
