The Pink Ribbon Isn’t So Pink Now

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Although, survival rates are gradually increasing due to new and improving technologies, but the suffering is still there. Sufferers of breast cancer “experience a tremendous strain on their quality of life, adversely influencing emotional and social functioning before and after treatment” (Regehr). Every day those with breast cancer wake up and start their day with extreme pain and suffering. By changing the medical field and society’s perspective on breast cancer and its implications, then there could be some progress toward the right direction in truly helping suffers of breast cancer manage and come to terms with their illness. Those with breast cancer need to feel that their thoughts and feelings are validated, that it is okay and normal to be feeling theses certain feelings. If society could get on board with wanting to truly help those with cancer instead of trying to bring the highest amount of profit they can to their company, then we could truly help those suffering with breast cancer. As Porroche-Escudero says, she draws “a space in which cancer can be brought out of the closet in a way that is not about comforting ourselves and each other, and that is not about righteous anger but, rather, is a space of mourning and a space that allows for the agency and material humanity of suffering and death.” I’m sure many sufferers of breast cancer would agree with her that anyone would feel better about an illness if they could actually open up and admit the amount of pain they are in without fearing that their feelings will not be validated. By validating the feelings those with any cancer really, then they can finally begin to truly cope with their illness.

Works Cited:

Hogle, Linda F. "Claims And Disclaimers :Whose Expertise Counts?." Medical Anthropology 21.3-4 (2002): 275-306.Anthropology Plus. Web. 10 Dec. 2015.

Jain, S. Lochlann. "Cancer Butch." Cultural Anthropology : Journal Of The Society For Cultural Anthropology 22.4 (2007): 501-538. Anthropology Plus. Web. 10 Dec. 2015.

Johansen, Venke Frederike, et al. "Symbols And Meanings In Breast Cancer Awareness Campaigns." NORA: Nordic Journal Of Women's Studies 21.2 (2013): 140- 155. Academic Search Premier. Web. 10 Dec. 2015.

Ley, Barbara L. "Disease Categories And Disease Kinships :Classification Practices In The U.S. Environmental Breast Cancer Movement." Medical Anthropology 25.2 (2006): 101- 138. Anthropology Plus. Web. 10 Dec. 2015.

Porroche-Escudero, Ana. "The 'Invisible Scars' Of Breast Cancer Treatments." Anthropology Today 30.3 (2014): 18-21.Anthropology Plus. Web. 10 Dec. 2015.

Regehr, Kaitlyn. "Pink Ribbon Pin-Ups : Photographing Femininity After Breast Cancer." Culture, Health & Sexuality14.7 (2012): 753-766. Anthropology Plus. Web. 10 Dec. 2015.