<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?><oembed><version><![CDATA[1.0]]></version><provider_name><![CDATA[The Dish]]></provider_name><provider_url><![CDATA[http://dish.andrewsullivan.com]]></provider_url><author_name><![CDATA[Andrew Sullivan]]></author_name><author_url><![CDATA[https://dish.andrewsullivan.com/author/sullydish/]]></author_url><title><![CDATA[Commercializing Cancer]]></title><type><![CDATA[link]]></type><html><![CDATA[
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<p><span style="font-size: 8pt;"><em>by Chris Bodenner</em></span></p>
<p>A reader writes:</p>
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<p>The biggest problem with the Komen foundation isn&#39;t so much its political decision (and then <a href="http://andrewsullivan.thedailybeast.com/2012/02/can-one-treat-breast-cancer-and-do-abortions.html" target="_self">reversal</a>) to stop funding Planned Parenthood&#39;s breast exam programs. It&#39;s the fact that so little of their money &#8211; money they collect &quot;For the Cure&quot; &#8211; goes to fund cancer research. For the most recent year that numbers are available (2010), <a href="http://gaylesulik.com/2011/10/tracking-the-big-k/" target="_self">only 19% of total revenue</a> was used to fund research. Komen&#39;s biggest expenditure is &quot;education&quot; &#8211; 37%. Really? People aren&#39;t aware that breast cancer is a danger?</p>
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<p>Another writes:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>I&#39;d like to see Komen stop enjoying their ridiculous sacred cow status, and I&#39;m glad that&#39;s being done. For more on the infantilizing, largely useless pink-ribbon culture, check out Barbara Ehrenreich&#39;s 2001 essay &quot;<a href="http://www.barbaraehrenreich.com/cancerland.htm" target="_self">Welcome to Cancerland</a>&quot;.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Other readers recommend Gayle Sulik&#39;s book <a href="http://gaylesulik.com/the-book/" target="_self"><em>Pink Ribbon Blues</em></a>. Last year, Stephen Colbert <a href="http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/369693/january-03-2011/tip-wag---susan-g--komen-foundation---spider-man-musical" target="_self">highlighted</a> Komen&#39;s $1 million campaign to sue smaller foundations for using &quot;for the cure&quot; in their names. A reader sends the above video:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>KFC donates 50 cents per pink bucket sold. Check out this truly obscene video from KFC&#39;s <em>own</em> YouTube page celebrating the partnership.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>More on the commercializaton for the cure <a href="http://andrewsullivan.thedailybeast.com/2012/02/the-power-of-pink.html" target="_self">here</a>.</p>
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