If one honestly wishes to stop people from dying of cancer—and this is a laudable goal; there's nothing I want more—then one, of course, wants a cure. But prevention is also important. And particularly in the U.S., the cost of treatment is important. I might not be quite as hostile to the pink ribbon if more money went to helping women without health insurance pay for treatment. But helping poor women who have cancer now survive long enough to get the mythical cure doesn't seem to be a high priority for the pink brigade. If the cost of treatment was factored into this campaign of awareness, we'd forced to examine some uncomfortable questions. A white American woman is more likely to get breast cancer than a black American woman, but the latter is more likely to die of it. A cure is meaningless if no one can afford it.
The most common inquiry/concern on the ACS Cancer hotline is people who cannot pay and are asking the ACS for help with paying for cancer treatments. While the ACS obviously wants everyone to be able to afford cancer treatments, if they simply gave money to each person who could not pay for their cancer treatments, it would average out to less that $50 per person. The ACS is actualy great about directing people to possible governmental loopholes and arrangements and social workers that can help pay for treatments, though they cannot pay for each one through the organization. We have a governmental lobbyist in major offices who lobbies for insurance, etc. There are lots of things that the ACS can and does do to help cancer patients afford their healthcare more easily, but it can't do everything. It's a multimillion dollar organization, but there are always limits. There are always oil companies and pharma companies that simply have more money and power.
The ACS has launched massive prevention campaigns through TV, the internet, etc. The Great American Smoke Out, for example is a huge, national event, as is our 24 hour Quit Line, along with other programs regarding food, exercize, sunscreen, and, yes colonoscopies.
many more were hostile.
I disagree, because I worked at the ACS, with cancer survivors, and I know how much that organization does, both for the affluent and for the needy.
no subject
The most common inquiry/concern on the ACS Cancer hotline is people who cannot pay and are asking the ACS for help with paying for cancer treatments. While the ACS obviously wants everyone to be able to afford cancer treatments, if they simply gave money to each person who could not pay for their cancer treatments, it would average out to less that $50 per person. The ACS is actualy great about directing people to possible governmental loopholes and arrangements and social workers that can help pay for treatments, though they cannot pay for each one through the organization. We have a governmental lobbyist in major offices who lobbies for insurance, etc. There are lots of things that the ACS can and does do to help cancer patients afford their healthcare more easily, but it can't do everything. It's a multimillion dollar organization, but there are always limits. There are always oil companies and pharma companies that simply have more money and power.
The ACS has launched massive prevention campaigns through TV, the internet, etc. The Great American Smoke Out, for example is a huge, national event, as is our 24 hour Quit Line, along with other programs regarding food, exercize, sunscreen, and, yes colonoscopies.
many more were hostile.
I disagree, because I worked at the ACS, with cancer survivors, and I know how much that organization does, both for the affluent and for the needy.