By Ginger Werner
Many people have seen the “I Heart Boobies” bracelets on the wrists of their peers. But other than eliciting a few giggles from friends, the bracelets mean much more. Fifty percent of all the proceeds go to the Keep A Breast Foundation, and they come in a wide variety of colors. They serve as a fashion statement, are cause for a good laugh, and help support breast cancer. But in dealing with such an important matter, the Breast Cancer Society seems to be starting a trend among teenagers and not accomplishing much more than that. “I think when people buy the wristbands their intentions are not necessarily genuine. Although it is supporting a good cause, I feel like people buy it simply because it is a trend,” said Senior Theresa Liu. Some school districts are strongly opposed to the bracelets, and schools in Fresno and Clovis have prohibited their students from wearing the accessories.
A person is diagnosed with breast cancer every 11 minutes. It is the second biggest cause of death for women other than lung cancer, and over 12,000 people lose their lives to it every year. Breast cancer is obviously a serious matter, but the Breast Cancer Foundation seems to be making light of the situation in order to raise awareness about the issue.
Another humorous attempt at raising awareness about breast cancer was a Facebook campaign on Oct. 7, 2010. It encouraged users to make cryptic, suggestive status updates to promote Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The statuses simply stated where a woman enjoyed keeping her purse. The phrase was simple, “I like it on the ___.” Users and fans substituted words like floor, kitchen table, stairs, and couch, and raised many eyebrows in the process. But what did this movement actually accomplish for the Breast Cancer Society? Other than providing amusing commentary on Facebook, the brief fad failed to advocate and accomplish its intended purpose. Sure, it made “I like it on the floor” one of the top most searched internet phrases of the month, but it seems to have come up short of actually helping the cause.
People may get tired of being constantly asked for donations, and this is a unique approach to the matter. Some may not agree with this method of promoting the matter, but nevertheless, this tactic does have great potential for increasing consciousness about Breast Cancer, and can be used for a variety of other issues. After all, who can object to such a worthy cause? ▪
