A Donation-With-Purchase Might Not Be the Best Way to Support a Worthy Cause—Here's Why
Where are your dollars really going?
Photo: Courtesy of Allyn Rose
As a member of the breast cancer community, I’ve noticed an unfortunate trend over the last few years, which is a feeling of unease surrounding what should be our most celebrated time of the year: Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Being one of the most recognized awareness months certainly has its benefits. Billions of dollars have been raised in the fight against breast cancer, leading it to become one of the most largely funded diseases in the world. But with that popularity, comes an unfortunate dark side surrounding the word “awareness.” In the month of October, one would be hard-pressed to avoid coming across anything less than a sea of pink. We see ribbons and slogans affixed to coffee mugs, tote bags, and sports jerseys.
And while many of these organizations are well-meaning and donate large portions of their product’s proceeds to breast cancer research, others have capitalized on their consumers’ ill-informed purchasing-practices. By using the pink momentum, they raise prices or sell products while donating little to no money toward finding a cure. Much of this is due to the linguistic loophole of the word “awareness” which allows companies to profit without repercussion. These pink profiteers have robbed the month of its true meaning, and those who are most directly affected by breast cancer are calling for change from “awareness” to “action.”
But how do we make that change a reality? It’s unlikely that companies financially benefiting from Breast Cancer Awareness Month are going to change their ways without a significant overhaul of the system or a watchdog organization to hold them accountable. But we, as consumers, can do our due diligence when deciding where our charitable dollars go.
Where do we start?
1. Look for recipient disclosure statements.
Most large corporations will state on their websites whom their funds benefit. If you don’t see a charitable organization recipient, consider purchasing elsewhere.
2. Look for organizations that donate money to research (the most actionable cause), patient grants, or educational tools.
Not sure what percentage the particular nonprofit organizations donate towards research or other topics? Check watchdog websites like Guidestar and the Foundation Center.
3. Look for low “donation caps.”
Pay particular attention to “donation caps.” Some companies may say “25% of the proceeds of this product benefit X organization up to $10,000.” Beware of low caps.
Following these simple steps will help ensure that your money is going towards worthwhile causes that will help bring us closer to a cure for breast cancer. And let’s not get discouraged!
Breast Cancer Awareness Month is a time for us to encourage those in our lives bravely battling this disease to continue fighting and to honor those who may no longer be with us. It is also a time to learn what we can do to educate ourselves on prevention.
Did you know that close to 50% of women discover their own breast cancer through practices like a self-breast exam? That’s why I’ve made it my mission to teach women how to “know their normal” by performing a monthly exam. Not sure where to start? You’re not alone. The Previvor Foundation can help you learn how! For a quick and easy tutorial, visit our Instagram.
“We, as consumers, can do our due diligence when deciding where our charitable dollars go.”
—Allyn Rose, Women's Health Advocate & Founder of The Previvor Foundation
About the Author: As a 24-year-old Miss America contestant, Allyn Rose made headlines across the globe with her controversial decision to undergo a preventative double mastectomy after losing her mother, grandmother, and great aunt to breast cancer. Allyn's story inspired both celebrities like Angelina Jolie and a new generation of women alike to take charge of their healthcare choices. Determined to encourage other women to know that their scars are beautiful, Allyn boldly became the first woman with a mastectomy to model for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit. She is the founder of The Previvor, a 501(c)(3) non-profit women's health platform which serves as a resource for women undergoing mastectomy, and the creator of the #SelfExamGram, a social media movement that encourages women to perform monthly self-breast exams.
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“Social Media Has the Power to Positively Change Our Lives If We Let It"—Here's How to Be Authentic Online
Opening up about breast cancer helped this women’s health advocate reach a wider audience.
“Social media has the power to positively change our lives if we let it.”
—Allyn Rose, Women's Health Advocate & Founder of The Previvor Foundation
Keeping up with social media has always been a struggle for me. But it’s never been that I was “too busy” or that I didn’t understand the platforms. The issue was that I didn’t know how to be “authentic” online. I think that’s something that a lot of us can relate to.
How do you balance talking about intimate aspects of your life while still being professional? How do you show a “day in the life” while not fully letting on that you haven’t changed out of your pajamas? How do you talk about your relationship while being respectful and still reserving privacy with your partner? How can you share negative seasons of your life without being a total Debbie Downer? It’s also really easy to start making negative comparisons about your life and the lives of those that you follow. Do people really do their hair and put on makeup every single day? Is anyone’s house that clean all of the time? What type of relationship involves someone picking you up and spinning you around in a picture-perfect embrace on a toilet paper run?
The answer to all of those questions is: “Only the unrealistic ones.” So go ahead and breathe a sigh of relief. But social media matters. It matters because it’s a direct way of speaking to our generation… and that’s a powerful thing.
I started becoming more active on social media in 2015. While Instagram had begun to grow in popularity, it was nothing like it is now. Back then, it was primarily an overly-edited and perfectly-filtered glimpse into the lives of a beautiful few. Today, it has transformed into a 24/7 display of people’s real lives. People now feel comfortable sharing their trials, as well as their triumphs. We see makeup-free faces, stretch marks, postpartum bodies. We see real life.
“The more I shared about the trials in my life, the more my channels began to grow.”
—Allyn Rose, Women's Health Advocate & Founder of The Previvor Foundation
And I think that represents a generational shift. We’re tired of seeing (and trying to live up to) these perfect lives. It wasn’t until I noticed things start to change that I realized just how inauthentic my online presence had become. I constantly felt like I was playing “catch up” with the trends, the lifestyle, and the never-ending display of perfection. I knew that my life looked nothing like my feed and I made a conscious effort to change that.
I threw caution to the wind and started talking about what was really going on in my life: undergoing a preventive double mastectomy at 26. I started sharing the way that I felt about my body post-surgery, the impact that it had on my relationship, and how it would change a lot of aspects of my future. Prior to my mastectomy, I had been a Miss USA and Miss America contestant, I was a full-time model and all of that had been put on hold to proactively remove my breasts in an effort to prevent breast cancer. I did this because by the time I turned 16, I had already lost my mother, grandmother, and great aunt to the disease, and I was determined not to suffer the same fate.
I was shocked to see that the more I shared about the trials in my life, the more my channels began to grow. At first, I thought it was just the rubbernecking effect—people slowing down to look at the damage. But as the years went by, a true community began to grow. That community included women who had already battled breast cancer, those who carried a gene mutation that increased their chances of developing cancer, those who were about to undergo preventive surgery, and even those who just wanted to learn how to better support their friends or family members in the same situation. It was wonderful to be able to talk to others who had been in my shoes and those several years out who could offer me some long term perspective on what life might look like when the “dust fully settled.”
Photo: Courtesy of Allyn Rose
What social media also did was introduce me to the struggles that many women were facing in learning about their options for breast reconstruction after a mastectomy. It got me thinking, “Why is there not a comprehensive resource for women undergoing this surgery? Why are women being forced to message strangers on the internet about these life-changing surgeries?” I put my head down and I got to work.
That’s when The Previvor was born. In October 2019, I launched my nonprofit’s website, a digital women’s health platform that allowed women to be fully informed about all of their choices surrounding mastectomy. As The Previvor grew, so did an even larger community of women who were able to support one another through this very challenging time in their lives. I couldn’t believe that something like social media, something that had given me anxiety for years, was now a vital part of my everyday life. And instead of causing me anxiety and FOMO, it was now bringing me fulfillment and a community of my own.
As the years went by, and I began to face new challenges like trying to start a family. Because of my family’s health history and being the carrier of a known gene mutation, I opted to undergo the IVF process, followed by genetic testing with Shady Grove Fertility. Because I knew that so many women who had undergone mastectomy were also carriers of the breast cancer gene mutations BRCA1 and BRCA2, I decided to publicly share my fertility journey. I hoped that it might remove some of the “fear of the unknown” from other women who may have to go down the same road in the future. I was blown away by the love and support that I received from women around the world. After 10 months of treatment, two egg retrievals, and an embryo transfer, I’m now 18 weeks pregnant with my first child. I really don’t know how I would have navigated this incredibly emotional experience without the support I received via social media.
It’s hard to imagine navigating the last five years without the people I met on these platforms. It gets a bad rap at times, but social media has the power to positively change our lives if we let it. So I encourage you to stop trying to “keep up” and start sharing your most authentic self. You never know where it might lead you.
“I encourage you to stop trying to ‘keep up’ and start sharing your most authentic self. You never know where it might lead you.”
—Allyn Rose, Women's Health Advocate & Founder of The Previvor Foundation
About the Author: As a 24-year-old Miss America contestant, Allyn Rose made headlines across the globe with the controversial decision to undergo a preventative double mastectomy after losing her mother, grandmother, and great aunt to breast cancer. Allyn's story inspired celebrities like Angelina Jolie and a new generation of women to take charge of their healthcare choices. Determined to encourage other women to know that their scars are beautiful, Allyn boldly became the first woman with a mastectomy to model for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit. She is the founder of The Previvor, a 501(c)(3) non-profit women's health platform, which serves as a resource for women undergoing mastectomy and the creator of the #SelfExamGram, a social media movement encouraging women to perform a monthly self-breast exam.
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I Had a Double Mastectomy at the Age of 26—Here's Why You Need to Know
ICYMI, it’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
“B
reast cancer screening, at any age, is vital to the health and well-being of women. However, it’s one of the latest victims of the COVID-19 pandemic.
”
—Allyn Rose, Women's Health Advocate & Founder of The Previvor Foundation
The novel coronavirus has impacted our world in ways many of us could never have imagined. But women undergoing treatment for breast cancer, including those trying to prevent it, have faced a unique set of challenges.
Having a mastectomy can be life-altering. As someone who underwent a preventive double mastectomy at the age of 26, I know firsthand the physical and emotional repercussions of this type of procedure. I chose to preventatively remove my breasts because, by the time I turned 16, I had already lost my mother, grandmother, and great aunt to breast cancer, with my mother discovering her own breast cancer at 27. Her diagnosis was the result of an early mammogram, which she only received after months of persuading her doctor and being repeatedly told that she was “too young to have breast cancer.” Her first mammogram identified an invasive tumor measured at the size of a golf ball. By the time it was removed, only a few months later, the tumor had grown to the size of a grapefruit.
The sad reality is that my mother’s story is not unique. Young women are often denied screening. And by the time cancer is discovered, it’s too late. This is why breast cancer screening, at any age, is vital to the health and well-being of women. However, it’s one of the latest victims of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Access to life-saving screenings like mammograms, MRIs, and breast ultrasounds has been deemed “non-essential” in a COVID-19 world. These screenings afford women the opportunity to catch breast cancer early (when it’s most curable) or give them the information they need to save their own lives through preventative surgery. By postponing annual screenings, the healthcare industry is primed to receive an onslaught of late-stage breast cancer diagnoses, increasing the ever-expanding burden women face during this pandemic.
“B
y the time I turned 16, I had already lost my mother, grandmother, and great aunt to breast cancer, with my mother discovering her own breast cancer at 27.”
—Allyn Rose, Women's Health Advocate & Founder of The Previvor Foundation
Now let’s imagine for a moment receiving a breast cancer diagnosis in 2020.
If you’re thinking: “Surely cancer patients must have access to care during the pandemic”—well, you’d only be half right. Women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer and have undergone a mastectomy are also being denied access to breast reconstruction surgeries—now classified as “elective procedures.” However, affording women the ability to reconstruct their breasts is not elective, it is simply the completion of their medical treatment. And while breast reconstruction may look different for every woman, it is often vital to the health and well-being of those faced with a mastectomy. By denying access to this important part of medical care, we are likely welcoming a myriad of other health issues as a result. While we all take the necessary precautions to eliminate the spread of coronavirus, the healthcare industry should take particular caution in avoiding myopic restrictions impacting the health and well-being of women.
As such, I would encourage all women to take time to learn what they can do to be proactive in their breast health. Small things, such as learning how to correctly perform a self-breast exam can be vital in early detection. Implementing this five-minute ritual once a month could save your life! Interested in learning how? A step by step tutorial (and other helpful tips) can be found on Instagram, YouTube, in blog form or you can tune into Create and Cultivate’s “Self-Care Sunday” on IG Live on October 11th at 10 AM PDT for a live demonstration. See you then!
“
I would encourage all women to take time to learn what they can do to be proactive in their breast health.”
—Allyn Rose, Women's Health Advocate & Founder of The Previvor Foundation
About the Author: As a 24-year-old Miss America contestant, Allyn Rose made headlines across the globe with the controversial decision to undergo a preventative double mastectomy after losing her mother, grandmother, and great aunt to breast cancer. Allyn's story inspired celebrities like Angelina Jolie and a new generation of women to take charge of their healthcare choices. Determined to encourage other women to know that their scars are beautiful, Allyn boldly became the first woman with a mastectomy to model for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit. She is the founder of The Previvor, a 501(c)(3) non-profit women's health platform, which serves as a resource for women undergoing mastectomy and the creator of the #SelfExamGram, a social media movement encouraging women to perform a monthly self-breast exam.
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Making Moves: Award Noms, Podcast Premieres, & Best-Selling Books
Celebrate and learn about the women making moves this week.
Every Friday, we here at C&C like to highlight the best news stories of the week that celebrate women and all of the incredible things they’re doing. Read on for improvements in cancer screenings, well-deserved award nominations, and a brand new podcast!
Shout out to Sandra Oh! Her show Killing Eve received the most BAFTA nominations, coming in at 14 total. Sandra and her co-star Jodie Comer are both up for best actress. Congrats ladies!
Your life is about to get a lot simpler. Lauren Conrad just announced that she will be launching her own weekly podcast. The podcast will be called “Asking for a Friend” and will center around Lauren talking with a specialist from industries like beauty, design, and much more.
Former First Lady turned best-selling author—talk about a hustle! Michelle Obama’s memoir Becoming is currently on track to be the best-selling memoir of all time. Becoming was the most sold book in all of 2018, with over 10 million copies sold.
Time to make some changes. The FDA recently proposed that all mammogram providers will be required to notify women with dense breast tissue that they may possibly need additional testing. This would be the first update to mammogram testing in over 20 years.
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Think Pink: Brands Donating Towards Breast Cancer Awareness
Our favorite brands are involved in a good cause, shop with them and proceeds will be donated!
There are so many reasons to wear pink in October, but one reason to throw on your favorite pink-hued items is in support of Breast Cancer Awareness. So, with Mean Girls day officially behind us, don’t only wear pink on Wednesdays, but every day to support BCA.
Plenty of brands we love are involved with the cause, and showing their support through both limited-edition products and donations. If you weren’t aware, 12% of women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year. To show your support, check out the brands showing BCA some love below. Get yourselves, you colleagues, and everyone you know involved in supporting such an important cause for women.
Stella McCartney
The contemporary designer has created a lingerie set for a very personal cause. The “Rose Romancing” set will benefit leading charities and support centers worldwide, including the Linda McCartney Centre in Liverpool, the Hello Beautiful Foundation in London, and Memorial Sloan Kettering in the US, to support their work in providing the most advanced early detection programs and treatments for patients with breast cancer.
Tamara Mellon
Luxury women’s footwear brand Tamara Mellon says that they design shoes, but care more about the women wearing them. This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, they’re turning that tagline into action, and prompting women to “Love Your Mellons” by offering complimentary mammograms. From October 8–10, the brand is taking over a mobile mammogram screening RV and visiting a different Los Angeles neighborhood each day. Women can sign up for appointments in advance via www.tamaramellon.com for each specific location in Venice, the Fairfax District and Inglewood.
It Cosmetics
For every Love Beauty Fully Love is the Foundation Brush purchased, one is donated to Look Good Feel Better.
The Bouqs Company
The Bouqs Company is supporting this great cause by partnering with The Pink Agenda to raise awareness and support their mission to fund breast cancer research and care by donating 20% of the purchase price on select pink bouquets during the month of October.
In addition to their give back collection of flowers, they’re aiming to drive awareness online by generating positive, honest conversation about the topic amongst friends and likeminded partners on social media. On October 12th, they’re hosting a 'Post for #Pinklove' Instagram rally where they’re encouraging friends of the brand to spread the word that it's breast cancer awareness month.
Ouidad
As a breast cancer survivor herself, founder Ouidad and her brand will donate to Breast Cancer Research Foundation $1 per retail sale of every product sold on Ouidad.com from today, October 1st, through October 31st, 2018. Ouidad will also match dollar-for-dollar donations made to Curls for a Cure program, donating 100% to BCRF, up to $50,000. Ouidad agrees to a minimum donation of $10,000 regardless of sales, in connection to these programs during the campaign period.
Lilly Pulitzer
Lilly Pulitzer is celebrating Breast Cancer Awareness month by spreading ‘Pawsitive Cattitude!’ Lilly Pulitzer is teaming up with Bright Pink for a brand-new Print with Purpose capsule collection that launched in-stores and online TODAY! The limited-edition collection supports the mission of Bright Pink to save women’s lives from breast and ovarian cancer by empowering them to live proactively at a young age. In addition to shopping the new collection, Lilly Pulitzer is encouraging all women to take care of themselves and the women in their lives by using the ‘Asses Your Risk’ tool available online. The more you know, the better prepared you are to take actions that can help reduce your risk—join the over one million women who have completed this assessment.
Wet Brush
This October, WetBrush will offer a new BCA Detangler, and 20% of profits will go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
Becca Cosmetics
In support of The Estée Lauder Companies’ Breast Cancer Campaign, BECCA will donate $8 from the purchase price of Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Opal to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation® from September 7, 2018 – November 30, 2018. BCRF is dedicated to advancing the world’s most promising research to eradicate breast cancer. Learn more at www.beccacosmetics.com.
Manic Panic
This October, 100% of the proceeds of MANIC PANIC’s JEM Amplified Hair Color in Pink for the month of October will be donated to CANCERLAND, a media platform focused on changing the conversation about breast cancer through the honest voices of real individuals living with the disease. After co-founder Snooky’s personal battle with and beating breast cancer, MANIC PANIC, is extremely dedicated to do whatever they can to aid in helping those suffering and survivors of the disease.
COS Bar
Bobbi Brown Art Stick Duo Set ($50)- Features two best-selling shades of pink that flatter all skin tones: Dusty Pink and Electric Pink. For every set purchased, Bobbi Brown will donate $10 to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Available the first week of October.
Oribe Pink Dry Texturizing Spray ($44) - Oribe is proudly partnering for a second year with the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc. to created out Limited Edition Pink Dry Texturizing Spray. In Stores now.
Clinique Great Skin, Great Cause DDML+ ($38.00)- Special Edition Jumbo DDML+ offered for this year's Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign with a unique charm. This set features a limited-edition jumbo size. Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+ paired with a pink BCA key ring. $10.00 from each sale goes to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. Available the first week in October.
Sand & Sky
Australia’s Sand & Sky is known for its Millennial Pink skincare treatments and this October the brand is going pink for BCA donating 30% of proceeds from the sale of their robes, mask and robe kit, or exfoliator and robe kit to Look Good Feel Better during the entire month of October.
Koral
Inspired by founder Ilana Kugel’s late grandmother’s battle with breast cancer, Koral is donating 25% of the proceeds from the three of their best sellers below to the Keep-A-Breast Foundation.
Naked Cashmere
Donating $50 for every purchase of the LOVE Scarf and donating $25 for every purchase of the Love Slippers, Love Gloves, and Love Pom-Pom Beanie to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF).
Aerie
Donating 100% of the proceeds from the Bright Pink Play High Neck Sports Bra and Bright Pink Move High Waisted 7/8 Legging will be donated to Bright Pink through 10/31. Customers of select Aerie stores can design bracelets that will be donated to hospitals for women in treatment and recovery.
Lunya
Lunya partnered up with the Fuck Cancer (501c3) organization to create the ultimate Power Suit. We believe in clothes that serve a purpose and confidently send a message - and this one definitely does, with the Fuck Cancer logo embroidered on the left arm. This set is a limited edition must-have and we don’t have many to sell, so don’t snooze on this one - get yours before they’re gone. Comfort with a cause, now that’s something we can get behind!
100% of the proceeds from each suit sold will be donated to the Fuck Cancer (501c3) non-profit organization, which provides resources to promote early detection and prevention, as well as support for cancer patients and their families.
Privé Revaux
The brand will be donating 50% of proceeds from four pink sunglasses styles to the Susan G. Komen Foundation.
ESTÉE LAUDER
The company will be donating 100 percent of each purchase of the limited-edition Powerful Pink Color Collection from Sept. 2018-June 2019 to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
Saks Fifth Avenue
All proceeds from the Carolina Herrera Key to the Cure Poppy T-shirt will go to supporting the AiRS Foundation, with a guaranteed minimum donation of $250,000. It is available for purchase at all Saks Fifth Avenue locations in the US and Canada, as well as online.
H&M
This October, H&M is launching the first collection of bras for breast cancer survivors with inspiration from one of their employees while supporting the American Cancer Society (ACS) as they unite in the fight against breast cancer. One hundred percent of sales from the H&M "Close to My Heart" collection on www.hm.com will go directly to the American Cancer Society.
The "Close to My Heart" collection was inspired by an H&M employee surviving breast cancer who was unable to find affordable, fashionable and functional undergarments in her time in need. H&M created this collection for her and all those fighting against breast cancer around the world. The assortment includes three style bras in muted neutral tones. You can choose from a sports bra in fast-drying and functional fabric in a racer back style as well as a soft-cup bra in either lace or microfiber with ventilating mesh pockets.
LOFT
In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month and BCRF's 25th anniversary, LOFT created this limited-edition set of earrings. 60% of the purchase price will be donated to Breast Cancer Research Foundation through November 15.
No B.S. Skincare
50% of the retail price on the Ultra-Hydating Moisurizer with SPF 20 goes to Susan G. Komen.
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