Breast Cancer Awareness: Pink Ribbons Inc.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and local naturopathic physicians in Campbell River want to contribute to this awareness. They are sponsoring a showing of the National Film Board documentary called Pink Ribbons Inc. The film is based on the book written by Samantha King Pink Ribbons Inc: Breast Cancer and the Politics of Philanthropy. King’s argument is that the pink-themed campaign promotes a quick-fix mentality, focuses too much on early screening and achieving a “cure” for the disease instead of researching causes and putting equal emphasis on harm from environmental contaminants.
Many of the corporate sponsors of Pink campaigns sell products that cause pollution, and/or are chemical companies that produce pesticides. Some sponsors sell foods that promote disease rather than health. And some sponsors are cosmetic companies that use carcinogens that may all contribute to the chemical environment that contributes to the risk of getting breast cancer. In its review of the documentary, the Globe and Mail called this “pink washing.” Read the review here.
Every day in their practices, naturopathic physicians focus on causes of diseases and ways to protect against environmental toxins. They want to educate their patients on how to get the chemicals out of their lifestyle: To eat organic, to use chemical free skin and hair products; to look at their estrogen dominance either from their diet or their use of prescription hormones; to look at deficiencies such as vitamin D and melatonin (especially in shift workers) as well as the role that inflammation plays in cancer cell proliferation.
The Ottawa Integrative Cancer Care clinic is the first of its kind in Canada where naturopathic physicians work closely with other health care providers, including oncologists, to provide cancer patients with optimal health care. They provide Whole Person Care for the body, mind and spirit, they Empower the patient to take care of themselves to prevent and treat cancer they Train and Educate practitioners as well as patients on preventive as well as integrative care, they provide Innovative Research and tools to improve the quality of life during and after conventional cancer treatments, and they promote Living Green to reduce exposure to environmental toxins that may impact cancer incidence, progression and recurrence.
On October 21 7-9:30 at the Community Center in Campbell River, Pink Ribbons Inc will be shown followed by a Q&A with a panel of NDs: Dr. Ingrid Pincott, Dr. Stacey Savard and Dr. Anita Komonski. Experience docere, the Latin word for doctor, which is “to teach.”
