Susan G. Komen's Latest Partnership = Epic Fail.

We all know the new KFC commercial with cute little girls, and loving men, holding pink buckets of chicken, and conveniently placing them down next to other pink buckets of chicken to make a large pink ribbon.

This is one of many commercials that use Breast Cancer Awareness, pink ribbons, and people's heartstrings to convince the public to purchase whichever product is currently being packaged in pink.  All of these commercials claim to donate proceeds to Breast Cancer Research whether they're partnering with Komen, Avon, or some other random charity of the moment.

Now, I will be the first to admit that I stop and look whenever I see something with a pink ribbon on it.  9 years ago I probably would have purchased said item without giving it a second thought.  However, being "in the pink" has become some kind of popularity  contest among Marketing departments all over the country, and really all that's being donated is only a portion of the "extra" profit the company receives from preying on our feelings and relationships to Breast Cancer.  These days, I see all those pink ribbon packaged items for what they are:  gimmicks and games.  There is one place I will purchase pink ribbon items from these days, the website I "click the pink button" for everyday:  The Breast Cancer Site.  I've clicked everyday for more than 9 years.

So why this rant?  Why now?  Those of you who know me best were probably expecting a post like this last month.

Because it's not about my Mom.  It's about much more than that.

Read this article: Greed, Cancer, and pink KFC Buckets

And then tell me what YOU think.

Here's what I think:

Shame on you Susan G. Komen.  Shame on you and all the people in your corporation who even remotely thought this "partnership" would be a good idea.

Shame on you for assuming Kentucky Greasy Gross UnHealthy Disgusting Double Down Fried Animal Abuse Company would be a good partner for you for ANYTHING.

And Shame on you for making those of us immediately connected to Breast Cancer (even those who aren't immediately connected) feel that our pain, loss, and fight can all be solved by buying a fucking bucket of chicken.

Excuse my French.  But clearly you can see this recent act of stupidity has infuriated me.

9 years ago when my Mother died, my family chose Komen for people to make donations to in lieu of flowers and a thousand pounds of lasagna.  My Mother, as most women who have been taken by this disease, was very well loved, well known, and her death made a large impact not only on her family, but her friends, my friends, family friends, friends of friends, and communities she was a part of.

Almost every single one of those people donated to Komen in her memory because they thought they were helping a good cause.  We chose your organization because on paper you look amazing, and are committed to finding affordable ways of providing amazing resources and support and otherwise unobtainable items for those fighting Breast Cancer and the families watching them fight -- who can do nothing to help but hold a hand, rub a bald head, hold the wig or remaining hair back as they vomit, administer shots, lie next to in bed, and constantly tell them they are loved.  Not to mention the feeling of helplessness when you know they are taking their last breaths and you tell them you love them that last time, and assure them that everything will be okay...not really believing it at the moment, but knowing it will be true because there is no other choice, and being selfish and wanting them to survive is no longer an option.

Most organizations acknowledge donations -- when others have passed in my family and donations have been made, we received regular letters from said organizations updating us on the level of donation -- sometimes even with a list of those who gave.

Komen?  NOTHING.  Not so much as a thank you.  No recognition that their organization made out very well from the death of my Mother, and that so many people cared about her and cared about preventing other women from going through the same fight, that they made the choice to donate their hard earned money to an organization we all thought was worth the time and effort.

I defended the company for a long time and resisted feeling the same disappointment felt by others in my family.  I knew deep down somewhere, that regardless of whether or not we received the notification, the organization was benefiting from donations made in memory of the most incredible woman I've ever had the privilege of knowing, and certainly the best Mom in my life.  I knew deep down somewhere that it was all for good, and that was enough.

Except, it's not enough. Not anymore.  Not when money and Marketing funds are being used to support the bottom line of a company that is asking us to eat food that will ultimately lead us to our death, whether by heart-attack, diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure, cholesterol, obesity, or all of the above.

People donate to organizations like Komen because watching someone fight cancer is as helpless a feeling as any human being can have.  It's happened to me more times than I'd like to admit considering I'm not even 30, and it's the worst feeling in the world to know you can't really do anything to help ease the pain or the nausea.  It sucks to look at a woman and remind them that they are still beautiful, meaning it with every fiber of your being, and yet knowing that they don't believe you because they have no hair, they spend most of their day over a toilet or in bed, and two of the most defining features of a feminine woman are the two very features of her body that contain the cells that are trying to kill her.

So excuse me if I think this latest publicity stunt is wrong on so many levels.  Why you would want to help promote a company that clearly has no regard for the animals that provide their product, or the health of the people consuming said product?  Have you seen their latest "sandwich"?  Have you read or listened to the countless reports that label KFC as one of the unhealthiest fast food chains there is (if there even is a "healthy" fast food chain).

I'm not an animal activist.  I love my beef, pork, chicken, veal and the occasional turkey sausage.  However, the research and documentation of KFC's chicken housing, treatment, and slaughter was too much for me.  Never again will I purchase anything from them, not matter how strong my fast food cravings might be.

I hope that Susan G. Komen realizes how large a mistake this latest venture is.  I hope they realize that while they are promoting lifestyle changes and healthy eating habits as one of the best ways to prevent cancer, they are partnering with a direct source of the foods they are suggesting we stay away from.

As the article above says: why don't they start partnering with cigarettes and sell them in pink boxes?

I'm hurt and angered by this commercial and the nonsensical actions of Komen.  I hope anyone who has ever been affected by Breast Cancer (which today is nearly everyone) expresses their concern and anger over this latest idiotic move, and I hope that Komen remembers its true goal and stops worrying so much about the popularity vote.

Oh and P.S.  Have you seen Komen's list of Corporate Partners?  Something tells me they could have gone Without Kentucky Gross Chicken.  Even NKOTB (yes, "the" NKOTB) sell tank tops at all their concerts.  Whippee.

I do my share of donating and working for causes I believe in, and am striving every day to increase my participation in those areas I care most about. This past weekend a good friend of mine walked more than 39 miles for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer.  She was only required to raise $1800, once she reached that goal she increased her goal to $2500 and has reached it.  I can bet their dinner was not a pink bucket full of gross chicken.

What I refuse to do is, put my own health at risk for a greasy pink bucket that will give $0.50 to Komen, automatically increasing my already high odds of getting cancer myself.

Shame on you Komen.  Shame.