It’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Back in the day, my role as a Human Resources lackey was to drape the office in pink to promote breast cancer awareness. I handed out pink ribbons, pamphlets, and lapel pins. I hung pink bows on cubicles and office doors.
I don’t mind a little color in the office, but it is not my role to advocate breast health. I am the daughter-in-law of a breast cancer survivor, and I will happily advertise and explain a health care plan with MRI and cancer screenings; however, handing out breast-self-exam screening pamphlets is a little too much for me. I’m not an expert on breast cancer — I just work in Human Resources.
The screening pamphlets really bother me. The goal of cancer prevention is to catch the disease in its earliest form. BSEs are important, but if you examine the research, they are less effective at catching early forms of breast cancer than mammography and MRIs.
Furthermore, why should I educate you about breast cancer and not testicular cancer? Why not lung cancer? Why not skin cancer? Which month is STAY THE HELL OUT OF THE TANNING BOOTH, YOU FOOL month? Why should I go a step further and start educating you on what foods you should eat? Should I counsel you on lifestyle choices so you can lower your risk of developing cancer?
Breast cancer can be a horrible illness — and it impacts so many of our families. Personally, I would like more than a pamphlet from my HR Representative. If you’re going to recognize Breast Cancer Awareness Month in your office, I suggest that you bring in health care providers and representatives from your benefit plans to talk about research, wellness, and benefit levels provided to your employees if they are screened for and/or diagnosed with breast cancer.
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Ha! Pink office! Considering I’m the only gal here, maybe I should re-educate myself? Put a pink ribbon the wall?
My husband is very adamant about the fact that breast cancer gets more awareness than any other, especially prostate cancer. He’ll love this post.
Don’t forget to visit Mark Toth’s bLAWg to see all the other holidays we need to celebrate this month.
http://manpowerblogs.com/toth/2008/09/30/your-guide-to-october-employee-celebrations/
@Rachel Men are not immune to breast cancer — and I don’t see this as a breast versus penis issue, but rather, a common sense issue. Keep HR out of the wellness process.
@Nick I posted a link on the HRM Today network: http://network.hrmtoday.com/notes/HR_Needs_to_Know%3A_October_Employee_Holidays
Someone stole my name! There can only be one Rachel.
I’ve noticed you’re very against wellness initiatives. I don’t mind them when they are used a morale building tools rather than wellness for the sake of wellness. My last company was pretty good at managing that.
PS. I know this is just because you don’t like boobies.
@RachL OMG, I have a rack & the back pain to prove that I’m pro-boobies. I am against wellness programs because I don’t want to know about your health problems or health history. It’s not my business if you want to smoke or drink. Just don’t do it on company time, yo. (also, if you have a heart attack, do it at home.)
Thank you thank you thank you!!!!!
My Mom died of lung cancer, and since she was diagnosed in 2006, I’ve been peeved by the amount of press and attention that breast cancer gets. Breast cancer books take up a couple of bookcases at Barnes & Noble, yet there’s barely half a shelf of lung cancer books. Yes, breast cancer is serious, and yes, it’s good to be educated about breast cancer so it can get caught early. But there are a LOT of cancers out there, and lung cancer has almost no five-year survival rate. Why don’t other cancers get the attention they deserve?
I asked my Mom this question, and she had an eloquent answer: Survivors write the stories, and breast cancer has survivors.
I am now lucky enough to work for the American Lung Association, and I can now advocate on behalf of people with lung disease who don’t get attention because they don’t have breast cancer. I’m doing what I can, but honestly, those pink ribbons are everywhere.
I think you make a great point about Breast Cancer Awareness Month. My life has recently been touched by a family that lost their mother to breast cancer. Breast Cancer is not to be taken lightly, but we all need to do a better job to raise awareness of all the horrible diseases that take loved ones away from us.
@Lea I would never want to pit one cancer versus another, in this space or in any other space. With such limited resources, it’s tough to find a balance and fund the R&D efforts fairly. I’m glad you found a job you love, though. That’s a really cool story — taking your mother’s tragedy and moving forward and helping others.
@Bradley I wonder why we don’t fund medical research in the same way we fund other programs. There’s no profit in wellness, I guess.
Yes! I hate this! The head of our HR is a guy and I don’t want him putting any effort anywhere near my breasts. Possibly because he is old enough to be not just be my father, but my creepy uncle that everyone kind of hopes isn’t coming to Thanksgiving this year.