Inside Prevention

J&J in hot water over baby shampoo

Today the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics (the Breast Cancer Fund is a founding member) sent a letter - signed by more than 40 organizations representing 1.7 million medical professionals, moms and environmental health advocates - to that iconic bathtub brand, Johnson & Johnson. It wasn't a fan letter.

It turns out that the baby shampoo we all grew up with (at least I did), Johnson's Baby Shampoo, contains two cancer-causing chemicals (1,4-dioxane and formaldehyde), neither of which are on the product's ingredient list. We know they're in there because we tested dozens of kids' personal care products for a report, "No More Toxic Tub," released back in March.

When the news broke, parents were not happy. Several Asian governments were not happy. A U.S. senator wasn't happy. But J&J stuck to their talking point that it was just a little bit of carcinogen.

Today's letter asked J&J to remove toxic ingredients from its products because little bit is still too much. And not necessary, it turns out: formaldehyde is not allowed in personal care products sold in Japan, for example, so J&J sells a different formulation there.

For now, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is doing nothing. So what can you do?

1. Jettison the Johnson's Baby Shampoo for a safer alternative.
2. Read our letter to J&J.
3. Write to J&J and tell them you want safe products.

There's still time to join Climb Against the Odds - virtually!

In just one month, the Breast Cancer Fund will host the 10th Climb Against the Odds team of breast cancer survivors and individuals touched by the disease in a mountain expedition for prevention.

To celebrate, we’ve created an opportunity for people across the country to stand in solidarity with this inspiring team as they climb the 14,162-feet Mt. Shasta. During the week of June 21, as these 29 climbers ascend the mountain, supporters will hike, bike, swim or run three miles - the equivalent of 14,162 ft. - and fundraise to support the Breast Cancer Fund’s work to identify and eliminate the environmental causes of the disease.

For her Virtual Climb Against the Odds, Beth Lawlor of Houston, Texas, will spend Wednesday, June 24, (the day that our climbers ascend Mt. Shasta) walking three miles around a downtown park with her team of family and friends. 

"The Breast Cancer Fund organizes a Climb Against the Odds each year to raise money for their worthwhile cause. This year participants will climb Mount Shasta on June 24th. Those who cannot be at Mount Shasta for the climb will be taking 14,162 steps/ 3 miles (the distance to the top of Mount Shasta) in their own community."

"I will not be at Mount Shasta, but on Wednesday, June 24th I, along with friends and family, will walk the three mile circle around Memorial Park to raise money and awareness.

If you cannot participate in person but want to show your support, please visit my team's fundraising page on the Virtual Climb website and make a donation! I have set a fundraising goal of $250. Wouldn't it be fabulous if we could exceed that?!?”

If you’re inspired to go to great heights to support prevention but were unable to join this year's team, the inaugural Virtual Climb Against the Odds is a great opportunity to create your own adventure and be part of a global team dedicated to stopping this disease before it starts! Exclusive incentive prizes, including a coveted spot on next year's team, will be available to the top fundraisers.

Beginning June 21, you can follow timely updates on the actual climb through this blog, and you can post comments to let us know about your virtual climb.  Also, send us your photos, and we’ll post them to our Flickr site! 

In pursuit of our "environmental human rights"

Sandra Steingraber's latest article for Orion Magazine lands on both the strikingly personal (her cancer, her kids) and the overwhelmingly meta (greenhouse gases, mercury in fish). "3 Bets: On Ecology, Economy and Human Health," weaves together the biggest eco- words of our time — ecology and economy — in pursuit of a new environmental human rights movement.

Diagnosed with bladder cancer (which, like breast cancer, is linked to chemical exposures) at age 20, Dr. Steingraber went on to a career as an ecologist, author (Living Upstream, Having Faith, The Falling Age of Puberty) and mother. It's from this vantage point that she can link polar bears to cancer recurrence, and a mother's faith to the abolition of toxic chemicals in our economy.

If the phrase "environmental human rights movement" sounds too far outside yourself, consider her admission that it "is less an evidence-based prediction than a mother’s fervent hope that my children will never have to fear that the phone ringing on a sunny afternoon will bring bad news from the pathology lab. I’m willing to admit that this bet is a wish that my children will grow up in a world with a functioning Gulf Stream, and some ice caps, and a few coral reefs. And some octopi for my daughter to write her first book about. And some honeybees to help my son the farmer grow apples. It’s a wish that his polar bear Halloween costume not outlast the species."

Let's make it more than a wish. Read the article yourself; what are you going to do differently to prevent cancer and keep the polar bears around?

The Journey of Climb Against the Odds - Jennifer Wilson

From June 21 to 27, a team of 29 inspiring women and men will climb the 14,162-foot Mt. Shasta in Northern California with the Breast Cancer Fund's 10th Climb Against the Odds, a mountain expedition for breast cancer prevention. Over the next several weeks, climber and breast cancer survivor Jennifer Wilson of Delray Beach, Fla., will contribute her thoughts on the journey of Climb Against the Odds. Please join us during the week of June 21 for live posts as the climbers make their way up Mt. Shasta.

"Last February, I was a normal 44-year-old, juggling work, family, volunteer activities, exercise, and social life. Last March, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. My life changed, as I went through surgery, five months of chemotherapy, and two months of daily radiation.

After the initial shock followed by the traumatic decision-making, I knew that I needed to do something about this life experience. I was a young healthy positive person who had gotten breast cancer. I started attending a young breast cancer survivors group and saw, not a couple, but a large room full of other young survivors. A few had immediate family history, but many were like me.

I began investigating ways I could start using this unfortunate opportunity to an advantage. As a runner, I knew of and had participated in many fundraisers for various charities, including breast cancer. As I searched for fundraisers specific to breast cancer, I came across the Breast Cancer Fund's Climb Against the Odds. I knew I had found the perfect match: an organization that looks at the preventable causes of cancer and an event that allowed me to do one of my favorite activities - hiking. I knew the climb would be a stretch, having to recover from treatment and get my strength back, but I also felt it would bring me important mental and physical challenges as a survivor. This, while helping to prevent other people from going through my experience.

I signed up and started fundraising and regaining my strength so I could train. I'm so excited about this opportunity, so I will be blogging to share my journey with you. I'll try to answer the questions that beg to be asked. How does a Floridian train for a 14,162 foot climb?  How heavy is 30 pounds (preview: really heavy!)? What was I thinking? And I'll share all the special moments with you. Thanks for following!"

Meet our 2009 Climb Against the Odds team and consider supporting their efforts!