Inside Prevention

This October, perhaps prevention matters more than anything else

Each October, National Breast Cancer Awareness Month creates a space for a conversation around the pervasiveness of breast cancer, and a special emphasis is often put on early detection, improving treatment and finding a cure.

Sadly, we are all too aware of this disease and its devastating impact. Anyone touched by breast cancer – whether you’ve been diagnosed or have supported a family member or friend through their diagnosis – wants to know why and what’s caused it.

As you now know, no more than 1 in 10 women with breast cancer has a genetic history of the disease, and mounting scientific evidence links the high rates to toxic chemicals and radiation exposure in our everyday environment. 

We’re at a turning point in this national conversation. As the link between environmental exposures and disease becomes higher profile, we’re hearing more and more women – and men – making the connection between their diagnosis and possible exposures during critical points in their life.

Most recently, 17 men have come forward about their breast cancer. What’s their connection?  Living on the base of Camp Lejeune in North Carolina where the drinking water had been heavily contaminated with benzene; trichloroethylene, an industrial degreaser; and dry cleaning solvent perchloroethylene – chemicals with a link to breast cancer.

At a time when virtually everyone in America has been touched by this disease, perhaps working toward prevention matters more than anything else.

During Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we’re asking for your help in spreading the word about the environmental causes of breast cancer, empowering those around you to learn more about the disease and make simple changes to reduce their risk, and taking action to call for good public policies that work to stop this disease before it starts.
And, we’ve made it easy to do. In October, you can:

• Spread the word that prevention matters. Sign-up to be a media advocate during National Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October (or anytime) by writing letters-to-the-editor or submitting comments to news stories or blogs about breast cancer that don’t talk about environmental exposures or primary prevention.

• Read 20 tips for breast cancer prevention, beginning October 1, on the Breast Cancer Fund's Facebook page! Dr. Janet Gray, editor of the Breast Cancer Fund’s 2008 State of the Evidence: The Connection Between Breast Cancer and the Environment report, will be contributing 20 tips on lowering your risk of breast cancer to the The Daily Green blog. We will be reposting a tip a day throughout the month.

• Urge your legislators throughout October to support public policies that put our health first and make prevention a priority. Visit the Breast Cancer Fund’s Action Center to support our advocacy initiatives that include banning BPA and calling for a national program that provides critical data to connect environmental exposures and diseases.

• Share an e-Card with family and friends. The Breast Cancer Fund and our corporate strategic partner LUNA launched PurePrevention.org in October 2007 to help raise awareness around this important issue. Throughout the site, you can find easy, everyday ways to reduce your risk and to engage your family and friends in prevention by sending a Pure Prevention e-Card. You can also share your story.

A few other opportunities for October:

• Looking for a gift this October? Shop the socially-responsible companies making a commitment to protect our environment and our bodies and supporting the Breast Cancer Fund.

• Create an outdoor challenge in support of the Breast Cancer Fund. On September 27, we held our 14th Peak Hike in Northern California. Over 500 women and men spent a beautiful day hiking for prevention, and for the first time, you can be part of the Peak Hike experience virtually by choosing your own challenge – whether hiking, swimming, running, etc. – and fundraising to support the Breast Cancer Fund.  Invite your family and friends to join you! 

Thank you for helping us make a difference. Your support will elevate the conversation about prevention and work toward stopping this disease before it starts.

California Assembly protects industry instead of infants

On September 11, the California Assembly failed to pass SB 797, which would have banned toxic bisphenol A, or BPA, from plastic baby bottles, sippy cups and the lining of infant formula cans.

Who fought for this bill? An impressive and diverse coalition that included the Breast Cancer Fund, Environmental Working Group, Physicians for Social Responsibility, California Women Infants and Children (WIC), Moms Rising, NRDC, the California Teachers Association and the California Labor Council, and thousands of concerned people—perhaps including you.

Who fought against this bill? The chemical and infant-formula industries, which waged a lobbying campaign like nothing we’ve seen before in Sacramento.

Who did the majority-Democratic Assembly listen to? Sadly, the lack of votes needed to pass the bill answers that question.

But there is good news. The bill may be taken up again next year and, in the meantime, the movement away from this toxic chemical grows in strength and pace. As our policy manager Gretchen Lee Salter put it, "It's sobering that our Assembly did not act to protect the millions of California babies and toddlers who are exposed to BPA every day. But the tide has turned against this toxic chemical, and other states, Congress, and innovative companies are leading the way. Hopefully, California will catch up."

So, we say THANK YOU to all who joined us in supporting this bill, and we say ONWARD!

The final stretch: Calif. BPA bill vote TODAY!

Check out these two great pieces--one in the LA Times and one in the San Francisco Chronicle--in support of the California bill to ban bisphenol A (BPA) from infant food containers--a bill that will be voted on today. This eleventh-hour support is critical, as the vote will be extremely close, and we're up against a very well-funded chemical-industry PR and lobbying machine.

If you live in California, you can help. Please call your state Assembly person and urge them to vote to protect kids from this toxic chemical that's been linked to breast cancer and many other diseases. Call now... we don't have a moment to waste!

SIGG admits to using BPA in bottles

As an environmental health organization, the Breast Cancer Fund is committed to reducing exposure to the nasty chemicals, like phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA), in plastic food and beverage containers. So it made sense for us to scope out alternatives to plastic water bottles for the hundreds of people who participate in our outdoor challenge events.

And voila! In 2007 we found SIGG, a Swiss company with a very current product: reusable aluminum water bottles in great colors and designs. They provided bottles to our Climb Against the Odds participants in 2007 and 2008, as well as to top fundraisers in our Bike Against the Odds 2007.

In late August, SIGG admitted that its bottles were lined with a resin made with BPA until August 2008. To say we are disappointed is a woeful understatement. Sure, SIGG has a new, BPA-free resin liner -- but what is it made of? The company isn't saying.

BPA is linked to increased breast cancer risk and is tops on our list of chemicals to restrict in the interest of health. We've posted a more lengthy statement regarding SIGG's BPA use and where to go from here.