Rose Kushner can be seen as one of America’s most prominent breast cancer activist. She had made great contributions through helping women to win the right to make treatment decisions, and also stressed the importance of good science. Due to such advocacy, Kushner can be regarded as a consumer advocate as feminist critic. Together with Susan G. Komen Foundation’s support, new interventions such as new medication systems were allowed. Despite their successful achievements, they have been highly criticized due to their strong focus on science and medicine to detect new cases of cancer, while giving insufficient attention to what sort of environmental factors are the causes. Some critics even concluded that corporations like Komen are becoming an industry in a manner of a ‘capitalist marketplace ‘. However, in my perspective, I think that this act of ‘commercialization’ (through pink ribbons or teddy bears) enables the public to at least become aware of such diseases and to associate themselves with the events. Without them, I don’t think the breast cancer organizations or the feminist activism would have been possible to reach up to this point.

After visiting another website on breast cancer organization, the Breast Cancer Action, I felt that they are reaching the issue of breast cancer in a more individual-centered way. While the ‘culture of action’ Komen insists that it is necessary to get annual mammograms, BCAction tries to help through a patient-centered perspective, on whether the patient should or should not get the mammogram. I believe BCAction is being more careful with the use of medical systems, which may seem cautious and preventing of any further diseases or illness. However, I was surprised to know that they are criticizing the corporates and corporate sponsors that benefit financially from increased promoting and screening for breast cancer (as they even call the type of Komen’s fundraising activity as ‘pink-washing’). I believe that corporates would have not become successful if there were no cause-related marketing. Despite the fact that companies build their reputation of a brand and increase profit, each dollar contributed to the system was possible because of the promotions. People are now socially active in donating money to those charities, and no matter where the money was actually used, what is significant is the public’s recognition of it.