Avon Walk for Breast Cancer

By Maureem Ventura



Every three minutes someone is diagnosed with breast cancer and approximately 178, 480 women and 2,030 men will be diagnosed this year. It is important for women and men to be informed about breast cancer.  There are many organizations that raise money for breast cancer research and the Avon Foundation for Women is a large contributor to such a cause. Every year they host a two day walk in various cities around the nation where there are thousands of participants. Each contributor raises money to sponsor their walk which then goes to help find a cure for breast cancer.

The Avon Foundation for Women is a public charity that was founded in 1955 to improve the lives of women and their families. Their two key areas are in breast cancer and domestic violence. In 1992, the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade and Avon breast cancer programs in more than 55 countries were launched to support advancing access to care and finding a cure for breast cancer. The Breast Cancer Foundation raises money for breast cancer awareness and education, screening and diagnosis, access to treatment, support services, and scientific research. One way they raise this money is through their annual breast cancer walk that they host in various cities.

This year, the Avon Breast Cancer Walk closes to our area is being held in San Francisco on July 9th – July 10th. All walkers and volunteers will unite with one purpose and one goal: to end this deadly disease of breast cancer. The participants walk through San Francisco’s crazy downtown area to beautiful Marin. They are able to experience the charm and diversity that San Francisco offers. The hills are only a small price to pay to address the high occurrence of breast cancer in the bay area. At the end of the weekend, the walkers will have traveled a total of 39 miles, each mile striving to end breast cancer. Each participant raises over $1,800 to benefit the breast cancer foundation.

During 2003-2010 the Avon Breast Cancer walk has raised $380 million. The money that is raised also provides women and men breast cancer screening, support and treatment that they need regardless of their economic standing. “Early detection helps save lives”, so it is important to fund screenings for everyone.  There are over 2 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S. because they were able to get treatment. 

Every 13 minutes a life is lost to breast cancer; 40,460 women and 450 men in the U.S. will die from the disease annually.  It is a strong misconception that men cannot get breast cancer.  Although it is not as common for men to get breast cancer as it is for women, men make up 1% of all cases of breast cancer.  Survival for men is the same as women.  Men need to stand up and help end breast cancer as well. 

           

A woman has a 1 in 8 chance of developing breast cancer in her lifetime.  So stand up and fight to end the disease.  Join the Avon Breast Cancer walk and be “In it to end it”. Show your support by becoming a walker, donating, or volunteering. 

For more information visit www.avonwalk.org. 

Also, check out my personal walk page at: http://info.avonfoundation.org/site/TR/Walk/SanFrancisco?px=5645531&pg=personal&fr_id=2050

Dolce & Gabbana: Sexualization Sells

by Maureen Ventura

In today’s society the theory “sex sells” is more prevalent than ever.  More often sexual advertisements are seen in magazines, on television, and on billboards.  Many times these advertisements deal with women being the sex object.  One company in particular is known for their sexual advertisements, Dolce and Gabbana.  D&G degrades women in many of their ads and lowers women to be a sex object and not a human being. There has been much controversy over Dolce and Gabbana’s advertisements over the years.

Dolce and Gabbana’s 2007 advertisement raised the most controversy for them.  The advertisement shows a woman in a tight dress and stilettos looking around indicating she is in search for help.  One man who has no shirt on and is wearing sunglasses is hovering over the woman pinning her down by holding her wrists to the floor.  There are four other men in the photograph all looking down at the women.  The men are wearing either no shirt or unbuttoned shirts.  This advertisement depicts a perfect scene for a gang rape.  The woman in the photograph looks helpless and not able to control the situation.

Dolce and Gabbana’s purpose for the ad was to satisfy people’s “sexual fantasy”.  What woman’s fantasy is to be gang raped? To be sexually abused? This is an advertisement to encourage violence against women.  With the publication of advertisements like this it is setting a norm that it is normal to abuse women.  Young boys viewing this advertisement in an average magazine will see this as normal; especially when these boys are not educated that this advertisement is wrong.

Rape is far too common of an occurrence to joke around about and publish it in an advertisement.  This ad glamorizes rape and violence against women, but there is nothing glamorous or attractive about it.  This advertisement, which is true with many of Dolce and Gabbana’s ads, is seen more for the act of what is going on in it rather than the clothing in the ad.  

This advertisement was banned in Spain and Italy but that is not enough.  Dolce and Gabbana got more free publicity because of the controversy.  And their next advertisement series still included women being abused.  The women continue to be viewed as a sex object and nothing more.  People need to boycott Dolce and Gabbana to really make a statement about how offending their advertisements are towards women.  More people need to speak out about how degrading these ads are.  Women need to take a stand against Dolce and Gabbana in order for the violence to stop.