Charnette Messé speaks out about what she believes is the cause of her breast cancer (h/t Semper Vita):

Surely you’ve noticed the recent explosion of pink everywhere. It’s on everything from candy to frozen foods. Even football players are getting in on the action wearing pink gloves, sweatbands, towells and cleats during their games. Granted the pink craze has been raging for quite some time, but it’s definitely reached a fever pitch during the last week and a half.

That’s because October is recognized as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women (after lung cancer). I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that almost all of us know someone who has been affected by this devastating disease. But if you are one of the 23% of Americans who plan to donate to breast cancer research this month, you may want to be careful who you give your money to as those funds could also go to the nation’s largest abortion provider. Both the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation and the National Cancer Society have been known to give grants to Planned Parenthood. This is problematic not just because PP is in the business of killing innocent human beings (as if that’s not bad enough), but also because there is evidence to suggest that induced abortion may increase the risk of breast cancer.

But, wait, abortion is not the only “culture of death” connection to this area of women’s health. Women today are grossly ill-informed about the many adverse side effects of hormonal contraceptives, of which an increased risk of breast cancer certainly is one. From the Mayo clinic:

The effect of birth control pills on breast cancer risk isn’t quite clear. However, some studies do show a link between pill use and breast cancer. Key factors seem to be how many years you take the pill and how recently you last used the pill. In one study, use of birth control pills led to a higher risk of premenopausal breast cancer in women who took the pill for four or more years before having a baby.

More on contraception/breast cancer:
Chris Kahlenborn, MD, et al: Oral Contraceptive Use as a Risk Factor for Premenopausal Breast Cancer: A Meta-analysis, Mayo Clinic Proceedings (October, 2006)
World Health Organization, “IARC Monographs Programme Finds Combined Estrogen-Progestogen Contraceptives and Menopausal Therapy are Carcinogenic to Humans,” International Agency for Research on Cancer, Press Release 167 (July 29, 2005)

This month, let us focus on breast cancer awareness and prevention by spreading the word about and avoiding unnecessary risk factors like elective abortion and hormonal contraceptives and supporting some alternative organizations, like the Breast Cancer Prevention Institute, that are dedicated to breast cancer awareness without giving money to those who destroy life and endanger women.

P.S. Did you know that breastfeeding can reduce the risk of certain types of breast cancer?

Related: Theology of the Body and the Color Pink