Breast Cancer Fundraising

Recently, I read an article about fundraising by the Susan M. Komen for the Cure.  I have always been in awe of the Komen Foundation for what they have done for women through breast cancer awareness and that they are a fundraising machine.  However, the beginning of the article was about a new fragrance called Promise Me.  The article was critical of the group's founder for hawking the perfume on a home shopping network and that the perfume's fragrance can cause nausea, dizzy spells and headaches after chemotherapy treatments in cancer patients.  Not that patients would necessarily wear the perfume after chemotherapy, but just being around the fragrance may cause a reaction.  The good news is that the Komen Foundation is asking the perfume's manufacturer to "reformulate the perfume to remove any irritating scents.  The sad news is why didn't they come up with such a formula from the start. 

I was surprised to read in the same article about the criticism of the Komen Foundation for over- commercializing breast cancer and how other cancer groups suffer from the size and reach of the Komen Foundation. It is obvious as to the benefits that the Susan G. Komen Foundation has had on fundraising for breast cancer research (about $1.9 billion) and as previously noted, on the awareness factor regarding breast cancer.  Like others, I now question if they have gotten too large and insensitive from the hype and over commercialization of an organization that has saved countless lives and done wonderful things for so many women and their families.