Ocean Grove entrance. Welcome to town. May 2, 2014. Blogfinger photo. click image to enlarge
By Paul Goldfinger, MD, FACC
I guess you have all noticed that the pinking of May has begun again in Ocean Grove, and Meridian Health is once again bombarding us with an in-your-face month-long campaign of covering our town with pink bows, banners, fliers and even a stripe down the middle of the road. It’s as if the bubonic plaque is on its way to New Jersey. In my February article on Blogfinger ( The Mammography mess–a controversy ) I expressed my opinion that this campaign is overblown.
The pink painting is all about promoting mammography as an early detection method for breast cancer screening in women over age 40. Even if we agree that this is a noble cause, to assault our senses for an entire month with it is way out of proportion to its importance. If you read my article linked above, you will find that this subject is highly controversial and not nearly as neatly defined as this pink campaign would have you believe.
Putting bows on the poles is unsightly and a violation of town ordinances. Why should the pink people be able to do it, but no one else can? And what’s to stop every disease- fighting organization to ask for the same privileges here? Maybe next month we can paint the town blue for cyanotic disorders. Or let’s have a yellow July for liver disease. Why is this health issue getting the attention that none other gets, and it is not even the cancer, but it is the test that is the headliner? What is really behind all this noise?
In the poorest neighborhoods of Asbury Park there are no pink ribbons. BF photo May 2, 2014
Is there really an epidemic of stupid women out there who don’t know about mammography? Are there really many women who want mammography but are too poor to get it done? Well, maybe there are some, but this pinkifying of Ocean Grove is way out of proportion and should not be allowed.
We have a beautiful town which should not be marred by all this pink painting, exhorting and clamoring. The pink people can do their fund raising in a calm, quiet and distinguished way like other groups (e.g. American Cancer, American Heart and thousands of other such organizations.)
Pink ribbons and signs in front of JSUMC. May 2, 2014. It’s the only place on Corlies Ave. that has pink paraphernalia. BF photo
I think Jersey Shore should just paint their hospital pink and leave it at that.
Rich Amole, Blogfinger staff, put on his Google glasses and took a peek into the future to see what the Grove will look like if the pink-o-rama continues to next year. Click on photo to enlarge. ©
Ken: No one who commented on Blogfinger, including me, denied the importance of screening for breast cancer. Our discussion was not about any of the medical issues surrounding breast cancer detection or treatment.
Our dialogue was just about the mindless pink displays around town which supplied zero information and just cluttered the landscape. I hope you now “get it” because this conversation is officially over on this web site. Unfortunately, the pink line down Main Avenue in Pink Grove may be there forever.—Paul
Paul:
A letter to the Editor in The COASTER from an Ocean Grove couple presents a far different aspect of the Pinking for breast cancer awareness than your article and so many comments mentioned. It is interesting the point of view of actual victims differs so much, they saw the need for the program to find those who are unaware they are afflicted.
Blogfinger hits it out of the park. We are a marketing platform? Get out of town. A big pink dollar sign for some health care conglom? Get out.
That would fall under my category of “alternative therapies” –Paul
Blogfinger…Thank you and I totally agree all of the modes of prevention that you mention. The big one for me is my Spirituality, however…as you know, that’s a whole other topic on it’s own!
MaryLou. You are right. When it comes to good health, what doctors do (fighting disease via pharmaceuticals,check ups, surgery, diagnostics, etc) is only a small part of the whole healthcare picture. Prevention and treatment through nutrition, exercise, control of tobacco and alcohol, public health measures, alleviation of poverty, accident prevention (especially on the roads), decent housing, and even alternative therapies can all help in addition to conventional medical approaches.
This perspective, as you suggest, tells us that there is lots to talk about as far as good health is concerned, and clearly a month of painting our town pink is more than is needed.
Everyone is certainly entitled to their opinion….but, the fact is that law of attraction is a very powerful thing. We get what we focus on. Why don’t we focus on good health? Get our check ups, take care of ourselves and move on!
Paul, thanks for summing up what many of us feel. Ocean Grove is being used as a huge advertising billboard for Meridian Health Care, all under the guise of serving the common good..
This year I have decided to put pink ribbons on my house in memory of women AND men who have lost their lives to breast cancer….and to support those who have been diagnosed with it……In my opinion there is nothing to be critical about……..I applaud Ocean Grove for getting involved and making a difference….it’s all good ….!
Disney: It’s obvious that you have great passion, as do many women, regarding the need for regular mammograms to pick up breast cancer early and thus save lives. However, there is new data which suggests that this passion may be misplaced. I discuss this new research in my last article in Blogfinger. Here is the link:
http://blogfinger.net/2014/02/02/the-mammography-mess-a-controversy-with-conflicting-information/
This is what Prof. Lisa Schwartz of the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice had to say in February to the NY Times, “In light of the accumulating data that the benefits of regular mammography may be negligible for women, and that the practice has led to false positives and over-treatment, it’s important for women to realize there is a genuine decision to be made here.”
So perhaps you might want to back off a bit in your certainty about the vital importance of the pink offensive. You seem to think that if someone is opposed to painting the town pink for a month, that they must be opposed to mammography and early detection of cancer. It is so much more complicated than that.
I doubt Ocean Grove will get royalties for this 24 hour a day, month long Meridian Health commercial but someone … who knows? That is why we really do need to find out who approved this event and make sure everything is on the up and up. I am always cautious, if not downright suspicious of these types of campaigns and events until I’m sure of the motives of all involved. I’ve been burned and disappointed in the past. That is why I call myself Jaded these days.
JCo: FYI
This campaign was promoted to the Township Committee at more than one Agenda Meeting. Nobody in attendance spoke against it then.
Early detection reminders are critical. Heaven forbid that the town has to live with pink for a month. I, for one do not think this is unsightly. Nor do I care that Meridian may be making a mint. I have lost friends to cancer, breast cancer, heart disease, colon cancer, pancreatic cancer, kidney cancer, etc. If I could have early detection testing reminders for all them, I would.
However, I think that a pink bow or decoration, in a campaign, national or otherwise, is a pretty and fun reminder about dealing with a very serious issue, rich or poor.
I just got my prescription for routine mammo. Thankful for the reminder and willing to paint the town pink, red or any other color.
Good work, Blogfinger! Now that we’ve uncovered who is responsible for pinking the town, can we find out who in Neptune approved it, and how we can prevent it next year?
We have confirmed that the pink people are definitely sponsored by Meridian Health. Their literature promotes a visit to their Meridian Women’s Center for a mammogram. They also provide a phone number to be referred to Meridian physicians. They claim to be in over 30 towns. The literature is long on marketing and short on medical information.
They quote organizations that promote mammograms for women in their 40’s, but they don’t mention the controversy which surrounds that recommendation. Hopefully those Meridian doctors will tell their patients the truth about the controversy.
I will say that there is a lot of money to be made from imaging, especially with a technology—mammography— that is required for the routine care of so many people. Many investors, including doctors and large healthcare corporations such as Meridian, have a stake in imaging centers and in new expensive devices such as 3-D mammograms.
Reimbursements are another related issue, as pointed out by Bob yesterday. Many doctors in my community in Morris Country used to refuse to see Medicaid patients because the reimbursements were ridiculously low. I don’t know the specifics of mammography economics, but Jaded 1 is probably on the right track.
Call me Jaded but … Bravo to the good souls who volunteer and have pure motives, but I can’t help but think it’s about money.
Of course “for profit” Meridian Healthcare isn’t going to target the lower income areas of Neptune and Asbury Park for their pinking campaign. Not when financial decisions in those areas include pay the rent,feed the family, and pay utilities with whatever is left over; maybe go to the doctor another time if it gets worse. No money to be made there. Let’s mine the more affluent sections of town with all those good incomes and good insurance.
If they were offering free or deeply discounted screenings, I’d be willing to put up with the pink for a little while, but they are not.
And why have a separate campaign from ACS’s in October anyway? Oh yes, profit!
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!
SOS: I think it is more about the fact that breast cancer is mostly a female disorder. In the last 10-20 years, the medical profession has promoted some healthcare efforts that try to make up for perceived and real derelictions regarding women’s health. For example, most of the large, pioneering clinical trials in cardiology looking at coronary disease included men while largely ignoring women who,it turns out, have some significant differences in how that disease affects them.
Now we have specialists in women’s cardiac issues and research trials that include groups that were left out before, including women and the elderly.
Another example was when it was routine to give estrogens and progesterones to all post-menapausal women. Attention to studying that issue showed us that giving those hormones was wrong.
I also think that there is an element of political correctness in the urge to pay so much public attention to breast cancer compared to other kinds of illnesses.
Thank you Paul! This may be the best article that’s ever been on the pages of Blogfinger. I think a LOT of the hoopla has to do with breasts being sexualized body parts. Let’s be frank, there’s nothing sexy about livers, lungs, or bladders. Bet with the explosion of pink (and yes it looks like $#!+) you wouldn’t know that May is Bladder Cancer awareness month? I can think of a few Grover’s with bladder cancer – About the same number I know of battling breast cancer. Breasts just got better marketing because of their sexual nature.
One last point – The YELLOW traffic lines down Main Avenue haven’t been painted in YEARS – BUT we can magically paint a pink line down the street two years in a row????
I have some other issues with this pink campaign. They have slogans (“paint the town pink”) and symbols (ribbons) but what exactly is their message? I inquired last time around and found out about their mammogram concerns, but where in Ocean Grove can you find an explanation of their mission?
People coming into the Grove, like hundreds did yesterday for Spring Fling, see these pink objects and they may guess that it has something to do with breast cancer, but they may also think that it is all decorations for spring. Maybe they also dislike the visual clutter, as some of us residents clearly do, because they want to enjoy this beautiful town as it is and was. Isn’t that the whole point of our historic designation? Isn’t that why we have an ordinance that bans hanging posters and announcements from our telephone poles?
Finally who are the secretive pink people who are behind this campaign? It is not clear from their banners which welcome people to “Pink Grove.” And who speaks for the people of Ocean Grove who allows a month-long name change for our town?
Blogfinger did make a excellent point in his comment above.This “Pinkafication” should be done in lower income neighborhoods where the need for education and finanical need for mammograms is at the greatest.
In addition to the Pinking, there should be a campaign via postal mailings and/or door-to-door canvassing that includes detailed information as to where & how low-income women can obtain a free mammogram locally.
I wish we have half this attention to September, which is prostate cancer awareness month and kills men at a far greater rate and gets no attention.
I too am one of those “every month” guys.
I am right now being treated for breast cancer, which was detected by an early screening mammogram. I am SO happy that I got that test and that my cancer was detected early. Having said that, I hate that the town is pink, for all of the reasons that those who agree have so nicely articulated. I also think that few OG women don’t know they should get a mammogram. But in addition, isn’t it weird that we are “celebrating” Mother’s Day by talking about cancer?
Based on the comments on this blog and from conversations heard during OG’s Spring Fling, I don’t think we have to worry about Rich’s pink-out vision. Have to say, his photo made me laugh out loud! On a serious note, maybe we should all stop complaining about the pinking of OG (myself included) and be grateful for our breast health (men get breast cancer too).
Paul, you mention Meridian Health as a moving force behind the pink….
From the February 4 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine, “The estimated cost of mammography screening in the United States in 2010 was $7.8 billion, with approximately 70% of women screened.”
As an explanation for socioeconomic discrepancies in mammography screening, I’m curious as to how much Medicaid pays for a mammogram and interpretation in New Jersey versus the Medicare and private insurance rates.
Ken: For many guys, every month is breast awareness month. I think you are thinking of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month which is in October and is sponsored by the American Cancer Society. —-Paul
I will ask the question someone asked me today: why isn’t this pink campaign in October which is National Breast Awareness Month?
Just wondering: What is the name of the organization that is running this month long pink-o-rama? Are they licensed as a charity? How did they choose to target Ocean Grove? And who at Neptune gave them permission to deface the town with all their detritus and violate the ordinance about posting things on the poles?
Does not look like an HPC approved color. There is a place for promoting mammograms, but the gates of OG is not appropriate.
Poverty–white and black–impacts health. Poverty–white and black–impacts education. Communities that create a coordinated strategy may experience achievement in both arenas. So what is Asbury Park doing?
Let’s discuss demographics.
It’s safe to say that the vast majority of women who live in Ocean Grove or who vacation in OG are aware of the existence of mammography and have access to it if they wish. So why is the pink deluge enveloping Ocean Grove?
I drove through Corlies Ave in Neptune and saw pink ribbons only in front of the hospital. I drove through the worst neighborhoods in AP and saw no pink ribbons. But there were pink ribbons up and down the fancy shopping street of Cookman Avenue.
Consider these few quotes (this is not meant to be a comprehensive analysis, but to be food for thought):
“It is increasingly apparent that a substantial proportion of the disparities in cancer can be attributed to socioeconomic status,” write the researchers.” (source: Medscape)
From the NIH:
“A consistent finding is that once women are diagnosed with breast cancer, survival rates are much lower among those from poorer countries and, within any given country, among those who are poor or who face discrimination or both.”
“In the case of women residing in the United States, white women are more likely than black women to be diagnosed with breast cancer, but black women are more likely to die of the disease. Of note, this excess breast cancer risk in white women has been declining over time, and rates among black women have been “catching up.”
” Despite current mammography recommendations, screening rates among African-American women are suboptimal.”
So I ask you, why are the pink people focusing on Ocean Grove? Is it because we are a sweet pretty town with people who have money to donate? Do they want to put a happy face on cancer? Why aren’t they painting the poor parts of Neptune and AP instead?
A few questions: How much did it cost to paint that line down Main? How much has been spent on banners, signs, handouts, etc? Wouldn’t it have been money better spent paying for or defraying the cost of mammograms? Doesn’t this open the door for ‘Cause of the Month or Week’?
Don’t get me wrong; I’m all for preventive care awareness, but not a whole month for a single cause. It just seems there are other less expensive and intrusive ways to get the point across.
Ms. Painter has a good idea, but I’d take it a couple of steps further — March already IS “National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month”.
Unlike mass screenings for breast cancer, studies show that periodic screening for colorectal cancer DOES have a statistically significant effect on life expectancy. (The screening test does not need to be the most expensive item on the menu, however.)
In March, much of the vegetation is still brown in New Jersey, so we’d be that far ahead in the game!
I grew up in a town that painted the line green for St Patrick’s day. The line stayed green for months.
Only part I don’t like is the actually painted pink line down Main, very, very ugly and gets worse as the year goes on!!!
Agree with article 100%. Thank you Paul.
How about painting the town brown in August for colonoscopy month. There are probably more people who avoid that screening test than those who avoid mammo’s.
Valerie…..right on….
Unfortunately we will not be in the Grove on that day but if we were we would be wearing pink…
Why is it the minority always wins out? Just by these several comments it is evident that a pink painted street and pink ribbons all over town are not wanted.
Did the person who initiated this stop to think that perhaps the sick need not be bombarded with this walking through their town? The health industry is constantly in our face. Turn on the TV and what do you see? A commercial on medications for one thing or another. Turn on the radio and what do you hear? An advertisement on some hospital.
Can’t a person walk in their own town and have some peace away from sickness and dying? No wonder people are becoming more stressed. Let the pink person paint the walls in her house pink. Don’t push it on those who don’t want it!!
I object to much of what you’ve said in criticism of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.There have been no town violations; everything has gone through Neptune Township. The fact is Meridian donated all pink materials, and Neptune helped put up the bows and signs.
Many folks find the pink beautiful and Spring-like. Some even equate it with celebrating Mother’s Day. It is my opinion that it makes the town look charming. The shop keepers don’t mind making the central business district more appealing to shoppers, visitors,and locals too.
As far as awareness and education – there are still women out there who do not get mammograms. And I know there are women out there who have no money or insurance and are only too glad to have the Pink Fund pay for their mammograms. This campaign is geared at education and early detection, and if even 1 life is saved because a woman saw a pink bow, went for a test and was able to catch a growth early rather than when it was too late then I say ,”We should ALL live in pink houses!”
PS: If another group would like to paint the town another shade and educate the public about early detection of another horrible illness then I’m all for it !!
Am with you 100%+ on this in-your-face-pink-a-thon. My experience with breast cancer awareness is the October campaign promoted by the beauty and fashion industries.. At work, we were encouraged to wear a pink ribbon every day during the month of October, support retail causes that offered pink promotions, etc., and to participate in pricey in-house raffles, auctions, and bake sales. Having this May campaign thrust upon us is like overkill in MHO.
Amen Mary …I love it I think it looks great ..as I love all the lights for Christmas… Halloween… Valentines Day… Easter Etc. and Love the People leaving lights on all year long …Looks like there all is back from Florida …
You’ll probably get some flak on this but I agree, especially in relation to the dozens of similar just-as-important causes and organizations that might want to do the same and, since a precedent as been set, would have the right to do so.
I do not agree and the same could be said about Christmas, Halloween, Valentine, Easter decorations etc. Bah humbug! There are many women who do not get mammograms for whatever reason. I see violations around town every day. What about the political signs that are around way after the election? For rent signs on properties year round cannot be described as beautiful. Maybe you could start a petition to eliminate all forms of decor, signs etc. to be subject to the approval of a select few.
Ditto!
I agree with you a 1000%. Who approved of this is the first place?.Town looks like a circus is coming into town
Thank you. I couldn’t have said it better.