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Paws for the Cause
by Francine Brokaw
With so many companies selling pink ribbon pins and other products geared toward breast cancer awareness and research, how do we know what we buy is actually going to the cause?
We don't.
Not always.
But even if buying pins or watches with pink ribbons on it doesn't actually benefit research, they will always be symbols of breast cancer and thereby increase awareness for all who see them.
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Francine Brokaw writes for Skateboard and manages several areas in the WomenCentral and UnderWire Communities on MSN.
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Avon's Breast Cancer Awareness Crusade raises money to fund education and early detection programs. They have produced some products for breast cancer awareness. This year they offer a Pink Ribbon Pen for three dollars ($3), a Pink Ribbon Lapel Pin for two dollars ($2), and a Pink Ribbon Cosmetic Case for three dollars ($3). They are available by calling 1-800-500-avon.
The Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation offers several items. Their sweatshirts are twenty dollars ($20), a rhinestone ribbon pin is ten dollars ($10), and a pair of pink ribbon socks is five dollars and fifty cents ($5.50).
But wait. There is something new and exciting this year. A talking Teddy Gram! First-Class Bears has produced a wonderful plush eighteen inch tall teddy bear, wearing a pink ACS ribbon around its neck and a small embroidered pink ribbon on its chest. It is an adorable, fully jointed, cuddly little bear. But the wonderful part about this bear is what you don't see. A thirty-second message, recorded in your own voice, plays when the bear is squeezed.
This is how it works-- call the toll free ordering number, 1-800-bear-luv, request the special edition Mother's Day bear, and the staff will guide you through the rest. You can record up to a thirty-second message over the phone. The difficult part is deciding if you want to keep the bear for yourself or give it as a gift. If you give it away, First-Class Bears will ship the bear directly to the lucky recipient. Just imagine receiving one of these sweeties in the mail, opening the box that looks like a cute little crate, and hearing a friend or loved one's voice. This is the most unique product I've seen in a long time.
First-Class Bears has joined together with the American Cancer Society for this project. The special edition Mother's Day bear sells for forty-nine dollars ($49), with four dollars ($4) of every sale going to the ACS for breast cancer awareness.
So now when we shop, not only do we look for the union label and the silver lining, we also look for the pink ribbon. Whether you wear a pin, write with a pen, or cuddle with a bear, remember all the friends and family who have suffered from breast cancer, and all those who are trying to find the cure.
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