As Montreal's Weekend to End Women's Cancers draws near once again many of us will be approached by well-meaning friends and acquaintances to be sponsors for the event, advertised as raising funds to cure breast cancer.

BCAM is understandably concerned about the best possible treatment for the growing number of women diagnosed with breast cancer. On the other hand, we feel strongly that more money must be devoted to investigation of the environmental effects of toxins in our food, air, water, household cleaning products and cosmetics if we are to stop what is rapidly becoming epidemic.

We understand that more than 95% of funds raised by big events like the Run For The Cure and the Weekend To End Women's Cancers are earmarked for building, equipping or updating cancer treatment centers. This leaves a very small amount that might be used for research into the primary causes of breast cancer — which is where BCAM believes much more money should be spent.

Too often, when we talk about causes of the disease, women themselves are made to take the blame: we're told that we eat the wrong foods or don't exercise enough, or drink too much alcohol. This tendency to blame the victims, coupled with the grossly unequal distribution of research dollars, means very little money for research into the root causes of the disease. The carcinogens in our air, water and food are often an afterthought in Canadian cancer messages, as are the serious hazards in our homes and workplaces.

On the positive side, an event we can support is the Run, Walk and Roll for Cancer Prevention held this year in Ottawa, London, and Windsor (see http://www.stopcancer.org/rwr07/index.html). Staged to draw attention to the need for primary prevention, it is also supported by The Saunders-Matthey Cancer Prevention Coalition.

In short, while we realize that treating and curing breast cancer are important goals, we are trying to raise awareness of the causes of breast cancer so that this disease can be stopped before it starts.

For more on our position, and to send our email campaign letter to the organizers of the Weekend to End Women's Cancers, click here.