Media's Impact on Cancer Awareness: Debated

However, in a Department of Health report in July 1998, Baroness Jay, Health Minister, "welcomed a report on the health risks associated with silicone gel implants." It was also stated, that the independent report by Independent Review Group, has also been welcomed by the British Association of Plastic Surgeons, and the British Association Aesthetic of Plastic Surgeons, "who had both signed up to the report." The Independent Review Group commented that they had no conclusive evidence of a link between silicone gel implants and other diseases (internet 11).

It is here that the writer suggests that there may be a conflict of interests between the British Association of Plastic Surgeons, the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons, the Independent Review Group, and the British government. If American studies have found the implants so dangerous that they have been taken off the market, why has the British government not done so? One explanation may include huge payouts to women affected, similar to the case of Dow Corning, by not only the government, but also the plastic surgeons responsible for using these implants.

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October was "Breast Cancer Awareness Month," most men do not even know that breast cancer can affect them (appendices p; 2, internet 12), although it is considered rare, approximately "1,600 men are diagnosed with breast cancer each year in the UK, and twenty five per cent will die." All men are potentially at risk, and should begin doing breast self-exams, checking for unusual lumps beneath the nipple. If a malignant lump is found, local breast removal may be recommended (Internet 1).

"Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women (see appendices, p; 3, internet 12), 1 in 4 of all cancers occur in the breast and the lifetime risk is 1 in 9. Over 39,500 women are diagnosed each year, and 12,800 women died from breast cancer in the UK in 2000." As with men, the commonest way someone finds they have breast cancer is by examining their breasts for lumps (Internet 2). The writer is quite frankly overwhelmed at the amount of material on the internet from the United States, with relation to cancer and silicone gel implants, and, with a personal interest in the consequences of silicone implants and their leakage, wonders why there is so little in books, magazines, television or the British press. If one types in "silicone breast implants UK," on the Internet, the majority of sites offer a list of plastic surgeons, however, if one types in the same question without mentioning the UK, a huge amount of information is provided on the consequences of silicone breast implants, including their relation to cancer and other diseases.

One cannot deny that breast cancer is publicised a great deal, along side many celebrities who have taken it on as a "cause." It may be a cynical view on the part of the writer, but it is a fact that celebrities are paid huge amounts of money to advertise products, such as beer, cars, etc. For example, the actress Kathleen Turner, who has rheumatoid arthritis, appeared on the chat show "Good Morning America," enthusiastically repeating how "fantastic she felt" since talking a drug called

Immunex, which the public could purchase from a website for which she had been paid to endorse by two drug companies, Immunex and Wyeth, (Internet 9). A representative for the television company ABC, Lisa Finkle, which runs "Good Morning America" stated that it was difficult to discover if a celebrity had a "hidden agenda." Although, Lawrence Goodman for the Guardian said, "a quick search of he internet finds press releases...announcing their affiliation with a particular celebrity" (Ibid) Pamela Goldberg, chief executive of Breast Cancer Campaign, a research funding charity, said, we need celebrity funded campaigns and the breast cancer lobby is using the power of the celebrity to an astonishing degree. "We have Naomi Campbell, Emma Bunton, Twiggy, Jane Asher, Alexander McQueen, and Jerry Hall among others." She comments, that "if you really want to raise an issue it, has to be through the media with celebrities and soap operas" (Internet 13).

Amanda Holden one of the many "cause celebrities" who talks on breast cancer explains in a two- page article in "Healthy" magazine called a "Breast Cancer Special with Amanda Holden," that a friend had a breast removed through it. Ms Holden goes on to say that she "has a healthy life style, and tries not to worry about it" (magazine 2). The writer's criticism here is that it is apparent that you do not have to get breast cancer to appear in magazines and talk about it Women's magazines promote anti-wrinkle creams, diet products and cosmetic surgery, such as "Body Looks," who offer "Affordable Cosmetic Surgery" and the "Pountney Clinic," (magazine 1, p; 123). These articles are persuading women that they can become more beautiful, and more confident, if they have larger breasts, use a particular facial cream, or a certain diet. However, not only does this make women, and occasionally men, feel inadequate and hate their bodies, it can encourage eating disorders (Internet 3).

Distorted and unattainable sexist media images of women, are the inevitable consequences of a social system in which those who are thin and large breasted, benefit most (Hooks, 2000, p; 44-46). As a society, the media, in all forms have created an environment so image obsessed that those with power give approval for being thin, and disapproval for being fat, creating a generation of women so self conscious about their body image, that it is affecting their health. The mass media encourages young women to live up to stereotypes promoted by the media and women all over the world attempt to disfigure and mutilate their bodies to achieve the stereotypical body that is considered "perfection" (Kellner, 1998 p: 233-236).

Many press stories are sensationalised to grab people's attention. The Daily Mail for example, in a front-page headline, writes, "Warning over breast checks," "doctors say self-examination does not cut the risk of death." They state that researchers at the "Fred Hutchinson cancer research centre in Seattle in the United States found little evidence the practice of self-checks can help detect breast cancer". They then commented that it could increase the cost of health care, because surgeons are investigating lumps, which are benign (newspaper 1, front page). However, a story in the Sun newspaper the following day, commented, "No checks breast research slammed." The story included a statement from Dr Michelle Barclay from "Breakthrough Breast Cancer," that stories like these cause anxiety and confusion to women" (newspaper 2 p; 21).

Brian McNair in his book The Sociology of Journalism, states, "The press have a moral obligation to inform the public," and that "journalism matters" (McNair 1998, p; 34-36). The media has an effect on the way people perceive issues. The major source of health information comes from the mass media; it promotes warnings such as, the dangers of smoking, however, these messages rarely have a positive effect. Sarafino, suggest if the media promoted positive health issues, rather than negative ones, people would become more aware of health, rather than ill health (Sarafino 1998, p; 189).

The Nobel Prize winner for medicine, Sir Paul Nurse has just been appointed by Cancer Research UK as one of the highest paid chief executives in the charity and voluntary sector. Sir Paul will earn 140,000 per year, becoming one of the highest paid chief executives in charitable organisations. "The former director-general of the Cancer Research Campaign, Professor Gordon McVie, has left his position, without a new job to go to." Professor McVie's salary was 40.000 a year (Internet 10).

Jessica Evans, in "The Media: An Introduction," states that the Imperial Cancer Research Fund, has caused widespread consternation, even with their own scientists, when they had a poster campaign with "three young women, with their arms around each other, each with a label, "lawyer," "teacher", "cancer." Jessica Evans argues that, this type of guilt tactic in the media is commonly used so people will give money to the charity. She also comments that it "reduces the person to their disease" (see Briggs, et al, 2002, p; 392).

Cancer Research UK is one of many charitable organisations that advertise on the television, requesting donations. They show a young boy, slightly dishevelled, looking in the mirror, while his mother is talking to him, then the mother disappears. They go on to imply that if they had more in the way of donations, the little boy would still have his mother (Cancer Research UK advertisement). Publicity is very rarely a bad thing for charities; it gets them into the news, however, the writer suggests that this particular advertisement, in the light of the appointment of the new chief executive can only harm.

Press coverage of breast cancer has been called "media friendly," by Jenny Kitzinger, in an article for the Department of Health (2000), who went on to say that, "the media are a vital conduit for health information." She included magazines, and soap operas, as excellent sources of education for people, encouraging them seek medical advice (Internet 4) However, Kitzinger did point out that there were some reservations when it came to all media representation. She said that people were concerned that they were left with the wrong impression, when reporting conflicting information about breast cancer (Ibid).

It is the writer's opinion, that the media does warrant criticism; insofar as they sensationalise stories that happen, at the time, in the case of Dow Corning, but do not in explain the consequences of silicone implants clearly to the public. A silicone shell covers all breast implants used and the public should be made aware of this. However, the sheer neglect to inform men about breast cancer is cause for concern. The issue of breast implants is evidently high on the agenda in the United States, yet until there is a sensationalised story to report here, it is ignored The writer feels the mass media is duty bound to give all the facts, in an unbiased manner, instead of ignoring reality and waiting for the next big story. It is evident that they are not contributing to the issues above, and the only group the media represent are themselves. We use the media as a source of entertainment etc, and the writer knows that the former is poor to say the least, and through writing this paper, knows that the latter is in desperate need of reform.