The words “save a life” and “donate now” flash in pink and white on the computer screen, as billions of dollars flood into breast cancer organizations around the world. Millions of people log onto websites, walk in parades and buy pink merchandise every year in hopes of making a difference.

According to the American Cancer Society, there have been more than 232,000 cases of invasive breast cancer in the United States in 2013. Mothers, daughters, sisters: Almost everyone knows someone who suffers from breast cancer.Sadly, donations intended to help cure the disease aren’t always going to research and treatment.

A Sports Illustrated article published on Oct. 16 revealed that only $8 out of every $100 spent on NFL pink breast cancer merchandise goes to cancer research. The rest? It winds up in the pockets of manufacturers and merchandisers.

In June 2011, a lawsuit was filed against the Coalition Against Breast Cancer (CABC) because the founder, Andrew Smith, and his associates used up almost all of the $9.1 million that had gone into the organization over the past five years for personal financial gain.

The problem lies in the definition of a non-profit organization in the U.S. According to 501(c)(3), a section of the revenue code pertaining to tax exemption, none of the profits are supposed to go to company officials or benefit people personally. However, due to the loose requirements, people listed as employees can receive any amount of money from the organization, allowing founders themselves to personally benefit from the organization.

In fact, the school’s own breast cancer club donates to the Susan G. Komen Foundation (SGKF), a non-profit. But according to Reuters, only 15 percent of SGKF’s earnings went to cancer research in 2012.
This figure is extremely low for what many people think is going directly to the cause, especially when accounting for the fact that the 15 percent is split up among about 1,400 cancer research groups.

The donations that flow into these organizations are abundant, and the foundations are not only cheating the people devoted to breast cancer research and the victims of breast cancer, but the people who donate to the cause and are committed to making a difference.

One way that donors can effectively improve the situation is by donating to small local charities or trusted corporations such as the American Cancer Society, instead of buying merchandise or participating in a walk-a-thon, where much of the money goes to manufacturing or set-up costs.

Additionally, several breast cancer organizations spend far too much money on fundraising and raising awareness. It has gone too far when football players start wearing pink helmets and cleats, and breast cancer ads permeate through every media there is. Although wearing pink is a way to raise funds, manufacturers get the majority of the profits. Additionally, by this point, most people are already aware of the issue.

Shouldn’t spending shift from awareness, which has already been achieved, to treating patients?

Organizations need to set their priorities straight. They need to refocus on actually helping the people suffering from breast cancer and help fund research for possible cures instead of lining their pockets with the money that is intended to make a difference.