To the editor:
As many of us know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Various groups are working hard to support scientific research of treatments and cures or to educate women about breast health, all in hopes of putting an end breast cancer. While the efforts of such groups have truly made a difference in so many lives, a piece of breast cancer awareness is greatly underplayed.
We should all become more aware of the toxic chemicals entering the environment that have serious consequences on human health, like cancer. In 1962, Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring was published with the goal of raising awareness on this very topic. Shortly after her book was published, Rachel died of breast cancer.
In over 50 years, since Silent Spring, we have made great progress in preventing carcinogenic chemicals from entering the environment. However, there is still much work to be done. Industries are exposing people to toxic, cancer-causing chemicals every day, through the products we buy to water we drink.
We don’t have to put up with this, though. As part of breast cancer awareness month, we can do one more thing to help end this disease: let our government and industries know that it is not okay to allow cancer-causing chemicals to enter our environment.
Laura Green, Madison