LUNA Pure Prevention Survey Confirms Breast Cancer Misconceptions

Knowing one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime, yet only 10 percent of breast cancer sufferers have a genetic history of the disease, LUNA, the makers of whole nutrition bars for women®, and the Breast Cancer Fund (BCF) today announced the results of a national survey and launch of a public education program which provides women with five easy, everyday tips to ask, act and live to prevent breast cancer. Designed to raise public consciousness that prevention is as important as detection and treatment, the Pure Prevention campaign aims to correct breast cancer myths and arm women with the knowledge that prevention is possible.

In developing the educational components of the program, LUNA conducted a national survey of more than 500 women ages 18-60-years-old and concluded that there is a huge need to dispel misconceptions about the disease.  Top-line findings include:

  • 50 percent of women think breast cancer is hereditary and therefore believe their ability to change the inevitable is limited. However, research shows only one out of 10 women with breast cancer have a genetic history of the disease, meaning risk factors can be influenced.
  • 87 percent of respondents stated that they do not know of ways to prevent breast cancer.
  • 71 percent of women did not know that more than one-third of personal care products contain at least one chemical linked to cancer.

“While women live in fear of being diagnosed with breast cancer, most are not accurately informed of methods to prevent the disease,” said Brooke Golden, LUNA Marketing Manager. “Through the Pure Prevention campaign, we hope to educate women about the environmental links to breast cancer and more importantly, the proactive steps they can take in their daily lives and communities to avoid this terrible disease.”

Called “Pure Prevention,” the multi-faceted effort is designed to raise awareness about the science behind the disease, alert consumers to the multitude of environmental links to breast cancer and offer tips with everyday actions women can do to help reduce their risk of breast cancer.  By learning to create a healthy home, eat smart, choose safe cosmetics, get outside, and join the campaign to spread the word, women can make pure choices for breast cancer prevention.

“There is powerful evidence that environmental exposures may trigger the development of breast cancer,” said Jeanne Rizzo, R.N., executive director of the Breast Cancer Fund.  “LUNA and the Breast Cancer Fund are joined by our shared belief that healthier choices can lead to healthier lives and reduce risks of cancer. We are working together to make people aware of what they can do.”

The Pure Prevention campaign website, www.pureprevention.org, is rich with facts, tips and resources to raise awareness about the environmental causes of breast cancer and to empower women to live actively, health and well. In addition, women can go online and share their stories, as they relate to living healthy and well. Additional campaign elements include social networking, grassroots outreach, online advertising, a public relations program and a Public Service Announcement (PSA) featuring film and television actress Sarah Carter that will begin airing nationally in October of this year.