Join the cause help fight breast cancer

University of Texas El Paso

Juan Delgado

A.J. Lechuga

March 19,2012

Abstract
Join the cause to help fight breast cancer is the title provided, and a strong message sent from The American Cancer Society and Two Sister Research Study. Two very credible sources. The ultimate goal of this image is to encourage those with breast cancer to keep fighting, and those who havent been diagnosed to find it in their hearts to contribute any of their time or money in an effort to beat breast cancer. The picture complemented the text with a very nice background visual. The image provides statistics as well as a strong visual representation of breast cancer by using the symbolic breast cancer awareness pink ribbon. The rhetorical portion of the image creates various amount of emotional responses including hope, dedication and fear. While the visual creates a soothing, relaxing sensation.

Cancer is a worldwide deadly disease. Breast cancer is one of the most known and common types of cancers. It is known to be the second leading cause of death among cancers, meaning that breast cancer is the second deadliest kind of cancer in the world. Simply in the United States, approximately 2.4 million people currently have breast cancer. 182,000 people are diagnosed each year. That number includes both females and males. From these numbers, it is also known that 41,000 people die from breast cancer each year. An extremely high amount of deaths for a single disease. That is why many people have founded companies and organizations in order to help the world. Many organizations host charity events and fundraise money in order to help those diagnosed with breast cancer, as well as to provide money to scientists who are conducting research in order to eventually find a cure for breast cancer. The American Cancer Society(ACS) was founded in 1913 as the American Society for the Control of Cancer(ASCC) by 15 physicians. The medical logo named the Sword of Hope, showing a sword with a snake around it was developed in 1928 by one of the physicians of the ASCC. In 1945, the name was changed to ACS. Through society founded research, the organization has contributed to nearly every cancer outbreak there has been in the past years. Breast cancer and leukemia amongst others. Under their history section in the webpage, the ACS states all of their major contributions to the cancer society. A few listed are establishing the link between cancer and smoking, developing cancer fighting drugs, proving the safety of mammography, as well as increasing the child cure rate for leukemia. The American Cancer Society is the largest voluntary health organization in the United States. As stated on their website under the about us section, The American Cancer Society is a nationwide, community-based voluntary health organization dedicated

to eliminating cancer as a major health problem. The organization has 900 offices nationwide making it a reliable source. The American Cancer Society is composed of many members, but its main strength are the millions of volunteers throughout the nation who also want to help or need help dealing with cancer. Overall the American Cancer Society has invested approximately 3.6 billion dollars towards research in cancer. They have also given many researchers the money they needed to get started and the recognition they needed. The organization has had 46 Nobel prize winners. All of these facts provided, are enough to get the American Cancer Society the respect they deserve as well as to make it a well credible source for any research topic or article they decide to post. The Sister Research Study focuses on studying the environmental and genetic risk factors for breast cancer. It consists of over 50,000 women who joined because they were diagnosed with breast cancer before the age of 50.This research organization is involved with the media, organizes charity events and also helps researchers by donating money. This organization naturally focusing on breast cancer, provides great support towards those diagnosed with breast cancer. They ask their many volunteers to participate in a survey. Once completed, the women participating are asked to enroll in a series of ongoing procedures through a period of ten years. During these ten years, women are supposed to provide blood samples as well as any other results provided by their doctor in relation to breast cancer. This information goes to the sister study research, and then from the results obtained, the organization makes their conclusions. Dr. Dale Sandler is the principal investigator of the sister study. As stated on the website of sister study, Dr. Sandler received her M.P.H. from Yale University school of Medicine in 1975, and her Ph.D. in Epidemiology from the Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene in 1979. The sister

research study gets most of the facts from other outside organizations such as the American Cancer Society. Proving that this organization is not only credible, but is under control by reliable professionals. The image used for this analysis is made by both the American Cancer Society and the Two Sister Study. The image chosen is very representational. It consists of a white background with pink writing as well as a pink heart and the pink ribbon. The pink ribbon used in the background symbolizes breast cancer awareness as well as support. According to the pink ribbon organization, the pink ribbon was originally introduced in 1991 in the United States with the help of Estee Lauder foundation and Alexander Penney. Penney wrote on self magazine in 1992, Im sure you've seen the red ribbon symbolizing AIDS awareness on lots of lapels. Now there's a pink ribbon for Breast Cancer Awareness. Since then, the symbol has been known to represent breast cancer. Therefore the use of this ribbon in the image shows that the ACS and the Sister Research Study are talking about breast cancer and are using credible visual information. It also has words of encouragement towards those affected by breast cancer including courage, faith and support. These words are written there in order to get the person viewing this image to feel an urge in helping those diagnosed with breast cancer, or even simply help towards research. The image also has some statistics which are provided by the two organizations. These include stating that breast cancer is the second leading cause of death among cancers and that 2.4 million people in the United States have breast cancer. Without a doubt the credibility of the image is not questioned, since the two organizations mentioned are extremely reliable and dedicate their time solely to cancer awareness, research, and providing help. Although the image might appear very simple, it is actually quite complex.

Therefore in order to better analyze it, it will be separated into two parts, rhetorical and visual. The text or rhetorical part is definitely the stronger source in contrast with the visual part of the picture. The text includes words of encouragement as well as statistics. The statistics are provided by both the ACS and the Sister Research Study. As mentioned before there is no reason to doubt their credibility, therefore the facts provided are fully reliable and trustworthy. The words of encouragement written are courage, support, and faith. They are vivid words written for emotional appeal. Courage to provide a sense of determination and help those struggling with breast cancer by giving them strength. To let those people know that the battle is not lost. Support for those who arent necessarily involved or dealing with breast cancer. It is to convince those who are uninvolved to get involved and help others in dealing with breast cancer. Simply by donating or precisely by providing support. Faith, is for those who have breast cancer, it is an encouraging word to get people to believe, and try their beast to never quit until achieving the ultimate goal of beating breast cancer. The facts written at the bottom left of the image, are intended to those people who have no idea about the deadly disease of breast cancer. These statistics are written in order to get more and more people involved in dealing with breast cancer. The statistics create a sad and serious image of the disease. Attempting to make people feel sad and to get them to understand how serious it is. The main purpose of the image is to get people to help fight breast cancer. The other statistics and words all are a background towards the main purpose which is written in the middle of the image stating Join the cause to help fight breast cancer. The visual part of the argument less detailed than the rhetorical. Nevertheless, the rhetorical part of the argument would not be as strong as it is without the visual

complementing it. Aside from the writing portion of the image, the background is white and consists of two pink ribbons, one large and one small in the middle of a pink heart. The color pink is in order to better represent breast cancer. As stated before, the pink ribbon has been officially recognized as the symbol for breast cancer awareness since 1992. Therefore the use of this color and ribbon, represent reliability and professionalism in the visual perspective of the image. The pink heart is shown to provide a sense of calm. The light color if true is for breast cancer awareness, it also provides a soothing, relaxed sensation. It is used to appeal mainly to those dealing with breast cancer, however it also can be directed at those who dont know anything about breast cancer. If a person does not know much about breast cancer, at least they will know that the pink ribbon symbolizes breast cancer. Once they see the ribbon, they will direct their attention towards the image and be informed of all the statistics and facts provided by the image, and hopefully be encouraged to take action and join the cause towards breast cancer. If both the rhetorical and visual are analyzed together, there would not be much of a difference. The credibility is strong in both provided that they are from the same creators, ACS and the Sister Research Foundation. They both have the same intended audience which would be those who are dealing with breast caner, or those who know nothing about it and should get involved. There is no bias within the image. The image simply provides statistics along with its title Join the Cause to Help Fight Breast Cancer in an attempt to precisely get people more involved in breast cancer.

REFERENCE PAGE:

American Cancer Society, Sister Research Study,(2009). Join the Cause to Help Fight Breast Cancer. Retrieved from google: http://www.google.com/imgres?q=breast+cancer&um=1&hl=en&safe=off&sa=X&biw= 1600&bih=777&tbs=isz:ex,iszw:1600,iszh:2000&tbm=isch&tbnid=vhAw8QWwvrk06M :&imgrefurl=http://www.scavengerhuntforkidscardgame.info/gallery.php%3Fpage%3D1 31%26title%3Djob&docid=GaCSJsG7ZDwvAM&itg=1&imgurl=http://2009.creativeme dialab.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/Breast-cancer.jpg&w=1600&h=2000&ei=dVRv T5PlCOrY2AWqo9TwAQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=182&vpy=203&dur=1396&hovh=2 51&hovw=201&tx=86&ty=277&sig=104371494844975173745&page=1&tbnh=159&tb nw=127&start=0&ndsp=30&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0

American Cancer Society(2/02/2012). About the American Cancer Society. Retrieved from: http://www.cancer.org/AboutUs/WhoWeAre/index Sister Research Study(3/25/2012) The Sister Study: A Study of the Environmental and Genetic Risk Factors for Breast Cancer. Retrieved from: http://www.sisterstudy.org/English/index1.htm Pink Ribbon Organization(2011) Pink Ribbon, History. Retrieved from: http://www.pinkribbon.org/About/History/tabid/199/Default.aspx