It’s bad enough that the American Cancer Society (ACS) wastes millions of dollars on cruel, irrelevant experiments on cats, primates, mice, and other animals in a futile attempt to cure cancer, now the ACS is helping to cause cancer by serving unhealthy, carcinogenic animal products at its fundraising gala, the Cattle Baron’s Ball.

Gala attendees can eat their way to the hospital thanks to the meat-laden menu, featuring rack of lamb, beef tenderloin, fried chicken, and pork loin.

Numerous studies have linked the consumption of meat to the development of cancer. Scientists suspect that the estrogen from zeranol and other growth hormones fed to cattle and other factory-farmed animals may stimulate the growth of breast cancer cells.

Doctors at Yale University found that a high intake of fat, animal protein, and cholesterol—found only in animal products—were associated with a higher risk of stomach and esophageal cancer. According to Dr. Susan T. Mayne of Yale’s Division of Chronic Disease Epidemiology, “prevention strategies for these cancers should emphasize increased consumption of plant foods, decreased consumption of foods of animal origin ...”

And—you guessed it—the American Cancer Society itself states that “a diet mostly of foods that are high in fat, especially from animal sources” is a risk factor for colorectal (colon and rectal) cancer. The ACS’ first two recommendations for cancer prevention are to choose foods from plant sources and to limit the intake of high-fat foods, particularly from animal sources.

It seems that the ACS needs to listen to its own advice! Serving meat at a fundraiser to beat cancer makes about as much sense as the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids passing out smokes at schools or Students Against Drunk Driving throwing a keg party without designated drivers.

If the ACS truly cared about helping people fight cancer, it would use the fundraiser as an opportunity to educate attendees about cancer prevention, not to entice them to eat foods that run counter to the goals of the society.

Please tell the ACS to stop talking out of both sides of its mouth:

Mary A. Simmonds, President
American Cancer Society
1599 Clifton Rd. N.E.
Atlanta, GA 30329-4251
404-329-7603
404-327-6589 (fax)

For more information, please check out the following links:
The Cancer Project
Beef: It’s What’s Rotting in Your Colon
Dioxin, One of the Most Carcinogenic Substances, Concentrates in Animal Products