Evidence suggests link between abortion and breast cancer

Appearing in your Sunday edition of Oct. 17, a story from the Associated Press tells of an "edgy," bold new approach to breast cancer awareness that targets a young audience (page C-1). I applaud the desire of those who seek to inform more people about this form of the disease, and to enlist their support and involvement in its prevention and treatment. It is sad, however, to see the sexualization of the message to pornographic, frat-boy, locker-room gimmickry.

Come to think of it, this really isn't "edgy" after all. Sexualizing advertising campaigns, dumbing down the message, using pornographic overtones, reducing a woman's value to her sexual attractiveness (to the detriment of her personhood as a whole) — this isn't very novel, bold or imaginative in our current cultural climate. It's all so very familiar territory by now. It's old, not bold.

Here is a suggestion for those who seek to "Rethink Breast Cancer": Take a bold, objective look at the mounting evidence that strongly suggests there is a causal link between breast cancer and abortion. Abortion is possibly the greatest preventable risk factor associated with breast cancer. Digging more deeply into this highly possible link would truly be "edgy."

Endocrinologist Joel Brind, Ph.D., has done just that (see www.bcpinstitute.org). Brind, a professor of biochemistry, physiology and immunology at New York University, brings an impressive resume along with a wealth of information to his serious study of this matter. His work has been extensively published in peer-reviewed journals, and he has testified as an expert witness in the United Kingdom Parliament.

Yet when his work in this field of study is not ignored, it is attacked. Studies have been commissioned with the intent to disprove them. Unconvincingly so, one might add. The price of being truly bold and "edgy" is seeking preventable causes of breast cancer, and following where the evidence leads, gets one attacked by those who stand to profit from that very risk factor: Big Abortion and its allies.

Decades ago, others were also maligned and discredited by opponents of their research findings that identified cigarette smoking as a preventable risk factor for lung cancer. "Big Tobacco" was found to be criminally responsible for such opposition and deception. Dr. Brind's methodology is very similar to that which researchers employed to definitively link cigarette smoking to lung cancer. I pray that we will muster the courage to overcome the ideological blindness that causes so many to ignore evidence that can help us to really prevent and fight such a horrible disease as breast cancer.

Rev. Mark Reilly

Evans Mills