Social Media Movement Asks Why This Deadly Form of Breast Cancer Is So Underfunded

Beth Fairchild has stage IV metastatic breast cancer, which means the cancer has spread from her breast to other parts of her body. She’s tired of seeing money spent on “pinkwashing” and awareness campaigns rather than on researching treatments that could help keep her and other stage IV patients alive. So she launched a social media rally, Stomp Out BC Monday, to make her message heard. All day Monday, March 2nd, she’s inviting everyone to use the hashtags #metsmonday, #bckills and #dontignorestageiv on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to get the topic trending.

“It’s important that we’re heard because people are spending literally hundreds of thousands upon millions of dollars on pink ribbon merchandise, donating to Susan G. Koman, doing the walks for a cure,” Fairchild, who lives in Craven County, North Carolina, told WCTI12 News. “Two percent of the money [raised for breast cancer research] — 2 percent — goes toward research for [metastatic] treatments that keep me alive and for research that will find us a cure.”

No one dies from cancer that remains in the breast — it’s only when it spreads to other vital organs that it becomes deadly, according to the Metastatic Breast Cancer Network.

People and organizations have been voicing their support for Fairchild’s campaign on social media, calling for an increase in funding and attention toward metastatic breast cancer:

Only 2% of pink ribbon proceeds goes to metastatic breast cancer. Demand more for those living with Stage IV! #MetsMonday #dontignorestageiv

— Writer Adrienne (@AdrienneBGBD) March 2, 2015

As member of @mbcalliance, we’re working to address issues of importance to metastatic patients. http://t.co/nFz0hkHE6a #dontignorestageiv

— TNBC Foundation (@TNBCFoundation) March 2, 2015

Metastatic BC accounts for virtually all breast cancer deaths–gets only a tiny slice of the research pie #MetsMonday pic.twitter.com/Odedqq8VK5

— Katherine OBrien (@ihatebreastcanc) March 2, 2015

Early detection does not guarantee a cure. On #MetsMonday make sure you’ve got the facts on metastatic breast cancer: http://t.co/mFD6E6hHJb

— Stacey Tinianov (@coffeemommy) March 2, 2015

We #DontIgnoreStageIV! Retweet if you don’t either. Let’s make sure no one ignores Metastatic Breast Cancer. #BCKills pic.twitter.com/NVGNt6i3Rm

— Gilda’sClubMiddleTN (@GildasClubMidTN) March 2, 2015

To help spread Fairchild’s message and learn more about stage IV metastatic breast cancer, search the hashtags #metsmonday, #dontignorestageiv and #bckills or visit the campaign’s Facebook page.