Breast cancer statistics in the United States are staggering. As the number of women diagnosed grows, so does the number of women who are writing about their experiences. This thesis is a multi-textual work which includes both the stories of women with breast cancer as well as the thesis author's personal journal entries. Women's experiences are used to examine and critique current institutional and cultural responses to breast cancer. Experience literature reveals that efforts against breast cancer in the United States are emerging from two distinct ideologies which are identified as Cure and Prevention in this work. This thesis address the most prevalent issues within Cure and Prevention, and analyzes how these mindsets are shaped by definitions and expectations of femininity. The following pages elucidate how engendered values and socialization play out through the Cure and Prevention paradigms. Ultimately, the Prevention model will be shown as the one that most resolutely addresses the issue of breast cancer. Women's experiences and expertise are critical for understanding the ramifications of Cure and Prevention responses to breast cancer; women are informing and bridging misunderstandings between Cure
and Prevention thinking. / Graduation date: 1997
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ORGSU/oai:ir.library.oregonstate.edu:1957/34318 |
| Date | 12 December 1996 |
| Creators | Cohen, Karla R. |
| Contributors | Ferguson, Deltra |
| Source Sets | Oregon State University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis/Dissertation |
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