The Avon Foundation and the Susan B. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation are the two main groups in the U.S. who raise funds for breast cancer research by hosting walk-a-thons. Charles Storch, a Chicago Tribune staff reporter, presents a pretty good critique of the problems with the walks and the competition between these two fundraising organziations. They both bring in a lot of money, but a great deal of that money goes to fund the walks, and not the research people think they're raising money for. In my personal opinion, if you want to support an organization, it is best to just send them a check, and not support something like this, which comes across as more of a publicity attempt. However, there is a positive emotional element to the walk for survivors, fighters, and family members to connect with others like themselves. [Trib login: gapers/gapers]