By Becky Polaski

Staff Writer

A rumor circulating throughout the area claims that plastic bottle caps from soda and milk containers are being collected to provide free chemotherapy treatment for cancer patients.
It sounds too good to be true, and, unfortunately, it is.
The hoax has been spread through e-mails and word of mouth and many of the specifics have varied. Some versions inform individuals that for every 1,000 or 1,500 plastic bottle caps a cancer patient can receive one free treatment of chemotherapy. Other versions claim that one free minute of chemotherapy will be given for each bottle cap.
Susan Babik, American Cancer Society Community Income Development Specialist for Elk and Clearfield Counties, explained that the rumor is nationwide but no one is sure of its origin.
“Many people have contacted our offices across the state,” Babik said.
Colleen Fitzwater, American Cancer Society Vice President of Marketing and Communications in Philadelphia, explained that she first heard about the hoax in October 2009.
“I had two calls in a two week period, one from the western part of the state and one from York,” Fitzwater said. “I looked it up in our area of cancer.org called ‘Rumors, Myths and Truth’ as well as on snopes.com. To my knowledge, the bottle caps being able to fund chemo treatments is a myth.”Fitzwater remarked that, like Babik, she had no idea how the rumor got its start or how long it has been circulating.
“I do know that many times staff or volunteers send me not just this information, but other ‘chain’ e-mails to verify their validity. There are many out there, some have been floating around for years, and you can see many of them in that same area on cancer.org,” Fitzwater said.
According to snopes.com, plastic bottle caps have no monetary value and are generally made out of the wrong type of plastic to be recycled.
Fitzwater was also unaware of any items currently being collected by the American Cancer Society to aid cancer patients.
“There are various ways that people can help fight back against cancer and help us save lives and create a world with more birthdays through either donations or volunteering with us,” Fitzwater said.