Ah, October is finally here. Halloween, fall, carving pumpkins, going to corn mazes and being in the heat of football season is all on our minds. However, something much more important should be at the center of our attention: October is the National Breast Cancer Awareness month. With the statistic that "1 in 8 women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime" we should all be aware of the facts and early detection tips.
-Breast cancer is a group of cancer cells (malignant tumor) that starts in the cells of the breast.
-Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death among women.
-Men can also get breast cancer, though it is rare, with only about 2,190 diagnoses each year.
With these in mind, early detection is key when dealing with this vicious disease.
-Conduct a breast self-exam
-Create a early detection plan. There are apps that will remind you to perform monthly exams and schedule clinical exams and mammograms.
-Create healthy habits such as: eating well, engaging in physical activity, and maintaining a healthy weight.
-Finding a lump in your breast means you have cancer.
Truth: "Only a small percentage of breast lumps turn out to be cancer."
-Breast Cancer only affects women.
Truth:"Approximately 2,190 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer and 410 will die."
-Mammograms cause breast cancer to spread.
Truth: "According to the National Cancer Institute, 'The benefits of mammography, nearly always outweigh the potential harm from the radiation exposure.'"
What YOU can do:
-To create awareness, die your hair pink. It's cute and when people ask you about it, you can bring up the fact that it's Breast Cancer awareness month.
-Volunteer with fundraisers, like a 5k. You can even start fundraisers at your school!
-You can donate money to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. $100 helps provide a mammogram for a woman in need.
-National Mammography Day is October 21
So, yes. October is an exciting time, being the start of fall and all. However, let's change our attention to something more important. With Breast Cancer, early detection is key. Take the steps of early detection to save your life. Let's change how we think about cancer. From something we shouldn't talk about to each other, because it's scary to something we are ready to fight.
In remembrance of T.E.G. <3
Helpful Websites:
http://ww5.komen.org/Our-Impact/?utm_source=komen....
http://www.cancer.org/aboutus/whoweare/cancer-awar...
http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/breast-cancer-...
Image Credit: Bradley Drugs
< --- @sharilogan | original post --- >
Thank you for this wonderful post! I worked as an oncology nurse and saw firsthand the effects of breast cancer in women and how it affected their families. Keep sharing and advocating, the world needs to hear this!