October is a big month for the pink ribbon. If you didn’t know, October is National Breast Cancer Awareness month. While it can be somewhat frightening to confront, knowledge is power and we can only beat this terrible disease by learning about it. Here are a few hard facts about breast cancer.
1) Among women, breast cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer.
2) 1 in 8 women will develop invasive breast cancer in her lifetime
3) Risk factors include unalterable factors such as being a woman, aging, genetics & family history.
4) Risk Factors that you are in direct control over include obesity, smoking cigarettes, and excessively drinking alcohol.
If you are placing yourself in a higher risk category by partaking in unhealthy habits, you may want to reconsider your choices! There are absolutely no negatives to maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
We have come far in recent decades in the prevention, early detection, and treatment of breast and many other cancers. Still, this year, hundreds of thousands of women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, and too many will be lost.
As women, our chances to be diagnosed with breast cancer are overwhelming as it is, make sure that you take the right steps to reduce your risks.
Today we urge you to make an appointment for a mammogram and talk to your doctors about breast cancer. Early detection of breast cancer provides a rosier outlook for the future, helping to ensure you have plenty of time to discover how your life’s story unfolds. So, if you’re 40 or older—or at increased risk for breast cancer—walk-in today and get a mammogram.
Source: http://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/understand_bc/statistics.jsp
http://www.breastcancer.org/risk/factors/smoking.jsp