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Stand up to breast cancer
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October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which each year raises millions of dollars for breast cancer charities and reminds women that early detection of breast cancer followed by prompt treatment saves lives.
The National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM) program began as a week long campaign in 1985 with 2 founding members. Today this nationwide campaign is dedicated to increasing awareness about the importance of the early detection of breast cancer. The American Cancer Society is one of many national public service organizations, professional associations and government agencies that form the NBCAM Board of Sponsors. During October, the member organizations of the Board of Sponsors join forces to spread the message.
To reduce disparities in breast cancer among medically underserved populations, the American Cancer Society is working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to promote the need for and importance of their National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP) The NBCCEDP provides low-income, uninsured, and underinsured women aged 50 to 64 access to breast and cervical cancer screening tests and follow-up services.
Often, there are no symptoms of breast cancer, but signs of breast cancer can include a breast lump or an abnormal mammogram. Breast cancer stages range from early, curable breast cancer to metastatic breast cancer, with a variety of breast cancer treatments. Nearly 90% of women diagnosed with breast cancer will survive their disease at least 5 years. In addition, breast cancer in men is not uncommon and male breast cancer must be taken seriously.
Actress Christina Applegate was diagnosed with breast cancer and had both breasts removed in an effort to prevent her breast cancer from returning. She said that she will get breast reconstruction. Applegate, who is 36 and star of a popular TV sit-com, announced her breast cancer diagnosis on a national TV morning talk show and said prior to getting her preventive (prophylactic) double mastectomy, she had two lumpectomies -- and only had cancer in one breast. She took a gene test that showed that she had the BRCA1 gene mutation, which makes breast cancer and ovarian cancer more likely.
One of the many nationwide events happening next month is the Pink Ribbon Challenge® held by the National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF). This annual NBCF event happens every October. It combines the efforts of radio stations and syndicated programs nationwide, the support of top-name music celebrities, and most importantly listeners, to raise funds to provide free mammograms for underserved women. The money is also distributed by NBCF to hospitals, clinics, missions and mobile mammography units coast to coast.
The breast cancer pink ribbon by Carol Sutton.
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