October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is an annual campaign to increase awareness of the disease. Whether a family member, a friend, or just someone you know has it or has had it, we are all directly or indirectly affected by it. Here are five actions to take this month to help raise awareness for the fight against breast cancer:
1. Self-check first!
Experts recommend that women get to know their bodies by conducting a breast self-exam or by participating in a screening test. Both are easy and can help detect cancer in its early stages or any change to your breasts in general. It’s important to report any changes to your medical provider right away, as well as talk to your doctor about your risk of developing breast cancer. The sooner the better!
2. Get informed
To get involved in any cause, it’s important to know the facts. Get to know more about breast cancer and who it affects. Here are some facts that not everyone may know:
-
About 1 in 8 U.S. women will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime.
-
For women in the U.S., breast cancer death rates are higher than those for any other cancer, besides lung cancer.
-
Besides skin cancer, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among American women.
Apart from statistics that may help understand the gravity of the illness and why it’s important to get involved, many forget that breast cancer isn’t just a disease that affects women. Although breast cancer in men is rare (the chance is less than 1% in their lifetime), it does happen and many people don’t know about it. Like women, the disease can cause distress for men and have a negative effect on their sense of self, but especially so because male breast cancer carries a stigma. Let’s change that.
3. Start a fundraiser and/or make donations
It’s quick and easy to create your own a fundraising page to honor a loved one, a survivor, or families affected by breast cancer. A simple way to do so is by creating one online or on social media, where you can easily get others involved.Through the generosity of people like you, organizations like the Breast Cancer Charities of America can continue to assist women and men who are battling breast cancer. Here are some other places to donate:
4. Wear Pink
You can easily help raise awareness for breast cancer by adding a touch of pink to your wardrobe! Whether you wear or pin on the Pink Ribbon as a symbol of support, post a cute picture of you and your friends wearing pink, or use the hashtag #PinkPose, anything can help raise awareness. Besides, you may encourage others to also get involved.
5. Shop Pink
A lot of brands in October like to have the addition of breast cancer awareness themselves. During this month, A lot of large companies will dedicate a portion of their sales to help fund research. So, be on the lookout for stickers or advertisements that include a ribbon!
This is just another small thing you can do to make a difference. For reference, here are some brands fundraising for Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Fabletics, Bobbi Brown, Amika, Estee Lauder, Kendra Scott, and many more…
As you can see, there are many ways to get involved and many resources to use to get educated about breast cancer. But most importantly, keep hope for those fighting the disease and the people that surround them. Let’s continue to spread awareness and help those affected
Don’t forget: THINK PINK this October.