Big or small, perky or flat, AA to DDD; no matter the size or the shape of them: we women need to love our boobs. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), 192,370 new cases of breast cancer are estimated to occur in this year alone! The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that in the year 2007 alone, 40,598 women died from breast cancer.
While some experts believe there is an increased chance for a woman to develop breast cancer if another woman in her family has had breast cancer, women with no family history of breast cancer can still develop it! Unfortunately, breast cancer is not a picky disease. It does not matter if you are 19 or 90- you could still be at risk for breast cancer. Breast cancer can occur in women with any size breasts, and can even occur in men.
In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, of the brave breast cancer survivors, of those who lost their lives due to breast cancer and of my own health, I am taking a pledge to start screening myself for signs and symptoms of breast cancer every month. I spoke with my doctor and she gave me tons of information about breast cancer and instructions on conducting a monthly self-exam.
A monthly self-examination of your breasts is essential in preventing breast cancer in early stages. Self-exams take only a few minutes and you only have to do them once a month.
To conduct a self-exam you first need to stand topless in front of a mirror with your arms placed at your sides. Observe your breasts and notice if there are any changes in the contour or shape. Repeat this search while raising your arms above your head. Next, place you hands on your hips and press downward to flex your chest muscle- notice if any changes in contour are visible.
This next step you can do while standing or taking a shower. Lift your right arm and bend it behind your head. Group together the three middle fingers on your left hand. Take your left middle fingers and roll and press your right breast to against your chest. Do the same thing for your left breast.
Next, while lying down on your back, put a pillow beneath your right shoulder and raise your right arm above you head- follow the same steps in the standing exam. Then move the pillow to fit under your left shoulder and repeat the steps for your left breast.
Lastly, squeeze each nipple gently and check for any sort of discharge.
In each of these steps of the exam, you are checking for any unusual changes in size, shape, or color of your breasts, lumps, bulges, swelling, hard knots, dimpling appearance, and any discharge from your nipples. Doctors recommend you perform a self-exam 7-10 days after the start of your menstrual cycle and to do it the same day in every month.
If you notice any unusual changes in your breasts during the exam, contact your doctor and schedule an appointment to have a medical expert check out your breasts.
For your mothers, daughters, sisters, friends, and family- do the right thing. Set an example and love your breasts by conducting a monthly self-examination. Just a few minutes each month can save your life!