October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Breast Cancer affects all races and genders. In fact, it is the most common cancer in women. According to statistics, 1 in 8 women will experience breast cancer in their life time and about 40,290 women will die from it. The cause of Breast Cancer is said to be the use of hormones. Many hormones are found in the foods we eat because farmers are now injecting animals with hormones to make a bigger profit. Having unnatural things in the human body, like tumors or cysts, can also develop into breast cancer.
African American women are greatly affected by this disease as well. It is the most common type of cancer found in black women who are usually diagnosed with breast cancer around the age of 57, while the age for Caucasian Women is usually around 62. Another reason why many African American women are most likely to suffer from breast cancer is because of their socioeconomic conditions. Health insurance covers mammograms and screenings so that women can get checked for breast cancer. If a woman isn’t getting regularly examined she can have breast cancer and not even know it.
This past Summer I experienced one of the scariest moments in my life when I found a lump in one of my breasts. I found the lump last semester but didn’t think it was a big deal, so as most women do, I ignored it. At the end of the Summer I noticed it had gotten bigger so I told my Mom to take me to my doctor. After visiting my doctor, she agreed I had a lump and recommended me to get a mammogram and an ultrasound on the lumps. Because I went to see the doctor on a Friday I had to wait until Monday to get my Mammogram and it felt like the longest 3 days ever. The entire weekend all I could do was pray and try to remain positive. On Monday morning I went to the Doctors office as soon as they opened to get my ultra sound and mammogram. After those two processes, I sat in the waiting room with my Mom as they reviewed my results. It turned out that I did not have Breast Cancer, thank God! But I did have something called a fibroadenoma. It is a tumor formed of mixed fibrous and glandular tissue. It is very common in women between the ages of 18-24. The treatment for this is to get it surgically removed. It’s a quick in and out procedure.
After experiencing the possibility of breast cancer, I realized that it can really happen to anyone and doesn’t discriminate. I found the lump because I constantly self-examine myself, which more women should do. To increase the survival rate of breast cancer the key is early detection. More women need to examine their breasts and if you are over the age of 40 to get yearly mammograms. It is a good idea to keep in mind that breast cancer affects men too. Just like women, men should examine themselves as well.
The signs of breast Cancer are a lump in your breasts, armpit or near your collar bone, a pulled in nipple, dimpling, discharge in the nipple, redness or a rash, pain in the breast or if you notice that one of the breasts looks noticeably different than the other. Although there are many signs of breast cancer you may have the disease with only signs that a doctor or mammogram can check, so it doesn’t hurt to randomly get breast check ups. In order to “Save the Ta Ta’s” we must keep our bodies healthy, and be honest with ourselves if we find any signs of breast cancer.
For more information about this disease click here: http://www.cancer.org/cancer/breastcancer/index