October is breast cancer awareness month- a time to spread awareness about an extremely life threatening disease. There are many people who have been touched by cancer, whether it be a grandparent, parent, aunt, uncle, cousin, sibling, friend, or even oneself. One in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime.
We may not be able to fully cure this disease, but we can fight like hell to try. There are many other ways to get involved and help this cause. You can keep up to date with the American Cancer Society and all the events they host throughout the year. Here is a link to find an event near you: www.cancer.org/involved/participate
A specific event the American Cancer Society hosts every year is called Making Strides, a walk that takes place to help raise awareness and money for breast cancer. It is easy to get involved by forming a team with your friends or a club you are involved in on campus. Find a Strides Walk near your campus today and become apart of the movement: makingstrides.acsevents.org/site/PageServer?pagename=MSABC_CY15_National_StateEventListing
The key to preventing breast cancer is early detection. There is no definite way to prevent this disease, but there are multiple ways we as women can reduce our risks and increase our odds of survival.
Healthy Lifestyle
A healthy lifestyle is an easy way to help reduce the risk of developing cancer. Eating a healthy diet, not smoking, and limiting alcohol consumption are all ways to lower the risk for the development of breast cancer. College can be hectic and in many cases, may lead to an unhealthy lifestyle, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Take 30 minutes our of your day to go for a walk, eat vegetables, drink water, avoid smoking, and limit your alcohol intake (as hard as that may be).
Breast Exams
A yearly breast exam by your doctor will ensure that any changes in your body don’t go undetected. Your first breast exam may be awkward and make you feel uncomfortable, but your doctors are there to help you, so let them.
You can even conduct the exam yourself. Many doctors will recommend this because it will help you become more aware of your body and any changes that occur over time. If anything seems different, don’t be too concerned but your doctor should definitely be your next stop, just in case.
Here is a link on how to perform a self exam: www.nationalbreastcancer.org/breast-self-exam
Family History
Learn about your family’s history of cancer. If you have a close relative who has been diagnosed with breast cancer, chances are you have a higher risk of developing it. By educating yourself on your family’s health history, you will know if you need to be more cautious of your lifestyle and whether or not you will need additional testing.
After you have taken all these steps, there is still so much more you can do to help this cause. Fundraising and participating in events such as the Making Strides Walk and Relay For Life can help raise awareness all year round. We have the power to make a difference not only in our own lives, but in the lives of others. Let’s take a stand and work towards a cure.