Cancer has affected almost everyone in their lifetime. If it hasn’t yet, there’s a good chance that it will. Cancer doesn’t discriminate. It doesn’t care about your gender, the color of your skin, your social status, or financial situation. It can impact your grandparents, parents, best friend, cousin, or even yourself.
The month of October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. You may have seen your favorite NFL team sporting the pink or people asking for support at the local breast cancer awareness walk or marathon. This month is the month of stopping the myths, creating a dialogue about breast cancer, and finding a cure that will end this cancer.
There is a lot of misleading information out there about what may cause breast cancer. However, there is not one sure cause of this cancer. All doctors and researchers know is that any type of cancer is caused by a damaged cell. One hot speculation links breast cancer to the use of deodorants and antiperspirants. According to researchers at National Breast Cancer Foundation, there has been no conclusive evidence that links the two together.
There are a few other myths that can lead you being scared or anxious or even oblivious to breast cancer. Though not every bump in your breasts may be breast cancer, you should always seek medical advice when finding a lump. One that I think not many people in the population know about is that men can also develop breast cancer. It is a smaller number than women who may be affected, but men need to be aware that they also have a chance of developing this cancer, and they should see a doctor if they feel a lump or bump in the chest.
Self-examination is a great way to feel any changes in your breasts. Being familiar with your chest is the best way to catch any lumps that may show up. The National Breast Cancer Foundation has incredible resources on self-examination and information on mammograms and ultrasounds that are also used to detect cancer. If you are unsure how to give yourself a proper breast examination, click here.
Breast cancer and cancer in general can be scary. Living a healthy lifestyle and staying physically active are some ways that may reduce your chances of developing cancer. Ways you are able to support research and awareness for breast cancer is donating to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, The Huntsman Cancer Institute, The American Cancer Society, etc. Donating to these institutions and foundations is a great way to make an impact and create more awareness towards cancer. Last piece of advice; Stay updated on recent research and give yourself a monthly self-examination (you too, guys).