Since this is an issue that affects my family, I'm going to try and help build some awareness about breast cancer. The statistics are out there. Every year 200,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer. Of those 200,000 women over 40,000 women die! Pretty depressing, huh?
Early detection of breast cancer is the key to survival. Monthly self breast examinations and a yearly mammogram can save your life. The National Breast Cancer Foundation states that if a lump is found early and treated, the five year survival rate is 96%. Those are pretty good odds, wouldn't you say? And speaking from experience of having a loved one who suffers from breast cancer, if my mother would have sought treatment sooner, she would be in a completely different situation today, instead of fighting metastatic disease.
I found this great link that if you click on it and read the details on how you can be responsible for the sponsors will donate free mammograms to those that can't afford them! What a great deal that is!
http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=2
Also taken from this link are these facts:
-Every two minutes a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer.
-One woman in eight who lives to age 85 will develop breast cancer during her lifetime.
-Breast cancer is the leading cause of death in women between the ages of 40 and 55.
-Seventy percent of all breast cancers are found through breast self-exams. Not all lumps are detectable by touch. We recommend regular mammograms and monthly breast self-exams.
-Eight out of ten breast lumps are not cancerous. If you find a lump, don't panic-call your doctor for an appointment.
-Mammography is a low-dose X-ray examination that can detect breast cancer up to two years before it is large enough to be felt.
This is a subject I'll definitely be visiting again. I hope you'll stop by and maybe we'll learn more about this horrible disease together!
Take Care,
Kathleen
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