If you haven’t noticed already, there are a lot of people wearing pink this month. And with good reason: It’s National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
I had a breast cancer scare a few years ago, and went in for that deeply uncomfortable screening otherwise known as a mammogram. Ugh. It is uncomfortable, but I’d rather be uncomfortable for a few minutes and get news – good or bad – as early as possible. Statistics show that if you screen for a disease early and regularly, you’re more likely to be able to treat it in the event that you are diagnosed with it. Luckily, the mammogram showed nothing, and I went home feeling tremendous relief. But there are plenty of women who don’t get out of a screening center so easily, so happily. The National Cancer Institute estimates that in 2009, there were 192,370 women diagnosed with breast cancer, and 1,910 men were newly diagnosed. Also, 40,170 women died from breast cancer, and 440 men died of the same cause.
I know women who skip their annual mammogram because the mere idea of being uncomfortable for a few seconds upsets them. I also know women who don’t have health insurance who skip mammograms and other regular check-ups. Look, whatever your reason is, don’t skip it. Please. And if your doctor doesn’t think you need a mammogram yet, get into the habit of doing self-exams. Don’t know how and what to look for? Here’s a nice little tutorial from the American Cancer Society. Hey, you might just have fun feeling yourself. Ha!
