Breast Cancer Awareness Month
By Anne-Marie Atwood
Every October--just as the weather is turning cold in most of North America--breast cancer awareness is spreading like a tire fire thanks to the efforts of countless organizations, corporations, families, friends and survivors.
From the pink ribbon campaign to Run for the Cure, breast cancer awareness has been building steadily and striking back at the second biggest killer of women in the industrialized world. (Heart disease is number one.)
Breast Cancer Awareness
Breast cancer awareness takes a three-pronged approach. The first goal of breast cancer awareness is informing women of the risks breast cancer poses to them. Information about the disease itself, prevention tips, and the need for home breast exams as well as mammograms and other exams at the doctor’s are invaluable in the fight against the disease. It is also imperative that men are exposed to breast cancer awareness, not just for moral support reasons, but also because men may be stricken with the disease as well.
Breast cancer awareness also goes hand in hand with fundraising often times. Funds raised by initiatives like Run for the Cure raise millions of dollars to fund breast cancer research, education, and other breast cancer awareness projects.
A th1rd component of breast cancer awareness is helping loved ones of breast cancer patients understand their role as a support system. Breast cancer awareness and a better knowledge base of the treatment as well as the physical, mental and emotional repercussions of fighting breast cancer will benefit the patient and everyone around her.