October is Breast Cancer Awareness month as I am sure most of you are aware of it. Breast Cancer affects nearly 227,000 woman each year in the United States (American Cancer Society). I personally have healthy breasts but I have known many woman through out my life affected by this disease. That is why it is important for each and every woman out there to get exams when they hit 40.
At 40 woman are asked to begin doing a annual mammogram though at every age woman should be doing a monthly breast exam which should take moments to perform. A good rule of thumb is to perform your monthly exam when your menstrual cycle begins. For me personally I know it is hard to remember and I admit to forgetting some months but I try to perform a self exam when every I think of it.
I know I am a low risk for the cancer because no one directly in my family has had it. I also know though there are a variety of risks that are there that affect all of us woman. Some of the risk factors are gender specific where breast cancer is 100 times more common in woman than in men (American Cancer Society). Our age also plays a part in a higher risk as well as genetic and family history. There is such a wide range of risk factors that every woman out there needs to ensure themselves that they have good breast health.
Breast Cancer is the deadliest cancer for woman in this country. See your doctor on regular basis for your yearly exams and if you detect something different in your breasts to contact your doctor right away. We all live a busy lifestyle but as Mom's, wives, and the other ten million hats we all seem to wear, it is vital we as woman need to take care of ourselves.
As woman we need to be aware of how our bodies change as we grow older, have children, gain and lose weight. All of these changes make us very different from when we were young adults. My body is so different from when I was a teenager because it went through so much having two kids, and a weight gain and loss. Make sure you have an open dialogue with your doctor each year about the changes that affect you.
As woman we need to work together to fight this disease. We need to be more open in talking about it and sharing the struggles we have as well as the triumphs as well. Make sure you as woman check your self each month and support those woman who are going through the battle. Always be aware of it so we can fight it!
Rebecca Benson is a League City stay at home mom who has lived here since 2003 when her husband took a job on the International Space Station program. She followed soon after working on the same program for nearly six years when she started staying home with the kids. Rebecca loves to craft, scrapbook, sew, and embrace motherhood. Rebecca has a blog called Mommiedom ((http://queenmommiedom.blogspot.com/) where she talks about all the things in her life not just those “confessions”.
