Think Pink

I recently read an article in Macleans stating that the real epidemic is fear and often fear is what kills rather than a disease itself. Breast cancer is a very real fear for so many women. It is also a reality for many women as well. I pray daily that my genes do not prove to be my demise as both my grandmother and my aunt had cancer. My grandmother Dora (whom I am named after) had breast cancer which she detected quite late and did have a masectomy to remove her right breast, she later died of the disease. My aunt Frances did not have breast cancerbut she did have hodgkins disease and lukemia which was diagnosed at 18. She died at the young age of 42.
Breast cancer is a common disease, and the vast majority of breast cancers are not due to inherited (genetic) factors. For most women, increasing age is the greatest risk factor. However, in some cases breast cancer does run in families, and may be caused by a faulty gene.
Education is key in fighting and preventing breast cancer. Women must learn to do self exams at an early age and not rely on their medical professionals to detect problems. If you have any doubt or suspicion please talk to your doctor and arrange for a mamogram. Regardless of the extra monetary cost you might incur due to lack of coverage for such tests the peace of mind is well worth it. Although breast cancer is not common in younger women; that is women who have not yet reached the menopause. The vast majority of breast cancers occur in women over the age of 50, so being diagnosed with breast cancer at a young age can be a very isolating experience. It may come at a time when the thought of having cancer may never have crossed your mind, or it was something you thought happened to older people. It is very important to be aware of the possibility of breast cancer occuring in younger women.
Please take action and help us overcome this debilitating disease. Run, sponser, donate, learn or educate yourself and others and we shall overcome
http://www.cbcf.org/