This year marks 25 years of celebrating Breast Cancer Awareness. Breast Cancer Awareness month begins on October 1. Wear your pink and your breast cancer ribbons in pride. This month I will be wearing my pink ribbon on my backpack like always, as well as carrying around my Vera Bradley breast cancer bag.
Throughout the month of October promote Breast Cancer Awareness as much as possible for its near and dear to many people’s heart. Also be aware of the following statistics and symptoms throughout the month.
Statistics
- 1 in 8 women in the U.S. will develop breast cancer over the course of a lifetime
- For women in the United States, breast cancer is the second highest rated cause of death behind lung cancer
- More than 1 in 4 cancers in women are breast cancer
- A women’s risk of breast cancer almost doubles if she has a mother, sister, or daughter who has been diagnosed with breast cancer
- The risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer increases as women grow older
- Women who begin menstruating before age 12 are at an increased risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer
- As of today, there are more than 2.5 million breast cancer survivors in the United States
Symptoms
- Swelling of all or part of the breast
- Skin irritation or dimpling
- Breast pain
- Nipple pain or nipple turning inward
- Redness, scaliness, or thickening of the nipple or breast skin
- Nipple discharge other than breast milk
- Lump in the underarm area
This month give back to your community and raise awareness, look to join a Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk. On October 24, along with my sisters of Kappa Alpha Theta, I will be walking to raise awareness! If you cant participate in a walk collect Yoplait yogurt lids and mail them to “Save Lids to Save Lives.” For every lid sent in by December 31, 2010, Yoplait will donate 10 cents to Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
Over the next month explore these two websites to learn more about Breast Cancer, the Susan G. Komen for the Cure and National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Stephanie Coppola is an intern at College Lifestyles ™. She is studying print journalism and sports studies at Quinnipiac University and she is a proud member of Kappa Alpha Theta. This month she plans on promoting Breast Cancer awareness as much as possible!
