BREAT CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

 October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It creates an opportunity to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer research, diagnosis, treatment, and support. It is one of the most common malignancies in women. The survivors experience severe trauma and major health issues. It is scary to know that 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime. Early detection and treatment improve survival rates.

Most of us have a friend or family member who has been through the breast cancer treatment journey or has surrendered the battle. One of my colleagues whom I met during community service was diagnosed with early stages of breast cancer five years ago. She has been disease-free after her operation and chemo-radiation therapy. Another friend of mine that I met in the meet-up groups is also known to have been through the breast cancer treatment process and has been disease-free for over ten years now.

There are numerous ways to help raise funds, such as participating in different fundraiser events or functions. Wearing pink clothes and accessories shows support and increases awareness for the public. We need to educate women to perform self-breast exams and get mammograms to pick up the disease at an early stage. Pay attention to the family history as well. If there are first-degree relatives who had breast or ovarian cancer before the age of fifty, there might be a need for genetic testing to pick up dangerous genes such as BRCA1 and BRCA 2. About three months ago we lost a fifty-year-old woman with advanced breast carcinoma in our gynae ward. When I spoke to the family, it turned out that the patient’s own mother was a breast cancer survivor, and yet she did not have any screening and did not even present to us as soon as she felt a lump in her breasts.

Several celebrities such as Angelina Jolie and former French First Lady Carla Bruni have helped raise breast cancer awareness. Remember, every small action counts and collective efforts can make a significant difference in the fight against breast cancer!

 


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