Wear pink!
This is not about if you like the color pink or not, it’s about something much more serious: October 25th is Pink Ribbon Day, a day to increase awareness of breast cancer and to spread knowledge about this disease.
So I’ll try to do my part and give you some basic information about breast cancer as well as websites where you will find additional information and help. To do your part, talk about it, spread the word, get your health checked regularly, be physically active, be supportive towards affected friends and family members and show your support by wearing a pink ribbon.
Cancer is a disease of the body’s cells. Normally, cells grow and multiply in a controlled way, however, if something causes a mistake to occur in the cell’s genetic blueprints, this control can be lost. Cancer is the term used to describe collections of these cells, growing and potentially spreading within the body. As cancerous cells can arise from almost any type of tissue cell, cancer actually refers to about 100 different diseases.
Breast cancer starts in the ducts or lobules of the breast. Cells lining the ducts or lobules can grow out of control and develop into cancer.
Some breast cancers are found when they are still confined to the ducts or lobules of the breast. This is called pre-invasive breast cancer. The most common types are ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS).
Most breast cancers are found when they are invasive. This means the cancer has spread outside the ducts or lobules of the breast into surrounding tissue.
There are several types of invasive breast cancer:
- Early breast cancer: Contained in the breast but may have spread to one or more lymph nodes in the armpit.
- Locally advanced breast cancer: It may have spread to places near the breast, such as the chest (including the skin, muscles or bones of the chest), but the cancer isn’t found in other areas of the body.
- Metastatic breast cancer: The cancer cells spread from the breast to other areas of the body, such as the bones, liver or the lungs. It may also be called advanced breast cancer.
As a woman you should be familiar with the normal look and feel of your breasts. If you notice any of the following changes, please see your doctor immediately.
- A lump, lumpiness or thickening
- Changes in the skin of a breast, such as puckering, dimpling or a rash
- Persistent or unusual pain
- A change in the shape or size of a breast
- Discharge from a nipple, a nipple rash or a change in its shape
There are also some simple steps you can take to minimize your cancer risk:
- Eat for health
- Maintain a healthy body weight
- Be physically active, on most, preferably all days
- Limit your alcohol intake
Here I can only provide you with very basic information on breast cancer, and this article is not a substitute for medical advice.
If you are interested in further information, please see your doctor or a specialist. To prepare your questions, you might want to consult some of these websites first.
- http://www.breastcancer.org/
- http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/
- http://www.komen.org/
- http://www.cancerandcareers.org/
There is also a way to support the fight against breast cancer by shopping. Some retailers are donating part of their sales revenues during the month of October to organizations in the field of research, education and support of breast cancer patients and survivors. One example I would like to highlight is the “Pink October” campaign of Babeland, which donates funds to the Young Survival Coalition and which I support directly with a matching contribution of 10% for every pink Better than Chocolate sold by Babeland. Come for a Cause 😉
Take care,
Nomi Tang
Nomi Tang 