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What Day Is Breast Cancer Awareness

Think Pink: 7 Ways To Help Prevent Breast Cancer

October 13th proclaimed Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day in Hunstville

Pink hats, pink scarves, and Pink Gloveswhat do all of these have in common? Think PINK. October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, in which friends, family, and colleagues come together to spread awareness and support research to find a cure for breast cancer. Giving everyone the information and power to keep themselves healthy is one of our main goals at the Cleveland State Recreation Center. Weve compiled a small list of ways to minimize the risk of breast cancer and maximize your knowledge so you can spread the word and raise awareness.

According to breastcancer.org, the leading information provider for the disease, about 1 in 8 women will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime. Aside from skin cancer, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among American women. In 2019, it’s estimated that about 30% of newly diagnosed cancers in women will be breast cancers. Though its most prevalent in women, men can be at risk for breast cancer too, and must stay just as vigilant in self-checking and spreading awareness. The most common self-check is to feel around the chest area for any lumps or thickened breast tissue. This does not always mean that cancer is present, but it is one of the more common signs of it. Below are a few tips* to proactively stay healthy in the fight against breast cancer that you can consciously keep in mind on a day by day basis.

Metastatic Breast Cancer: A Fact A Day 31 Days Of October

  • What is Metastatic Breast Cancer? MBC also known as Stage IV is cancer that has spread outside of the breast to other organs such as bones, liver, lung or brain. This process is called metastasis.
  • What happens when breast cancer spreads?Breast cancer that spreads to another organ, such as bones, lung, or liver, is still breast cancer and does not become bone cancer or liver cancer or lung cancer. Under a microscope, the tumor cells will still look and act like breast cancer and will be treated as breast cancer.
  • Who gets metastatic breast cancer?

    Produced by The MBCAlliance

    No one brings metastatic disease on themselves. The sad truth is that anyone who has had an earlier stage of breast cancer can experience a metastatic recurrence and some women have metastatic disease on their initial diagnosis of cancerdespite mammograms and early detection!

  • Why does breast cancer metastasize? Researchers at this time cant explain why metastatic disease occurs, but theyre working on finding answers. Early detection is a detection tool, but it does not a cure or prevent an early cancer from coming back in the future as metastatic disease.
  • What are the statistics on incidence of metastatic breast cancer?There are estimates that 20-30% of patients with an early stage cancer will have their cancer return as metastatic, even if they were told their early stage cancer had been cured. Another 8% of new breast cancer cases are found to be metastatic at their initial diagnosis.
  • You Can Get Through October As A Survivor

    It may seem like all eyes are on you this month, but its important not to feel pressure to be a spokesperson for breast cancer, Dr. Ashton said.

    Ms. Ilderton gives herself permission not to participate in awareness-raising activities and then permission to change her mind and participate after all.

    You dont have to use your experience to shout from the rafters as some sort of preventative story, she said. Maybe you just want to tell another person about it in a more intimate way.

    Limit your exposure to things you might find upsetting, said Dr. Ashton, which may mean taking a social media break. Davia Moss, 36, a breast cancer survivor in Syracuse, N.Y., bought an Instacart Express membership for October so she wouldnt see rows of pink-packaged groceries at the supermarket. Ms. Majsiak unsubscribes from as many marketing emails as she can.

    Dont be afraid to set boundaries with loved ones who may not understand why you find the month tough, Dr. Ashton said. Ms. Moss, a nurse practitioner, politely asked her co-workers not to bring in pink-ribboned merchandise. I said, October is really difficult for me, and it would be so helpful if I didnt have to have extra triggers here at work, she said.

    For many survivors, October will always be triggering, Dr. Ashton said, but some find it gets easier with time.

    Recommended Reading: Cancer Stage 3b

    Cancer Awareness Days & Other Important Dates

    It can be difficult to keep track of all the cancer Awareness dates in a year, so we have compiled a complete list of awareness events in the US in 2022 for you. Scroll to the bottom of our list to download our 2022 calendar that includes all of these dates!

    Gallbladder and Bile Duct Cancer Awareness Month
    Triple Negative Breast Cancer Day
    Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Month
    Oral, Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Week
    Melanoma and Skin Cancer Awareness Month
    National Womens Health and Fitness Day
    National Hereditary Breast and Ovarian Cancer
    World Hospice & Palliative Care Day
    Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day
    Periwinkle

    Get a free containing monthly visuals of the dates listed above.

    • TeamIHadCancer Connect Survivor: Breast Cancer

      Team I Had Cancer is the group of people behind the scenes, making sure IHadCancer.com is running, and that you’re connecting to the people you need to know for the support and information you need while dealing with cancer.

    Why Is Breast Cancer Awareness So Important

    World Breast Cancer Awareness Day Card Design Free Vector

    Every October, you likely see a wealth of information about breast cancer. And that is a good thing. Awareness surrounding breast cancer is incredibly important as early detection, often through screening, can catch the disease when it is most treatable.

    According to the American Cancer Society , breast cancer is the most common cancer in American women, except for skin cancers. The average risk of a woman in the U.S. developing breast cancer sometime in her life is about 12%, or a 1 in 8 chance. The chance that a woman will die from breast cancer is about 2.6%, or a 1 in 38 chance.

    Patients are experiencing better outcomes as a result of early diagnosis, state-of-the-art treatment options, and less extensive surgery, said Catherine Tuite, MD, Section Chief of Breast Radiology and Associate Professor of Diagnostic Imaging at Fox Chase Cancer Center.

    Today, there are more than 3.1 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S., including women still being treated and those who have finished treatment. A heightened awareness of the disease has unquestionably led to a greater number of women being screened for breast cancer, said Tuite. Patients are experiencing better outcomes as a result of early diagnosis, state-of-the-art treatment options and less extensive surgery.

    Recommended Reading: Mayo Clinic Breast Cancer Symptoms

    Calendar Of Health Promotion Days

    The calendar features health awareness:

    • days
    • months

    Events marked with an asterisk take place on the same day every year.

    These events are either promoted by recognized health organizations or recognized in the professional health community. Not all websites and events listed are celebrated or endorsed by Health Canada.

    You can submit a health promotion awareness event for 2021 on behalf of your organization. Events are removed from the calendar once the date has passed, unless you mention next year’s event. If your annual event was removed, you can submit it again when the next occasion is announced.

    Conflicts Of Interest In Organizations

    Some critics say that breast cancer awareness has transformed the disease into a market-driven industry of survivorship and corporate sales pitches. Corporate marketing machines promote early detection of breast cancer, while also opposing public health efforts, such as stricter environmental legislation, that might decrease the incidence rate of breast cancer. These critics believe that some of the breast cancer organizations, particularly the highly visible Susan G. Komen for the Cure, have become captive companies that support and provide social capital to the breast cancer industry, including pharmaceutical companies, mammography equipment manufacturers, and pollution-causing industries, as well as large corporations, creating or exacerbating other problems.

    However, the primary sponsors are part of the breast cancer industry, particularly cancer drug makers like AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and Novartis. Because the national breast cancer organizations are dependent on corporate sponsorships for survival, this situation may represent a conflict of interest that prevents these organizations from representing the needs of current and future people with breast cancer when those needs conflict with the profit-making motives of the corporate sponsors.

    The structure of the breast cancer movement may allow large organizations to claim to be the voice of women with breast cancer, while simultaneously ignoring their desires.

    Recommended Reading: What To Expect During Chemo For Breast Cancer

    Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Remembering The Burden Of This Disease

    According to the World Health Organization , breast cancer is the second most common cancer in the world and the most common cancer in women worldwide, accounting for 25% of all incident cases of female cancers.

    According to the World Health Organization , breast cancer is the second most common cancer in the world and the most common cancer in women worldwide, accounting for 25% of all incident cases of female cancers. Despite the advances in the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer, this condition is still the leading cause of death for women. October is celebrated as a National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, where people from all over the world recognize the seriousness of this condition and show their support for patients affected by breast cancer. This month highlights awareness programs, serves as a reminder of those who have battled the disease, and educates the public on different medical and social aspects of breast cancer.

    As people celebrate breast cancer awareness month worldwide, it is imperative to continue public health awareness programs and fundraisers, facilitate and improve the breast cancer screening/detection process, and support those who have battled this disease.

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    You Can Also Help A Survivor Get Through October

    Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day: What it’s like to live with the disease

    If youre the friend or relative of a breast cancer survivor, any overture you make this month is undoubtedly well-meaning. But here are the things Ive found unhelpful: Using cutesy language like save the tatas , sharing my story without asking and telling me about your lump that turned out to be nothing .

    While friends and family may assume this is a celebratory month for survivors, they need to understand that a serious personal illness like breast cancer is a traumatic experience, Dr. Serani said.

    One of the simplest things you can do is just acknowledge that fact, said Dr. Ashton. Say Ive heard Breast Cancer Awareness Month isnt always positive for survivors, how are you doing?

    Dont make the survivor in your life into a case study, said Ms. Ilderton, whose friend once sent an email to a group using me as an example of why to get a mammogram.

    If you want to make a purchase to support the cause, look at where the proceeds go, and think about if its something you want to fund or if youd be better off making a donation to a more focused, local opportunity, or to a research-based foundation such as METAvivor or B.C.R.F., Ms. Forrest said. Or ask if theres an organization you can honor that was helpful during treatment, Ms. Majsiak said.

    Above all, said Ms. Forrest, if you know someone who has been through it, who has survived, maybe tell them youre proud of them, of how far theyve come, of what theyve endured.

    Recommended Reading: What Does Malignant Neoplasm Of Breast Mean

    Is It Breast Cancer Awareness Day Today

    It’s Breast Cancer Awareness day on the 19th of October.

    The most recent detection of references to Breast Cancer Awareness Day was 2 years, 2 months ago.

    There were many celebrations relating to national holdiays written about on social media that our algorithms picked up on the 19th of October. In total we detected 73 total unique days being shared such as Sex Day which had 9,086 people talking about it, or Period Day having 2,030 tweets.

    It Brings It All Back To The Surface

    Becca Forrest, 37, a project manager in Durham, N.C., was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2018. Since treatment ended, shes worked hard to put the experience behind her.

    But October is as if someone is waving a neon pink flag at me all month to remind me that the most traumatic moment of my life could happen all over again, she said.

    Most breast cancers are diagnosed in patients 50 or older. While being diagnosed younger than that is associated with a higher fear of recurrence, its a common anxiety for survivors of all ages, said Dr. Ashton one that can be exacerbated by the increased coverage during awareness efforts.

    Watching other peoples stories can be a real trigger for patients to worry about their breast cancer coming back, she said.

    Deborah Serani, a trauma psychologist and professor at Adelphi University in New York, said we can feel anxious or upset at a particular time of year because of a phenomenon known as the anniversary effect or anniversary reaction, a unique set of unsettling thoughts or feelings that occurs around the anniversary of a significant experience.

    In a study six years after the Gulf War, 32 veterans were asked to identify which month they had felt the worst during the past year. For 38 percent, this coincided with the month theyd also experienced the most trauma during the war.

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    Environmental Breast Cancer Movement

    Most of the money raised by advocates is spent on increasing awareness, cancer screening, and existing treatments. Only a small fraction of the funds is spent on research, and less than 7% of the total research funding provided by breast cancer organizations goes to prevention. Instead, most of the charities fund research into detection and treatment. Advocates like Breast Cancer Action and women’s health issues scholar Samantha King, whose book inspired the 2011 documentary Pink Ribbons, Inc., are unhappy that relatively little money or attention is devoted to identifying the non-genetic causes of breast cancer or to preventing breast cancer from occurring. The mainstream breast cancer culture has been criticized for focusing on detecting and curing existing breast cancer cases, rather than on preventing future cases.

    As a result, screening mammography is promoted by the breast cancer culture as the sole possible approach to public health for breast cancer. Alternatives, such as pollution prevention, are largely ignored.

    Samantha King says that prevention research is minimized by the breast cancer industry because there is no way to make money off of cases of breast cancer that do not happen, whereas a mammography imaging system that finds more possible cancers, or a “magic bullet” that kills confirmed cancers, would be highly profitable.

    Breast Cancer As A Brand

    RHU Breast Cancer Awareness Day: Join the Fight

    Breast cancer advocacy uses the pink ribbon and the color pink as a concept brand to raise money and increase screening. The breast cancer brand is strong: people who support the “pink brand” are members of the socially awareniche market, who are in favor of improved lives for women, believe in positive thinking, trust biomedical science to be able to solve any problem if given enough money, and prefer curative treatments to prevention.

    The brand ties together fear of cancer, hope for early identification and successful treatment, and the moral goodness of women with breast cancer and anyone who visibly identifies themselves with breast cancer patients. This brand permits and even encourages people to substitute conscientious consumption and individual symbolic actions, like buying or wearing a pink ribbon, for concrete, practical results, such as collective political action aimed at discovering non-genetic causes of breast cancer.

    The establishment of the brand and the entrenchment of the breast cancer movement has been uniquely successful, because no countermovement opposes the breast cancer movement or believes that breast cancer is desirable.

    Many cancer survivors find that BCAM is an emotionally difficult time, as it reminds them of a distressing time and because the cheerful marketing images do not match their experiences.

    Recommended Reading: What Does Stage 4 Breast Cancer Mean

    The International Programme Of Breast Cancer In Men: Finding Better Treatments For Men Affected By Breast Cancer

    In 2006 BIG and its North American counterpart NABCG decided to join efforts to better understand this rare disease. The International Programme of Breast Cancer in Men was born. This is the first ever international research programme to focus solely on male breast cancer. Under the BIG umbrella, it is being led by the European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer with the help of the North American Translational Breast Cancer Research Consortium .The objective of this programme is to gather and analyse critical medical information about the biology and evolution of male breast cancer, in order to help cancer physicians learn more about this rare disease. Only with this crucial knowledge will men with breast cancer be properly treated in the future.

    “It is our obligation to learn more about male breast cancer disease, so that men with breast cancer are properly treated in the future”

    Fundraise For Charity By Streaming

    Game Pink is bringing together gamers, streamers, developers, and publishers on a mission to help women and families impacted by breast cancer. Playing your favorite video game can make a difference in the lives of women and families facing the realities of breast cancer. Simply sign up to create your own charity stream and start fundraising!

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