National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

 

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness month.  This is a great time of the year to go get that mammogram you’ve putting off or to donate to a breast cancer fund, like the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. 

Delta Airlines is raising awareness on their filghts.  They are selling pink lemonade for two dollars a glass.  All profits will go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.  Along with selling pink lemonade, all Delta employees are representing the pink ribbon, or wearing pink scarves, neck ties or decorative pink pocket squares.

Grocery stores are shelving items that when bought, donate a certain amount of the proceeds to breast cancer research funds.  All over, donation centers are set up waiting to receive even just one dollar per person.  

Raising breast cancer awareness and education is as important as raising funds for research and treatment. 

Since 1990, the death rate from breast cancer has dropped by at least 2 percent each year.  It is becoming more survivable through early detection.  Take this opportunity to raise awareness to others, or yourself, and get an examination today.

Have You Scheduled Your Annual Yet?

I am 22 years old and I have been getting annual gynecological checkups since I was 16.  It blows my mind that some girls my age have NEVER gotten one.  Girls, girls, girls.  Let me explain some things that may be of interest to you and why avoiding this little appointment once a year could be dangerous.

At your annual checkup, the gynecologist will do a full examination-including checking your breast for lumps, checking your ovaries and the not so fabulous Pap smear.  Ok, so yeah, it is uncomfortable for about a minute.  But, would you rather have discomfort for a minute or cervical cancer for who knows how long?  Yes ladies, Pap tests, if abnormal, could reveal cervical cancer cells.  If detected early, it is treatable.  Why would you chance cancer?

On WebMD.com they explain:

According to ACOG (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists ), the Pap test should be done annually until age 30. After 30, if a healthy woman has had three completely normal and satisfactory Pap tests, she may be able to have a Pap test every two to three years (but should still see a gynecologist every year for an exam). Cervical cancer was once the leading cause of death for women in the U.S., but the widespread use of the Pap test has significantly decreased deaths from this cancer.

With all of this new technology and ways of preventing disease, there is no excuse for missing your annual. Like I said, I had been going for annuals since I was 16, and when one of my Pap tests came back abnormal, I thought, “Who, me?” No matter how careful and diligent you are, cancer, or in my case, HPV, is not picky about who it choses.

HPV, the human papillomavirus, is an extremely common sexually transmitted virus. In women around my age, the chance of it going away are almost 80 percent. But, some strains of HPV, if untreated, can lead to cervical cancer.

The new vaccine, Gardasil, protects against certain strains of HPV. Although my particular case of HPV did go away, the events leading up to that were not so fun. Biopsies and Pap tests every three months dominated my life for almost a year until I was rid of the virus.

Girls, please, for your sake, take a few minutes out of your day once a year and go get an annual gynecological checkup! Just remember, it can never hurt, only help.