BREASTS WITHOUT SPOTS!

Over 200,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year

One person is diagnosed with breast cancer every 3 minutes

One person dies of breast cancer every 14 minutes

People over the age of 50 account for 76% of breast cancer cases

There is over a 97% five-year survival rate when localized breast cancer is caught before it spreads to other parts of the body

Hey guys.

Before you read on, let me just say that, if this note was some kind of gossip about who is getting married, or who is wearing what, sex, party or something that excites the human system..lol, you guys get the drift abi? No? yes?, everybody will fasten their seat belts and read everything, but when it comes to serious things like what you are about to read, people tend to brush it aside to look for something juicier. So please people lets grow up and face reality. Expand your knowledge by reading this; do not unfasten that seat belt.

So I have always been interested in doing some kind of breast cancer awareness/fundraiser. For some reason, this year those two words “BREAST” AND “CANCER” have been in my mind for a while now and I believe that God wants me to do something in whatever way I can.

I never knew how much cancer has affected many lives today. People seriously, our friends, mothers, uncles, aunties, sisters, girlfriends, wives, men are dying and suffering because of this horrid disease. I started to see the impact cancer, breast cancer to be precise had on women today, when a dear friend lost his mother due to breast cancer, God bless her soul. I remember crying, when I was talking to my mum on the phone, informing her that her dear friend just died. After this incident, I started to do some research and noticed that many other people, people that I know, close friends, aunties, cousins, are actually suffering from this disease be it breast cancer or any other type of cancer. I guess what I am trying to say here is I used to be a naïve little child. I knew about breast cancer, but really could not be bothered to care. Then again, I do not entirely blame myself because I did not have people singing into my ears constantly telling me to be aware of this terrible disease.

Do not wait until your mother, daughter, aunty, sister, cousin, friend, and wife, has been diagnosed or dies of cancer/breast cancer. Do not sit down, until something terrible happens to somebody you love, because then it will be too late, and you would have to go through the pain and agony of watching the person suffer so much pain or sadly die. We can start now to make sure that we are all aware of this disease by reaching out to people, and telling them, spreading the word about breast cancer. It is a terrible thing. It could happen to you or me (God forbid).

I am willing to help in any way I can, be it through charity, donating or volunteering to help in an organization My goal is to make sure that young adults like me, and teenagers are very well informed and are aware of breast cancer. You may think you know all there is to know about breast cancer, but you do not. There are many ways to help. You could donate to a breast cancer organizations, and trust me there are a lot of them that need your help, you could participate in fundraisers, start your own initiative, which is my plan, you could volunteer in an organization.

For men, husbands, brothers you could also be of great help by making sure that your sisters, or wives have done there monthly breast cancer check. This can be done at home, by themselves, you could also help them out. Mind you, I am talking to husbands, and brothers ONLY…lol..i am not trying to spoil anybody. It is easy, and you can find instructions on how to check for lumps on your breast online. If you know cancer or breast cancer runs in your family, make sure you check yourself out, because it is possible that you may have it at some point in your life, but the important thing is to detect it early enough, when it is most treatable.

Each woman's breast cancer risk may be higher or lower, depending upon several factors, including family history, genetics, age of menstruation, and other factors that have not been identified. While breast cancer is less common at a young age, younger women tend to have more aggressive breast cancers than older women, which may explain why survival rates are lower among younger women.

Another thing I have to say is, Nigerians or Africans in general, (I apologize for generalizing) have this thing about keeping it in the family when they are sick. One thing you should know is, breast cancer is not something to be ashamed of, and it is not your fault in any way. The best way is not to keep it in the family, but to reach out to people, and share your pain with them. People, who have done this, have actually felt much better in the end. Not only will you be helping yourself, but also you would be helping other people, women, to be aware of breast cancer.

Male breast cancer is rare. An estimated 1,990 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed in men in the U.S. during 2008. In 2004, the overall incidence of breast cancer in men was 1.4 per 100,000, compared to 124 per 100,000 in women. As with women, invasive ductal carcinoma accounts for most of the breast cancers seen in men, with ductal carcinoma in situ and invasive lobular carcinoma accounting for only a small proportion of cases. The strongest risk factor for breast cancer among men is Klinefelter’s syndrome, a condition associated with high levels of estrogen. This rare condition occurs when men are born with two X chromosomes (XXY instead of XY).

Beginning at the age of 20, every woman should practice monthly breast self-exams and begin a routine program of breast health, including scheduling physician performed clinical breast exams at least every three years. As a woman ages, her risk of breast cancer also increases. About 77% of women with breast cancer are over age 50 at the time of diagnosis. Women between the ages of 20 and 29 account for only 0.3% of breast cancer cases. Beginning at the age of 40, all women should have annual screening mammograms, receive clinical breast exams each year, and practice breast self-exams every month.

HAVE YOU EXAMINED YOUR BREASTS YET??