Check Your Tatas

Although Breast Cancer Awareness Month is in October, I don’t think we can ever hear this information enough. Women and men tend to take this silent killer for granted until it hits close to home. Ladies, do your self-exams and scheduled mammograms. If you don’t like checking yourself, then let your significant other do it for you. I’m sure they will love it! Men, the same goes for you. GET CHECKED! It is better to remain proactive about your health rather than reactive. Here are a few interesting facts about breast cancer that should make us listen:

* More than 178,000 new cases of breast cancer are expected to be reported in 2009. Of these cases approximately 40,000 women will die.
* Breast cancer affects 1 in 8 women.
* It was estimated that more than 2,000 were be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008 and approximately 450 died from it.
* The majority of women with breast cancer have no family history of the disease.
* Over 70% of women diagnosed with breast cancer have no identifiable “risk factors.” (all are at risk and risk increases with age)
* The amount of breast tissue a woman has does not affect harm risk of developing breast cancer.
* Only 20-30% of women do monthly breast self-exams
* In 2008, it was estimated that approximately 2,000 could have been diagnosed with breast cancer and 450 could die from it.
* According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI) women’s chances of getting breast cancer according to age range  are:

Knowledge is power. Do something positive with it!
Data Source: American Cancer Society