Breast Cancer Awareness Month is upon us and I thought it was only fitting to post something to help the cause.
For those of you that don't know I am an active advocate of "Relay For Life". Last summer I went to a few of them with my sister~in~law to support her as a 3 time SURVIVOR. She endured Breast Cancer twice and Cervical Cancer. Not only has she battled herself she had to battle along side her daughter, age 30 and the mother of 4 young sons. Sadly I tell you that my niece lost her battle last Dec. So I truly do honor my sister~in~law... to me she is a Hero on so many levels. So I thought it would be nice to share this information with everyone so maybe help just 1 person so that early prevention might just save a life.
1. Know your risk
•Talk to your family to learn about your family health history
•Talk to your provider about your personal risk of breast cancer
2. Get screened
•Ask your doctor which screening tests are right for you if you are at a higher risk
•Have a mammogram every year starting at age 40 if you are at average risk
•Have a clinical breast exam at least every 3 years starting at 20, and every year starting at 40
3. Know what is normal for you
See your health care provider right away if you notice any of these breast changes:
•Lump, hard knot or thickening
•Swelling, warmth, redness or darkening
•Change in the size or shape of the breast
•Dimpling or puckering of the skin
•Itchy, scaly sore or rash on the nipple
•Pulling in of your nipple or other parts of the breast
•Nipple discharge that starts suddenly
•New pain in one spot that doesn’t go away
4. Make healthy lifestyle choices
•Maintain a healthy weight
•Add exercise into your routine
•Limit alcohol intake
(reference: www.komen.org)
No comments:
Post a Comment