October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but let’s be real… we’re pretty well aware of breast cancer. It’s the most common form of cancer among women in the world according to the World Health Organization, and it accounts for nearly one-third of all cancer cases in women.
So we’re well aware of breast cancer… but what about the details? Knowledge is power: the more we know about breast cancer and how to find it, the more we can do to help stop it in its tracks. Here are some key facts to remember as noted by our partner, the Keep A Breast Foundation:
- About 1 in 8 women will get breast cancer in their lifetime.
- Approximately 12,000 women aged 40 or younger are diagnosed with breast cancer every year.
- According to Johns Hopkins Medical Center, 40% of diagnosed breast cancers are detected by women who feel a lump.
- When breast cancer is detected early, in the localized stage, the 5-year survival rate is 98%.
With this in mind, how can we use this knowledge to empower ourselves and others? The quick answer: self-checks. According to Dr. Sujal Mandavia, MD (the Chief Medical Officer of Carbon Health), “Self-checks are an important tool that serves as a first line of defense in detecting breast cancer, and the main barrier to accessing this critical tool is lack of education and awareness.”
One great way to fill that education and awareness gap is to download the Keep A Breast App, which is a wonderful free resource for monthly self-check tutorials, stories from survivors, key information, and quick connections with telehealth medical professionals if you have questions during your check!
As Keep A Breast likes to say, when you educate yourself, you empower yourself.
Happy self-checking!
