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Breast Cancer Awareness Month October can be a different experience for each of person – some wear pink to celebrate, some quietly observe the month, some feel grief, and some feel unseen or misunderstood. All experiences should be normalized. We can educate ourselves about what Breast Cancer Awareness Month means. Learn everything you can about breast cancer and identify Things to do this Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

What is Breast Cancer Awareness Month? Breast Cancer Awareness Month is held in October every year and was created in 1985 to promote screening and prevention of the disease, which affects one in eight women in the United States every year and 2.3 million women worldwide.

Known best for its pink theme color, the month features a number of campaigns and programs – conducted by groups ranging from breast cancer advocacy organizations to local community organizations to major retailers – aimed at supporting people diagnosed with breast cancer, including metastatic breast cancer educating about breast cancer risk factors stressing the importance of regular screening, starting at age 40 or the age that’s appropriate for your personal breast cancer risk and many fundraising events for breast cancer research Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day October 13 is nationally recognized in the United States as Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day.

About 30% of early-stage breast cancers eventually metastasize (spread to parts of the body away from the breast), and the day is intended to drive awareness of the need for more research about metastatic disease.

Learn More About Male Breast Cancer. Although generally considered a “woman’s disease,” men can develop breast cancer. For example, Peter Criss, the original drummer from the rock band Kiss, has spoken out about his diagnosis and successful treatment of breast cancer to help raise breast cancer awareness among men.

June is Men’s Health Month, a good time for men to take stock of their health and raise awareness about the many issues that can affect their health, including breast cancer.

Breast Cancer Risk Factors You Cannot Change

• Being a woman. Being Born female makes you more prone to breast cancer as compared to males.
• Age. Most invasive cancer cases have been diagnosed in women aged 55 and older.
• Inherited to genes. The BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are inherited and account for about 3% of breast cancers.
• Family history. You may be two to three times more at risk if you have first-degree relatives who have breast cancer.
• Race. Too often breast cancer is thought of as a disease that impacts older women, but nearly 10% of all breast cancer cases in the United are found in women younger than 45 years of age. If you’re young and black, the risks, incidence of diagnosis, and death rate are far greater than if you’re young and white. Still, far too many young women of color don’t know their risk for this disease or how to lower it.
• Personal history of breast cancer. Surviving breast cancer has an increased risk of getting cancer in the other breast.
• Early menstruation and late menopause. Menstruating before age 12 and experiencing menopause later than age 55 increases breast cancer risk due to longer exposure to estrogen.
• Breast density. Women with dense breasts are up to 2 times more likely to develop breast cancer than those with an average breast density.

Other breast cancer risk factors are requiring more in-depth investigation, such as diet and vitamins, chemical exposure, and working night shifts. Current findings are still inconclusive about their link with breast cancer.

“Mayo Clinic supports screening beginning at age 40 because screening mammograms can detect breast abnormalities early in women in their 40s,” the organization’s website states. “Findings from randomized trials of women in their 40s and 50s have demonstrated that screening mammograms decrease breast cancer deaths by 15 to 29 percent.”

“Breast self-exam (BSE), or regularly examining your breasts on your own, can be an important way to find a breast cancer early, when it’s more likely to be treated successfully,” according to the BreastCancer.org website. “Not every cancer can be found this way, but it is a critical step you can and should take for yourself.”

This all relates back to the pink ribbon that you’ll see throughout October. Breast Cancer Awareness Month is synonymous with a pink ribbon. Businesses will sometimes place pink ribbons on the doors; women who have been affected by breast cancer (or those that support them) will wear pink. 

Self-care is invaluable at all times, but when there are health issues stressing the body it’s important to be more intentional about taking care of yourself. It’s normal to feel ups and downs when you are living with cancer. Older people are sometimes at greater risk of feeling down as they handle their diagnosis and go through treatment.

Taking Care of Your Emotional Well-Being

While a lot of cancer treatment talk is about keeping your body healthy, it’s also important to take care of your emotional well-being. Here are some ideas that may help.

• Keep your mind active. Give your mind some exercise and have a little fun too. Activities such as reading a book, listening to an audiobook or doing a puzzle can be just what you need to help shake off the blues or keep your mind busy while receiving treatment.

• Have some quiet time. Sit and breathe in a quiet place—no TVs or cellphones—for a few minutes. This is sometimes called “meditation” or “mindfulness.” There are also free websites and apps that offer guided meditation. Sometimes, just hearing a calm voice telling you to breathe in and breathe out can help you feel more relaxed.

• Get physical. Your physical and mental health go hand and hand. This means improving your physical health can help improve your emotional well-being. Go out for a walk or try some low-impact exercises and stretches.

• Stay connected. Being social can also be helpful. There is a lot of technology today that you can use to connect with friends and family. You can do this without leaving home by using your phone, computer or tablet.

• Get some fresh air. A change of scenery and a little sun can go a long way. Spend time outdoors. Visit a park or sit in your yard.

• Write in a journal. Journaling has many benefits. Labeling your feelings and acknowledging them has a positive effect on your mood. All you need is a pen and paper! If writing is not your thing, there are coloring books made for adults that can help increase mindfulness.

• Start a new hobby. Discover a hobby that you haven’t tried in a while.  Have you considered bird watching?

• Speak with a professional. It’s normal for sad feelings to come and go. But if they linger, or if you’re feeling a sense of sadness that impacts your treatment or daily life, it’s perfectly acceptable to talk to a professional. Know it’s OK to not be OK; seeing a counselor can help you work through your feelings in a healthy way.

Tips for Family

• It can be scary to learn someone you care about has breast cancer. You might feel sad or worried and wonder how you can help them get through it. With the right steps, you can make things easier for your loved one and yourself after their diagnosis and during treatment.

• Write your questions down so you don’t forget them. If it’s OK with your loved one, you can go with them to an appointment and ask the doctor about them.

• Be prepared for changes in your loved one’s behavior and mood. Medications, side effects from treatment, and stress may make them feel depressed, angry or tired.

• Encourage them to be active and to do as much for themselves as possible. It will help them feel a sense of control.

• Try to keep a positive attitude.

• Accept that there are events you cannot control.

• Think about joining a support group for family and friends of people with breast cancer.

I hope these educational tips and tools are helpful. Remember that health is wealth.

Your body keeps score.