By: BHS Features Staff
October 2, 2024
October is The United States’ way of recognizing those who, unfortunately, suffer and have suffered from breast cancer.
The American Cancer Society partnered with Imperial Chemical Industries started Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It originated as a week-long awareness campaign but later grew into a month-long event.
The original goal of Breast Cancer Awareness Month was to educate women about breast cancer and to show them how to detect early warning signs. One of their goals was to promote mammograms as an important tool for detecting and treating breast cancer.
Many people wear pink ribbons to show support for those who are struggling with breast cancer or for those who have passed away from this very aggressive disease. One of the biggest supporters of breast cancer awareness is the NFL.
Now during October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month is used as a way to celebrate and encourage women who have breast cancer and the survivors to share their stories. It is also dedicated to raising funds for research and other related causes of breast cancer. Simply, it is a month of hope and inspiration.
Former First Lady Betty Ford helped kick off the week-long event, as she was also a breast cancer survivor. She was diagnosed during her husband Gerald Ford’s term as President of The United States. With her contributions, she helped bring more awareness to people.
Not only can women suffer from breast cancer, but men can get it, too. Albeit rare for it to happen to men, 1-out-of-100 breast cancer diagnoses in the U.S. is found in a man. In 2021, President Joe Biden declared October 17-23 to be Men’s Breast Cancer Awareness Week.
Metastatic Breast Cancer, also known as stage four breast cancer, is a cancer that can spread to other parts of the body, beyond the breasts. This happens when cancerous cells travel into the bloodstream or lymphatic system. The most common area for the cells to spread is to the bones, causing bone cancer. Unfortunately, around 30 percent of breast cancers can return as metastatic. In 2009, October 13 was dedicated as Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day.
Some people may not fully support Breast Cancer Awareness Month because many people overlook the awareness. People may see it as a pink celebration, causing fewer people to research the risks. People have also noticed that some product brands add pink ribbons to their packages to attract more customers, even if the products increase the risk of breast cancer.
Unfortunately, anyone can get breast cancer at any time. The youngest person to get breast cancer was an eight-year-old girl named Chrissy Turner. When she was diagnosed, her parents were in shock, not knowing what to do.
“It was such a shock. No child should have to go through cancer,” her mother Annette Turner exclaimed.
Chrissy had a rare form of cancer called Secretory Carcinoma.
Her mom explained that “Only one in one million are diagnosed, and she is the youngest that they’ve run across having this particular type of breast cancer.”
Chrissy had to go through a mastectomy to remove her breast tissue so that she would not run the risk of getting breast cancer again.
Joanne V. LaFrance, a 77-year-old cancer survivor, shared her story of dealing with breast cancer. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021, and she previously dealt with colon cancer and bladder cancer in 2017. After her first appointment when she learned she had breast cancer, she was depressed, anxious, and devastated. This got so bad that her doctor prescribed her antidepressants. To learn more about her story, visit Breast Cancer Personal Stories.
No one has ever asked for this disease, so please show your support for all victims by wearing some form of pink this month or by donating to Cancer Research.
Stay Strong, and Fight On!
{Information sourced from Brevard Health Alliance, CDC, and Breast Cancer Awareness Month.}
THE RETURN OF THE EYE 