You’ve no doubt noticed pink all over the place this month, which can only mean one thing, it’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
It’d feel strange not to share something about it, though I know there are far larger platforms than mine shouting up about it right now.
I suppose I feel that if this post reaches just that one extra person, then it’s a piece worth writing.
I’m aware that it’s a cancer that gets a lot of the spotlight. We all know about the pink ribbons, the awareness month, the pink products in shops to boost awareness and funds. This is the most common cancer in the UK, representing 15% of all new cancer cases. A woman is diagnosed with breast cancer every 10 minutes and a man every day.
This means plenty of research is taking place to better understand the risk factors, how to find it early, to improve the treatments, and ultimately, increase survival rates. Hence, the fundraising and the Pink month.
What can you do? Spread the word, buy the pink products, learn more about this, wear pink on the 18th, get involved with fundraising, but more importantly than any of this, you can check yourself.
Please check your breasts and attend your routine mammograms if you’re offered them.
And if you do find a lump or another suspicious sign? I know it’s scary. I know you might feel happier not knowing and hoping it’ll go away. If it’s cancer, it won’t be going away, it’ll just be growing whilst you try to ignore it. Please don’t ignore it. The earlier you get onto this, the more treatable it will be.
Breast cancer has a two week referral system here in the UK, so if your GP refers you, you will likely be attending a breast clinic within a fortnight.
At the clinic, you can expect to complete a medical questionnaire, see a consultant who will talk through your symptoms with you and examine you, and attend a mammogram and ultrasound scan. In some cases, there may also be a biopsy.
Just because you’ve found a lump, it doesn’t mean it’s something to worry about, as more often than not it’s not cancer. But you can’t assume your lump is benign, let the experts determine that.
I’m talking about lumps, but it isn’t just lumps that you need to be looking for, as not all breast cancers present in this way and some lumps can’t be felt easily.
You can check out all signs and symptoms now over on Breast Cancer Now’s site, and there is loads more information over there if you’re looking to better understand this.
And please don’t assume it won’t be you as you’re too young, have no family history of it, are otherwise fit and healthy, all of these kinds of things, as it can still happen. It happened to me and I know countless other breast cancer fighters who can say the same. Don’t assume, get it checked out.
None of us want to be told we have cancer. None of us want to face that reality. None of us want to go through surgery and treatment. None of us want to deal with the emotional fallout.
None of us really believe it’ll happen to us. Until it does.
Please don’t leave it really late to find out, don’t ignore any signs. If you’re reading this and you’ve a niggling worry about a sign or symptom, please take this as your sign to call your GP today and get that clinic referral. It’s probably nothing, I hope it’s nothing, but it’s always going to be best to find out.
Be breast cancer aware. Read everything you see, and there’ll no doubt be plenty of it this month, and above all else, check your breasts regularly.