CI Making Waves- Breast Cancer Awareness Month: WAVIT's Guide to Care and Support

Breast Cancer Awareness Month: WAVIT's Guide to Care and Support 

By Rachael Hinds, Senior Marketing Manager, Peerless-AV® 

Looking ahead at October, we’ll have our focus and care on Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  

So, what does that look like exactly? 

We’ll focus on and celebrate all the brave over four million survivors who have either completed treatment or are currently undergoing treatment during this immense, painful, and unthinkable adversity.  

Sadly, we’ll also focus on and fight the 310,720 new cases of invasive breast cancer diagnoses that individuals have had endure in 2024. We’ll focus on and mourn the loss of about 42,250 people who have lost their lives from breast cancer this year (statistics from the American Cancer Society). 

We’ll also focus on and acknowledge the fact that Black women are the most likely to die from breast cancer than any other race or ethnic group. It’s also important to note that 1% of all breast cancer cases are men. While it is more rare, men can often be diagnosed later and suffer from higher mortality rates.  

Most of all, October is a time to take all the possible measures to prevent breast cancer. Taking care and advocating for those impacted is essential, but so are self-care measures. Preventative healthcare is life-saving healthcare for many and taking the right actions can truly make all the difference in the world when it comes to lowering your risk and noticing symptoms.  

Learn and Understand Breast Cancer Risk Factors
Unfortunately, we still don’t know the cause of breast cancer. Some factors, such as old age and family history, are completely out of your control. However, there’s power in knowing and adhering to the risk factors that we can actively manage. Here are some great lifestyle changes, according to Advocate Health: 

  1. Maintain a healthy weight
  2. Eat a healthy diet full of fruits and vegetables and whole grains, with less processed foods, fatty foods, and red meat
  3. Exercise consistently, about four to seven hours a week is recommended
  4. Limit alcohol intake and stop smoking entirely
  5. Watch for any increased estrogen exposure (common with hormone replacement therapy) 

Take Part in Prevention Programs
One of the most important aspects of Breast Cancer Awareness Month is sharing just how important it is for people to take preventative action.  

While these measures don’t prevent cancer, many can be the crucial key to catching the disease while it is at an earlier, more treatable stage. Here are the two most common ways to take preventative action against breast cancer: 

  1. Mammograms

Perhaps one of the most important tools we have in the fight against breast cancer. By taking an X-ray of the breast, doctors can detect breast cancer as well as any other abnormalities present. Mammograms are essential because they can find cancer before it has gotten big enough to feel, which means it's at its most treatable stage. Also, mammograms are currently the only test that is actively proven to reduce breast cancer deaths. 

For women over 40, the American Cancer Society urges annual mammograms. This age demographic suffers from more aggressive cancer, notably due to certain factors like genetics and breast density. The median age for a diagnosis is 62, while only a small number of women are younger than 45 when diagnosed.  

  1. Self-examinations

There are certain warning signs to look out for, which means doing self-examination on yourself is incredibly important. Some common things to look out for are any kind of changes in the look or feel of the breast. You should seek medical attention if anything looks or feels different or abnormal.  

Spread Your Care Outward
In terms of preventative care, there are a lot of things that can be done to potentially lessen the chance of a breast cancer diagnosis down the line. For women, breast cancer is the most common cancer in the U.S., except for skin cancer. That means, there are countless people that need care and support. 

In terms of caring, loving, and showing empathy for the people all around the world impacted by this disease every single day, there’s also a lot that can be done. There’s a lot of power in having a support system. That can include family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, or anyone else. Some of these can also be online support groups or mentorship programs, similar to Women in AV/IT (WAVIT). 

Supporting charity organizations can also make all the difference. While October draws in a lot of attention and awareness for breast cancer, it’s important to turn conversation into action.  

Countless well-known charities work to provide different kinds of support, from financial assistance to supplying wigs to fitness programs and much more, to those fighting breast cancer. Some charities include the American Cancer Society, After Breast Cancer Diagnosis, Imerman Angels, and Chemo Angels, among so many others. Countless local organizations do a lot of good and need support as well, consider funding those. Local resources can be found through social workers at a hospital or even through social media initiatives like Facebook groups. By helping immediate people in your community, you can really make a difference you can actively see every day.  

Also, other charities are looking to find a cure, such as Stand Up To Cancer and the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, both are excellent organizations if you’re looking to send donations.  

As Breast Cancer Awareness Month gets closer, care and support are top-of-mind. That includes self-care, caring for family or friends, and amplifying support nationwide. 

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