Tickled Pink, or Overwhelmed by Breast Cancer Awareness Information?

Of all the months in the year, October bombards us with everything pink. We see pink ribbons on shirts, hats, and shoes. There are posters, billboards, pink bras, and boxing gloves telling us to "Fight Like a Girl." It can be overwhelming. Maybe some are tired of seeing and hearing about it.

I was tired, too. Tired of my breasts being poked, pushed, and squished.  They were scrutinized then analyzed, and yes, they were victimized... by cancer. 

To add to the list, not only did I have my general practitioner and gynecologist, I now had a radiologist and an oncologist. 

When visiting my dentist, I immediately began to pull my arms through their sleeves and I looked around for the gown - "with the opening in the front, please."

My breasts were no longer private and I began to think of them as extra elbows or knees, body parts that I didn't mind showing to everyone in the eastern half of Connecticut, which made me thankful that I didn't live in a big state, like Texas or Alaska.

And then it began... the inundation of information.  Not red flags, but pink ones, were flying high and waving me their way.  There was so much to process and I didn't know where to begin.  Information came by mail, over the telephone, and through my many doctors.  I even started receiving pamphlets from AARP and The Scooter Store, which had little to do with having cancer, but still I was annoyed.

I have provided some links to websites that I feel are beneficial in making some sense of what you can do.

Know your risk.  Such as gender, age, genetics.  Do you have a personal or family history of breast cancer?  There are also lifestyle-related factors to consider.  http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/BreastCancer/DetailedGuide/breast-cancer-risk-factors

Early detection and prevention.  The most important thing you can do is to get your yearly mammogram and perform self-breast-exams.  Women need to know how their breasts feel and look in order to detect any changes.  Here is a link to free or low cost screening locations (as well as who should be screened and at what age this needs to begin on a yearly basis):  http://www.cdc.gov/cancer/nbccedp/screenings.htm

Sorting through all of the information out there can be a huge undertaking, and a monumental task.  I found this site very helpful and easy to navigate:  http://www.informationaboutcancer.com/breast-cancer/learning-about/index.html

Susan G. Komen for the Cure is an excellent resource:  http://ww5.komen.org/ and http://ww5.komen.org/BreastCancer/UnderstandingBreastCancer.html

More clinical information can be found here:  http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/types/breast

Another source is phoning 211 (Infoline).  The United Way lists 40 locations in Connecticut where screening is available.

The Department of Public Health also provides screening at little or no cost.  Here is information for Connecticut:  http://www.ct.gov/dph/cwp/view.asp?a=3124&q=388824&dphPNavCtr=47735

My calendar is almost as demanding as the president's, and while he is busy with saving the world, I will keep busy with saving myself and doing what I can to help spread the word. 

This article is the second in a series, the first, , was published September 26, 2011.