Breast Cancer Awareness Month is coming to an end, and I have to post about the importance of this month to our readers. Breast cancer is not only a worry for women, but men. Simply getting older and being a woman puts us at a greater risk. We have to make sure we know what we can do to protect ourselves and the ones we love from such a devastating epidemic.
My personal emotional ties with breast cancer comes through the experience that my grandmother had to face in September of 2011. She was diagnosed with breast cancer and in turn had to have her breast removed. I remember literally crawling up on my grandmother just to lay across her chest because she had the biggest breast and that was how as a child, she would comfort us and put us to sleep. My grandmother is very brave and strong, and even though I know she was worried, she didn't complain, or want us to stress over the news that she would have to have her breast removed. I believe it hurt me more than it did her. I just could not believe that she had to go through this. I questioned my faith in God asking "Why Her?" the most God fearing, loving and the warmest spirit that I have ever encountered.. WHY HER? I just didn't understand. That was the first time in my life that I even realized that cancer didn't have a heart, it didn't care who it affected, and it surely didn't care about who was naughty or nice.
That year, I felt that I had to do whatever it was to celebrate her struggle with the disease. I looked into breast cancer foundations, and quickly decided that as a woman, I had to make sure I did my job to help find a cure. This is when and why I have made it a promise to walk annually in the Susan G Komen race for a cure and encourage every young women I know to do so as well, or at very lease donate to the cause.
This year's walk was held October 20th at Bayfront Park In Miami FL. We woke up before sunrise and gathered to walk 5k (3.1 miles) in honor of those who lost their lives, or in celebration of those who survived. I was able to encourage 25 other participants to register and walk, with the help of Jemes of King Fitness. Its such an experience, and I always feel so great and full of life after being around thousands of survivors or family of those who are walking in memory of someone who lost their life to the disease.
As a woman, I feel that certain things are just too important not to be involved with. If I have the smallest impact its better than none and as long as I have a voice I will use it to promote the importance of this cause, and I encourage everyone to do the same.
About 1 in 8 U.S. women (just under 12%) will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime.
In 2011, an estimated 230,480 new cases of invasive breast cancer were expected to be diagnosed in women in the U.S., along with 57,650 new cases of non-invasive (in situ) breast cancer.
About 2,140 new cases of invasive breast cancer were expected to be diagnosed in men in 2011. A man’s lifetime risk of breast cancer is about 1 in 1,000.
From 1999 to 2005, breast cancer incidence rates in the U.S. decreased by about 2% per year. The decrease was seen only in women aged 50 and older. One theory is that this decrease was partially due to the reduced use of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) by women after the results of a large study called the Women’s Health Initiative were published in 2002. These results suggested a connection between HRT and increased breast cancer risk.
About 39,520 women in the U.S. were expected to die in 2011 from breast cancer, though death rates have been decreasing since 1990 — especially in women under 50. These decreases are thought to be the result of treatment advances, earlier detection through screening, and increased awareness.
For women in the U.S., breast cancer death rates are higher than those for any other cancer, besides lung cancer.
Besides skin cancer, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among American women. Just under 30% of cancers in women are breast cancers.
White women are slightly more likely to develop breast cancer than African-American women. However, in women under 45, breast cancer is more common in African-American women than white women. Overall, African-American women are more likely to die of breast cancer. Asian, Hispanic, and Native-American women have a lower risk of developing and dying from breast cancer.
In 2011, there were more than 2.6 million breast cancer survivors in the US.
A woman’s risk of breast cancer approximately doubles if she has a first-degree relative (mother, sister, daughter) who has been diagnosed with breast cancer. About 15% of women who get breast cancer have a family member diagnosed with it.
About 5-10% of breast cancers can be linked to gene mutations (abnormal changes) inherited from one’s mother or father. Mutations of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are the most common. Women with these mutations have up to an 80% risk of developing breast cancer during their lifetime, and they are more likely to be diagnosed at a younger age (before menopause). An increased ovarian cancer risk is also associated with these genetic mutations.
In men, about 1 in 10 breast cancers are believed to be due to BRCA2 mutations, and even fewer cases to BRCA1 mutations.
About 85% of breast cancers occur in women who have no family history of breast cancer. These occur due to genetic mutations that happen as a result of the aging process and life in general, rather than inherited mutations.
The most significant risk factors for breast cancer are gender (being a woman) and age (growing older).
I'd Like To Give a Special Thank You To My Fellow Bloggers @1RedDiamond and @MeanGirl_Ro for walking!
That year, I felt that I had to do whatever it was to celebrate her struggle with the disease. I looked into breast cancer foundations, and quickly decided that as a woman, I had to make sure I did my job to help find a cure. This is when and why I have made it a promise to walk annually in the Susan G Komen race for a cure and encourage every young women I know to do so as well, or at very lease donate to the cause. 
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