Breast Cancer Awareness Month
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The pink ribbon became the symbol for breast cancer awareness in 1993, when the Susan G. Komen Foundation sponsored a New York City foot race for survivors of breast cancer; race sponsors gave each runner a pink ribbon to commemorate their victory over a disease that claims the lives of nearly 500,000 women each year.
Breast cancer is the second leading cause of death among women. All people, whether male or female, are born with some breast cells and tissue that have the possibility to develop into cancer. However, breast cancer in men is rare, with only about 2,190 diagnoses each year. The best way to fight breast cancer is to have a plan that helps you detect the disease in its early stages.
Gala would like to encourage all women and men to perform personal breast exams monthly. A follow up with your primary care physicians on a regular basis and yearly mammograms are also encouraged to help ensure that early detection is possible should you be a candidate for breast cancer.
Finally, Gala encourages everyone to support your local charities in the fight against breast cancer. Hopefully, a cure will be found sooner than later but until then, stay strong, keep fighting and help others to fight as well!