October Is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Breast Cancer Awareness Month is an international health campaign observed every October to promote early detection, raise funds for research, and support those impacted by the disease. It emphasizes the importance of mammograms, educates on risk factors, and honors survivors while advocating for advanced metastatic treatments.

More than 2 million women around the world are diagnosed with breast cancer each year. Every year, more than 4,000 women and about 10-30 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer in British Columbia.

Make sure you get checked on a regular basis and if you think you find something like a lump or anything that is unfamiliar, don’t be afraid to go to your doctor. For those at average risk, have a mammogram every year starting at age 40. If you have any signs of breast cancer, finding it early and treating it early may save your life.  

Knowing your family history is lifesaving. Talk to a doctor about your family history and see how that history impacts your risk of breast cancer. You and your doctor can create a personalized plan to monitor for signs of the disease.

If you have been affected by breast cancer in any way, either you know someone or you’ve been personally gone through it, please know that you don’t have to go through it alone. There are so many people out there who understand and have experienced it themselves.

Your fight is our fight.