On Eradicating Breast Cancer

Maybe you know the statistics and maybe you don’t…

Did you know that Breast Cancer is one of the top killers of women? “An estimated 182,460 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to occur among women in the United States during 2008. An estimated 40,480 women will die from breast cancer.”* It is important to know that “the older a woman, the more likely she is to get breast cancer, white women are more likely to get breast cancer than women of any other racial or ethnic group, [but] African American women are more likely to die from breast cancer than white women. However, the 5-year survival rate for all women diagnosed with breast cancer is 89%. … In fact, when breast cancer is found early and confined to the breast, the 5-year survival rate is 98%.”**

And did you know that it can also occur in men? “It is estimated that 1,990 men will be diagnosed and 450 men will die of breast cancer during 2008.”* It is possible for men to get breast cancer, though “less than 1 of every 100 cases of breast cancer in the US occurs in men.”**

With statistics like these, it shows you how important it is to get your mammogram when your doctor tells you to.

But if you don’t have breast cancer, it doesn’t mean that it can’t affect you. Supporting the awareness, education and prevention are just as important. So, join the Army! Serve your country! I did, and I’m proud of it.

No, not that army. It’s the Army of Women. It’s a movement… “One million women, one goal, one revolutionary opportunity.” The Love/Avon Army of Women offers an opportunity for YOU to partner with research scientists to move us beyond a cure, to prevention. By recruiting one million healthy women of all ages and ethnicity, including breast cancer survivors and women identified as high risk, they hope to learn more about breast cancer and hopefully eradiate it. Sign up and learn more by going to www.armyofwomen.org.

I consider myself lucky that I don’t know anyone with breast cancer. Never have, and hopefully, never will. But the odds of that being true are, sad to say, pretty slim. Still, I feel somewhat removed from the disease and it’s impact. Maybe you do, too. That’s why Breast Cancer Awareness month is a good reminder that we’re all potentially one friend, one daughter, sister or mother away from feeling the emotional and physical pain, fear, apprehension and life changing effects of cancer. There are many ways to support breast cancer research. Join the Army of Women, for one. Participate in a run; make a donation. Purchase an item that donates a portion of the proceeds to research. Some of our favorites are shown below:

Gianna Rose Pink Ribbon Soaps $29. Scented with fresh linen, this box of 4 french-milled soaps are embossed with a pink ribbon, and come nestled in a beautiful gift box.

15% of proceeds from the sale of this product will be donated by Gianna Rose to the Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation.

Shown above: Pinwheel Pink Vera Bradley File Folders $16.50, Notecubes $16, Paperweights $29, Stick-to-It Sticky Notes Flags $13, Notecards $14.50, Stationery $29 and pens $20. Also available is a ribbon board $51.

Vera Bradley donates 3% of the net proceeds from sales of the products in the Pinwheel Pink pattern. Pearl white correspondence cards with a pink ribbon icon at the top. Coordinating pink mist envelopes. Boxes are wrapped with a pink ribbon for gift presentation $29.

A stationery ensemble that shows where your heart is. Your purchase directly benefits breast cancer awareness and screening programs. $2 per box will be donated directly to a breat cancer organization.

Shown above: Hope Abloom T-Shirt $38. Black stretch tee beset with pink and clear crystal blossoms featuring an hourglass waist and cap sleeves; Blanc Give Hope Jean $68. Universal fit, eased through the hip and thigh, sits just below the waist. Embellished with pink and clear crystals at pocket corners and rhinestone-studded back pockets. Embroidered Breast Cancer Awareness ribbon patch. Pink and tan stitching throughout. "Give Hope" embroidered on inside of waistband. Pockets are lined with a script-printed fabric. 33" inseam. Front zip with shank closure.

Net proceeds from the Give Hope Collection up to $200,00 and will be donated to Living Beyond Breast Cancer, a national non-profit organization dedicated to empowering all women affected by breast cancer.

*Susan G. Komen Foundation (http://cms.komen.org/komen/AboutBreastCancer/BreastFacts/Statistics/index.htm), **Susan G. Komen Foundation: Breast Cancer Facts (http://cms.komen.org/komen/AboutBreastCancer/BreastFacts/FastFactsbyTopic/index.htm)