October is NATIONAL BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

That's right, friends. Today is OCTOBER 1, 2009, and October is officially BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH.

How will YOU recognize this critical health issue in October? Will you wear PINK every day? Will you color your hair PINK, like my friend Suzi's dog GIGI has done? Will you sport your PINK "breast cancer support" rubber wristband/s all month? Will you buy PINK products, or products that give a portion of sales to Breast Cancer Research? Will you eat PINK yogurt for breakfast, and will you order a PINK strawberry shake at the drive-thru? Will you carry a PINK purse, or wear PINK shoes, or a PINK hair clip? Maybe paint your finger or toe nails PINK ???

More importantly, will you talk to your daughters, sisters, mothers, aunts, cousins, neighbors, friends -- all the women you know -- to tell them what YOU know and what YOU have experienced when it comes to BREAST CANCER ?????

Do you have a relative or friend who has lost their battle with breast cancer? I do.

Do you have a relative or friend who is currently fighting for a full recovery, after finding out recently that they have breast cancer? I do.

Do you have relative or friend who has fought the fight and won, and is now all clear of her breast cancer? I do.

Do you have a relative or friend who participates in Races, Walks, and other Fundraisers on behalf of ... the American Cancer Society, the Susan G. Komen Foundation, or any one of the many organizations that fund cancer research? I do.

In 2008, we celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, the largest series of 5K runs/fitness walks in the world, with well over one million participants since 2005. The Komen Race for the Cure Series raises significant funds and awareness for the fight against breast cancer, celebrates breast cancer survivorship, and honors those who have lost their battle with the disease. To find out more about the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, and to find a race near you -- click here: http://ww5.komen.org/findarace.aspx



Here is the link for National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (the organization), with links there for patients and health care providers and caregivers, for those who have just been diagnosed, or for those who have a friend who has just been diagnosed ... this site offers the full gamut of resources:
http://nbcam.org/index.cfm



And an organization that has been around as long as I can remember, the AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY has a long history of raising cancer awareness: Beginning in 1946 with $1 million, the Society’s research program has invested about $3 billion in cancer research. The Society has funded 42 Nobel Prize winners early in their careers.

The American Cancer Society is the nationwide community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer through research, education, advocacy, and service. With more than two million volunteers nationwide, the American Cancer Society is one of the oldest and largest voluntary health agencies in the United States.



Click here to find out more about what the American Cancer Society is doing in the fight against breast cancer:
http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_6x_National_Breast_Cancer_Awareness_Month.asp



And with regards to PREVENTION, here's a link to the American Cancer Society's page on lowering your breast cancer risk, and celebrating breast cancer survivors: http://www.cancer.org/docroot/SPC/SPC_0.0.asp



This may seem unnecessary, but the President of the United States, Barack Obama, has formally proclaimed October 2009 as "Breast Cancer Awareness Month" -- I don't know if each President has done this, year in and year out, but here's the link to said proclamation in case you're interested:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Presidential-Proclamation-National-Breast-Cancer-Awareness-Month/



And yet another resource ... the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc. ... find them here:
http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/



And here's an easy one: just click on this link and then CLICK TO GIVE so that free mammograms can be provided ... to those who need them.
http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/

Whatever you do, please please please do something - anything - to help increase awareness of this critical health issue ... and remember ... women are not the only ones to be diagnosed with breast cancer. The American Cancer Society covers that topic here: ttp://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_1X_What_is_male_breast_cancer_28.asp

I wish you all an enlightened and informed OCTOBER, and I thank you for reading through this long post this morning.

-- Davielle