October 1st officially marks the start of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) is urging everyone to remember the steps of early detection and to spread the word to others to pay attention to this serious condition.
Did You Know?
> The ratio of women who will get diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime is 1:8.
> Men can also get breast cancer, even though it’s rare. In fact, about 410 men will die from breast cancer each year in the United States.
> For women, breast cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States.
> More than 40,000 women will die each year, out of the 220,000 women diagnosed with breast cancer in the nation.
> The World Health Organization (WHO) affirms that breast cancer is the most common form of cancer found in women around the globe.
Good News
The past few years have marked a reduction in the number of breast cancer incidence rates for women in their 50s and over. This is credited to factors such as a decrease in the use of hormone replacement therapy by women in menopause along with enhanced screening and early detection procedures.
Visit the NBCF website for more information about the disease and how you can create an early detection plan, as well as a fundraiser for helping women in need get mammograms.