Today is my annual mammogram appointment. Now, I’m extremely methodical when it comes to getting my mammogram done every year, so I’d like to take this time to remind anyone who is 20 years of age or older that is reading this post to give yourself a self-breast exam today. That’s right – even you men.
Don’t know how? Here’s a 5-step explanation of how to do it: http://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/testing/types/self_exam/bse_steps.jsp
If you’re over 40 and have been slacking with your annual mammogram, consider this:
- A woman has a 1 in 8 chance of developing breast cancer in her lifetime.
- Every 3 minutes, there is a new diagnosis of invasive breast cancer.
- Approximately 230,480 women and 2,140 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year.
- Every 13 minutes, a life is lost to breast cancer.
- 39,520 women and 450 men in the U.S. will die from the disease annually.
- The National Cancer Institute estimates that approximately 2.6 million U.S. women with a history of breast cancer are living today, more than half of whom were diagnosed less than 10 years earlier. Most of these individuals were cancer-free, while others still had evidence of cancer and may still be undergoing treatment.
- There are more than 250,000 women under the age of 40 in the U.S. living with breast cancer, and over 11,000 will be diagnosed this year.
- White, non-Hispanic women are more likely to develop breast cancer but African-American women are more likely to die from it.
- Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among Hispanic women.
So go ahead – check yourself out. Remind your loved-ones too. And take one minute to schedule a reminder for 6/18/2013 on your calendar to check yourself again next year or use this convenient online service: http://www.mammographysaveslives.org/Reminder.aspx
Stay healthy!