Everything Elyse: October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month (2011)

Happy Monday! Let's Think Pink!

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month . This month marks 25 years of awareness.

Over the course of a lifetime 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer.
A woman's chance of getting breast cancer is 100 times greater than a man.

Breast cancer is a cancer that starts in the tissues of the breast. There are two main types of breast cancer:

Ductal Carcinoma starts in the tubes (ducts) that move milk from the breast to the nipple. Most breast cancers are of this type.
Lobular carcinoma starts in the parts of the breast, called lobules, that produce milk.

In rare cases, breast cancer can start in other areas of the breast.

Breast cancer may be invasive or noninvasive. Invasive means it has spread from the milk duct or lobule to other tissues in the breast. Noninvasive means it has not yet invaded other breast tissues. Noninvasive breast cancer is called "in situ."

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), or intraductal carcinoma, is breast cancer in the lining of the milk ducts that has not yet invaded nearby tissues. It may progress to invasive cancer if untreated.
Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) is a marker for an increased risk of invasive cancer in the same or both breasts.

(This info was take from PubMed Health )

Twelve years ago I was diagnosed with intraductal carcinoma. My cancer was found by accident. I was scheduled to have a suspicious lump removed from my left breast. My mammography also showed that I had calcifications in my right breast. My surgeon was not extremely concerned about them. But he said that since I was having the surgery for my left breast he would also take out the calcifications in my right breast. Well it turned out the suspicious lump in my left breast was benign and the calcifications in my right breast were cancer. I had a lumpectomy followed by six weeks of radiation and then took Tamoxifen for five years. I was very lucky that my surgeon decided to take out the calcifications.
My cancer was Stage 0, sometimes referred to as a precancer. If I didn't have those calcifications removed I would eventually be dealing with cancer greater than Stage 0. Most times calcifications are benign. Mine weren't.
There are so many women who ARE dealing with breast cancer greater than Stage 0. We all know someone. We have to do whatever we can to help find a cure.
This month so many companies, stores, online sites, etc. are helping. As I type this post the Giant game is on. On the team's jackets and helmets is the breast cancer ribbon. The towels, their socks and their wristbands are pink. Let's hear it for the "Giants." The "Jets" too. Pink cleats! Pink Spirit is everywhere!
This weekend I was in Bloomingdales and I saw the pink spirit throughout the store. Bloomingdales is having a sweepstakes to support breast cancer research. Visit here.

Ladies, let's unite and help support breast cancer research. This month look for companies, stores, and online sites supporting this important cause.
See what "Yoplait" is donating with your help.

I took these pics in Bloomingdales.