Did you know that breast cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer across the globe? Let’s stand together and raise awareness. Our collective efforts can change the trajectory of this disease. -UICC

The breast cancer awareness month is rounding up, but that doesn’t mean we should round up. We can keep spreading it via talks, seminars, activities, and the likes. With the theme “no one should face breast cancer alone,” this year’s awareness has been a lot more inclusive of people.  Breast Cancer Awareness Month is an international campaign that’s held every October for health reasons. The month aims to promote screening and prevention of the disease, which affects roughly 2.3 million women worldwide according to breast cancer.org.

What is the breast cancer awareness month aimed at:

So, the breast cancer awareness month is aimed at:
Supporting people diagnosed with breast cancer.
Educating people about breast cancer risk factors.
Encouraging women to go for regular breast cancer screening at an early age.
Raise funds for breast cancer research. Note that this information is provided by the reliable website of Breastcancer.org.

In the month of October, there are also specific dates designed to raise awareness of specific groups within the breast cancer community. For example: 13th October is Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness.  The 3rd week of October is for male breast cancer awareness. Breast cancer survivor day and breast health day all fall in October, which is the general month for breast cancer 🎀.

This month has seen a series of activism to beat out breast cancer by different organizations. Either by taking long walks for cancer, offering free screening for early breast cancer detection, creating merchs for public awareness, school visitation, or having access to interviewing doctors for more clarity. But undeniably, awareness has been established on not just cancer but breast cancer.

Did you know men also have breast cancer? It’s not a myth.

Teamed up with Think Pink organization 🎀 to understand the purpose and core foundation of the organization and girrrlll, was it insightful. You can hear more about it on the podcast channel, ARE YOU LISTENING? #AYL by Maryam Bakari for more depth. https://open.spotify.com/show/1aZzk6ktGeI1OYhHoTzRZv

Doctor Rabi Mado, founder of Think pink 🎀 an oncologist and radiographer, was the perfect doctor to chat with. On a rainy day, Dr. Ray visits me for a session for the AYL podcast, had some tea and pasta, and talked so much about breasts and the most scary threat to them. Well, here are a couple of questions asked: (listen to more on the podcast, Are You Listening?)

P.O.T.S: What is think pink all about?

Dr.R: Well, October is an internationally recognized month for breast cancer. We know that the pink ribbon signifies breast cancer awareness. So Think Pink is basically thinking for breast cancer, thinking about the pink month. That’s how Think Pink came about. Nothing complicated.

P.O.T.S: is there a home made remedy for breast cancer 🎀?

Dr.R: Nope, nothing homemade could cure cancer. Cancer is a disease strictly for hospitals. People give so many excuse to not go to the hospital like “oh cancer doesn’t like hospital” but that’s not true. The sooner you visit the hospital, the easier it is to cure.

P.O.T.S: Tell us 3 important facts about cancer.

Dr.R: Firstly, men can have breast cancer, too. Secondly, people get scared when they hear cancer, even me personally. But there is a cure for it, just that early detection is key. Thirdly, it can be prevented (yeah, that is a win right there)

P.O.T.S: What steps can one do to avoid a disease like cancer?

Dr.R: Basically, there are some eisk factors one can avoid, but importantly, just try and adhere to a good lifestyle choice. Diet and exercise go a long way. We are in a generation where we are lazy to do more our bodies. A simple daily stroll could go a long way. Also, do some regular checkups, like I said earlier, “early detection is key”.

There, you have it, some snippets regarding this annoying cancer that we have to curb before it kills us. Let’s save out titty’s!! On the podcast, you’ll learn how to self examine at home. Isn’t that exciting?

For a disease this bad, it does have a very pretty color. Short story on how the pink ribbon came to be: it goes back all the way to 1992. So, the pink ribbon came into play after Alexandra Penney, SELF magazine’s Editor-in-Chief, partnered with Evelyn Lauder, Estée Lauder’s Senior Corporate Vice President and a breast cancer survivor in United State of America, to distribute pink ribbons after the magazine’s second annual Breast Cancer Awareness Month issue. From then, it made major headlines and media coverages that it got adopted to be the official color and cancer signature look. 🎀

Do not let the awareness month end abruptly, girlies, and keep up research and educate yourself and people around you. Like the theme says, “no one should face breast cancer alone.” It is not a death sentence, and it is not contagious. When we unite, we can conquer. 🎀

Cheers to the soft life 🥂