WEAR PINK RIBBONS!

Hi Everyone,

Thanks so much for stopping by my blog. If you did not arrive here via my website I’d like to tell you about a wonderful contest some fellow romance writers and I are hosting. It’s called the Breast Cancer Awareness Contest and begins on October 1st. We’ll be giving away romantic and inspiring gifts to winners. All you need to do to be in the running to win one of these prizes is visit each of the websites listed in the upper right hand corner of this blog and find the hostess’s WEAR PINK RIBBONS! Blog entry. Each hostess will discuss a topic of her choice—all dealing with breast cancer. Just note the topic and author on a list that you must e-mail to happyendings2007@aol.com by midnight CST October 31st.

My topic is listed below. Please take the time to read the article I’ve provided, it’s very important!

The following article was written by and can be found at http://www.imaginis.com/breasthealth/earlydetection.asp (I am not the author of this article)

Guidelines Women Should Follow for Early Detection of Breast Cancer

Early detection of breast cancer can lead to greater likelihood of cure. The American Cancer Society recommends the following guidelines for the detection of breast cancer in women who are asymptomatic (show no symptoms of breast cancer):

Women 20 years of age and older should women should be told about the benefits and limitations of breast self-exams (BSE). Women should be aware of how their breasts normally feel and report any new breast change to a health professional as soon as they are found. [Note: while the American Cancer Society recently amended its guidelines and no longer recommends monthly BSE, many healthcare professionals believe strongly in this easy, no cost method of screening for breast cancer and continue to recommend BSE on a monthly basis].

Women 20-39 should have a physical examination of the breast (CBE or clinical breast exam) at least every three years, performed by health care professional such as a physician, physician assistant, nurse or nurse practitioner. CBE may often be received in the same appointment as a Pap smear. Women 20-39 should also perform monthly BSE.

Women 40 and older should have a physical examination of the breast (CBE or clinical breast exam) every year, performed by a health care professional, such as a physician, physician assistant, nurse or nurse practitioner. CBE can often be performed in the same visit as a mammogram. Monthly BSE should also be performed.


Women 40 years of age should receive a screening mammogram every year. The National Cancer Institute recommends mammography every one to two years for women between 40-50 years of age. Beginning at age 50, screening mammography should be performed every year.

Women with a high risk of breast cancer and/or family history of breast cancer are encouraged to consult their doctor or other trained medical professional about receiving annual screening mammograms starting between the ages of 30 and 40.

Woman at a very high risk of breast cancer (such as those tested positive for the BRCA1 and BRCA2 breast cancer genes) should speak with their physician about beginning annual mammograms as early as age 25.

I would like to comment in addition to the information provided above a nurse was kind enough to swing by this blog and leave a comment. Only a physician is qualified to give a breast exam and it's a very good idea to get a breast exam yearly. My mom is a second time breast cancer survivor so I know that I will!

Sky

Some site’s worth checking out…


http://nbcam.org/
http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/
http://www.thebreastcancersite.com/clickToGive/home.faces?siteId=2&ThirdPartyClicks=prcnbcf