What Action Have You Taken?

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the last 25 years, you know that October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Pink ribbons are everywhere and people actually think they are doing their part “for the cause” if they wear a pink ribbon on their shirt. Last night at church some of the middle school girls were sporting pink ribbon school uniform shirts-which part of the proceeds for the special shirt went to a breast cancer charity-though the girl didn’t know which one, and another girl had drawn a shape of the “pink ribbon” on the back of her hand in black Sharpie and said to me “Look Miss Cindy, Its for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.” Really?? Every cause has its own colored ribbon and hers was black…

Anyway, my point here is that at least in America, we are all aware of breast cancer. According to the American Cancer Society:

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among American women, except for skin cancers. The chance of developing invasive breast cancer at some time in a woman’s life is a little less than 1 in 8 (12%).

The American Cancer Society’s most recent estimates for breast cancer in the United States are for 2011:

About 230,480 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in women.
About 57,650 new cases of carcinoma in situ (CIS) will be diagnosed (CIS is non-invasive and is the earliest form of breast cancer).
About 39,520 women will die from breast cancer.

After increasing for more than 2 decades, female breast cancer incidence rates decreased by about 2% per year from 1999 to 2005. This decrease was seen only in women aged 50 or older, and may be due at least in part to the decline in use of hormone therapy after menopause that occurred after the results of the Women’s Health Initiative were published in 2002. This study linked the use of hormone therapy to an increased risk of breast cancer and heart diseases.

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, exceeded only by lung cancer. The chance that breast cancer will be responsible for a woman’s death is about 1 in 36 (about 3%). Death rates from breast cancer have been declining since about 1990, with larger decreases in women younger than 50. These decreases are believed to be the result of earlier detection through screening and increased awareness, as well as improved treatment.

At this time there are more than 2.6 million breast cancer survivors in the United States. (This includes women still being treated and those who have completed treatment.)

So my question today isn’t “Are you aware of breast cancer?” it’s “What action have you taken this month to either a)maintain your breast health b)support a breast cancer patient or c)support an organization that supports breast cancer patients and/or research?”

This is a call to action. There are 11 days left in National Breast Cancer Awareness month and I challenge you to DO SOMETHING. As you know this Saturday, October 22, 2011 I’ll be walking in the American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk. I’m not doing this because I like exercise…I’m doing it in memory of Jill Harris, my husband’s cousin who died at age 38 leaving her husband and 2 young sons behind and for all the survivors in my family Sandra Foster, Sharon Schultz, Lynn Andrew, Paula Lord and my friends who are survivors Janet Carter and Gayle Rainville. I’m sure I have missed some people and I’m sorry, but you can see that breast cancer has touched my life in a significant way and this weekend I’ll be walking to raise money to fund support services for those who have breast cancer.

I set a modest goal of $250.00 and honestly, I’m a bit sad that I have only raised $120.00 so far-not quite half of what I told my mother and sister would be “Easy to raise through social media” my mom has raised the same amount not using social media. We, The Mom Maven family have today and tomorrow to raise the rest of the $130.00. Here is where you can take the action step and DO SOMETHING this month. Click this link to my Making Strides Against Breast Cancer donation center and give what you can $5, $10, $25 or more. If just 13 of my 900+ subscribers gave $10 we would meet the goal and Team Mom Maven would be making a difference in the lives of breast cancer patients. Don’t wait for someone else to do your part, you know what you need to do…just take action.

Next week I’ll be writing a post including a final total of funds raised and pictures of us walking and celebrating life in our decorated pink bras! Thank you for your support!