October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and this year it is being recognised under the theme 'Breast Cancer - the best protection is early detection'.
Breast cancer is a malignant tumour that has developed from cells of the breast. The disease occurs mostly in women, but does occur rarely in men. There is no certain way to prevent breast cancer. For now, says the Jamaica Cancer Society, the best plan for women at average breast cancer risk is to reduce risk factors whenever possible and to take preventative measures to eliminate the problem as soon as it is recognised.
According to the US Centres for Disease Control, aside from non-melanoma skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women. Breast cancer is the number one cause of cancer death in Hispanic women. It is the second most common cause of cancer death in white, black, Asian/Pacific Islander, and American Indian/Alaska Native women.
The importance of Breast Self Exams have been cited over and over, year after year, so has been the importance of women getting their yearly mammograms, and consulting with their doctors whenever there is a cause for concern.
This week, All Woman's breast cancer feature focuses on the problem which affects so many women, and the ways those affected have found the strength to cope.

HEARING that a loved one has been diagnosed with cancer can cause anyone to be anxious. You begin to think about all the right things to say in your anxiety and oftentimes end up saying the worst. Although the objective is not to cause harm to this person, ultimately you can, with your words, end up doing just that and cause your loved one to plunge further into depression. No doubt hearing that "C" word turns a lot of us into fools, but if you find yourself in a position where a family member or friend has revealed that they have cancer, here are some things you might not want to say.

1 Save the horror stories. Now is not the time to remind your relative of uncle Ben's battle with cancer which later resulted in death. You would think that common sense would dictate that a cancer patient does not need to be given all the excruciating, miserable and awful details of Ms Pauline's battle with breast cancer. Yes we know, you just want to be supportive and cheer the person up, but you need to find a better way to do so. Don't help them remember how many persons die from it every year either.

2 Don't promise your help if you won't give it. The line "If there is anything I can do, don't be afraid to tell me", comes readily to some persons as soon as they hear that a friend or family member has been diagnosed with cancer. The reality is that some persons don't mean it and so when the request is made for help, this becomes so obvious. Don't promise your assistance if you don't intend to stand by your word.

3 Don't say you know what it's like. If you were never in a position where you had cancer, then you have absolutely no idea what it is like. It is best to say you can imagine what it is like instead; that's much safer.

4 Don't tell them they should be grateful. One of the worst things you can say to a cancer patient is, "You should be grateful, at least you are not dead". When someone is going through the kind of pain and suffering that accompanies breast cancer, don't tell them that they should be thanking God for it.

5 Don't say they shouldn't be sad. Although you may be getting tired of seeing them moping, don't tell them they shouldn't be sad. They have a right to feel however they want to, since they are the ones going through it. It is better to tell them you don't like seeing them that way instead.

6 Don't say this is just a bump in the road. You can always avoid a bump in the road, but you can hardly ever avoid cancer. Losing one's hair, breast, getting chemotherapy, having hot flashes and feeling very anxious and insecure at times, is not necessarily a bump, it is more like a mountain.

7 Don't say they'll be just fine. You are not in a position to guarantee this. Telling them not to worry about their situation might seem that you are giving them the brush off. It could be interpreted to mean that you cannot be bothered with their fears.

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Cream of the 'Crop'

Cheeky's World