October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

I came across these two beautiful breast cancer images last week and I wanted to share their significance with you.

The significance of the Pink Ribbon is obvious to most of us, but for those of you who don't know, it symbolizes the ongoing fight against breast cancer, and the tremendous courage of breast cancer survivors everwhere. The month of October celebrates the awareness of breast cancer among all of us, and recognizes the fact that knowing is half the battle! Help spread the word this month, and all year long, about the importance of self breast exams, screening mammograms, and advances in breast cancer treatments and breast reconstruction.

The second image is a picture of the pink ribbon oatmeal cannister I found at our local Ralphs, which I thought was a great pairing considering the fact that breast cancer is the #1 cancer killer in women, but heart diease is the #1 killer overall. So make sure to wear your ribbon and eat your oatmeal this month!

You'll also find a great video that demonstrates how to do a proper self breast exam, which is something that most women still avoid, but shouldn't. As with every type of cancer, early detection is the BEST treatment. It doesn't cost a penny, and it only takes 5 minutes a month to do a self breast exam, so there's no excuse to skip it. 

Five Important Things to Keep in Mind While Watching the Video:

1. You should be bare breasted for your exam. Don't try to do the exam through your shirt or bra like she does in the video.
2. Use concentric circles to make sure you examine the entire breast, and use the same pattern every time so you don't miss a spot.
3. Don't skip the armpit step. It's really important to feel for hard or painful lymph nodes too.
4. If you find anything that you are not sure about, make an appointment to have a real clinical breast exam right away.
5. Self breast exams do not replace the need for screening mammograms which should happen every year after age 40 according to American Cancer Society, or sooner if you have a significant family history of breast cancer.

If you have any questions or concerns about anything relating to breast exams, mammograms, breast reconstruction surgery, or revisional breast reconstruction surgery, please don't hesitate to stop into the office in the Beautologie Malibu Suite 203 at 24955 PCH, or give me a call anytime.

Nicholas Vendemia, M.D.