National Breast Cancer Awarness month is October,
but women come face-to-face with the disease everyday.
We prevent it everyday, are diagnosed with it everyday, recover from it everyday, rage against it everyday.
Yesterday, at 40, I had my first mammogram.
We’ve had plenty of cancer in our family, but no breast cancer.
So, my risk was minimal and the mammogram was just the standard recommended screening.
It’s true what they say — it’s not a wildly comfortable procedure. But it’s quick, and if it can catch early illness in me or my sister, my mother or my girlfriends or, someday, my daughters, hallelujah.
One of the most disheartening things in Michael Moore’s movie Sicko was the dearth of preventative care in this country, and the corresponding gaps in mortality rates. People — mammograms are one of the ways we can close the gap. Mammograms and self exams, supplements and exercise.
Sometimes, it’s that easy.
Take care of yourself, friends.
Not just in October…
The Breast Cancer Site — Click to give free mammograms
National Breast Cancer Foundation
Super yay to you for getting it done!!!
I’ve hosted Bunco for Breast Cancer (with cool goodie bags) at my house.
Great post!
Liz, Yes! I had my first mammogram last year, and it wasn’t as bad as I thought.
And on a funnier note, in my Bloglines, I had saved your Shakin’ It with Shakespeare post. So this morning, I had your mammogram post right above Shakin’ It with Shakespeare, which has provided an interesting image to start my day off:>)