Saving Second Base

It's October, which for me personally means PINK month!  Breast cancer awareness is something VERY close to my heart and I'm active for the cause.  Particularly in October though.  I have a couple pink bracelets that I wear all the time, but in October - I have something PINK on everyday!

 First and foremost I want to give you all some facts about breast cancer.

• About 1 in 8 women in the United States (12%) will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime.

• About 1,970 new cases of invasive breast cancer were expected to be diagnosed in men in 2010. Less than 1% of all new breast cancer cases occur in men.

• For women in the U.S., breast cancer death rates are higher than those for any other cancer, besides lung cancer.

• Besides skin cancer, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among U.S. women. More than 1 in 4 cancers in women (about 28%) are breast cancer.

• In 2010, there were more than 2.5 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S.  (I'M THE PROUD DAUGHTER OF ONE!)

• A woman’s risk of breast cancer approximately doubles if she has a first-degree relative (mother, sister, daughter) who has been diagnosed with breast cancer. About 20-30% of women diagnosed with breast cancer have a family history of breast cancer.

• About 39,840 women in the U.S. were expected to die in 2010 from breast cancer, though death rates have been decreasing since 1990. These decreases are thought to be the result of treatment advances, earlier detection through screening, and INCREASED AWARENESS.

How many of you actually do your regular checks on a regular basis?   How many of you know how to?  Don't know how to?  If you don't know how to then by all means PLEASE - click HERE for directions (It's about halfway down the page).

Now a little bit of background for you.....

In 2003, my Mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. 

I didn't know what to do - but cry.  I cried and cried.  I didn't understand why it had to happen to my Mom.  Why my Mom was going to have to go through any surgeries or chemotherapy.  Why she would have to go through anything to lose her hair.  Or risk being tired at all from it - which would definitely happen.

She had her surgeries and luckily the only thing necessary was a lumpectomy.  Thank the Lord for that.  She had one round of radiation therapy after that, unfortunately right around Christmas, and it made her SO tired. 
 
Thankfully it was caught early and after her surgeries and radiation therapy - it was gone.  She has been in remission for 7 years now.  *One thankful daughter* :-)

Recently I have started running, exercising, eating better etc. as an effort to get in better shape, health and overall just a better feeling!  My friend April and I will be taking part in a race this weekend and the proceeds go towards the Breast Cancer Foundation.  We have a list of 7 beautiful ladies that we are running for this weekend.  Some have been taken too early but others are still here because of early detection and successful treatments! 

In Hope Of A Cure,

We Honor:

Gail Altman

Elizabeth Kelly

Betty Rosner

Jane Smith

And Remember:
Bessie Kearnes

Celia Kilbourne

Karen Tilquish