calling all pink ladies

image via tatielle.tumblr.com

well, folks...it's the last one! i can't believe how october has flown by. i am finally back from being sick and excited about my last pink post - i've really enjoyed doing them! this week, instead of highlighting a breast cancer organization i just wanted to sum up a few things from the past month. so here's a little pink listy for you:

1. dear all ladies: it doesn't matter if you're 18 or 78, if you have boobs (which, if you're a lady i certainly hope is the case) you are at risk for breast cancer!!! it doesn't matter if they're huge knockers, tiny bumps, or anything in between, you, too, can develop breast cancer. it's not up to your doctor to keep you healthy here - it's up to you! and it doesn't matter how old you are - it can affect every age! so here's the story: monthly self-exams are vital to your breast health. click here for a free guide on how to perform a self exam but basically the gist is the cute little saying at left: feel your boobies. the more often you do it, the more you'll know if a lump or abnormality is present. the earlier breast cancer is detected, the higher your chances of survival so if you ever have a questionable anything, you're much better safe than sorry! and ladies, if you're over forty, you should be getting annual mammograms!
2. i've been highlighting a lot of products this month that help support breast cancer organizations across the board. october is almost over so the pink craze will be dying down soon but i want to caution you to know where your funds (and how much of them) are going. also, i would encourage you to use these great pink products if you need to find a gift for someone (or if needed, yourself) but otherwise if you feel passionate about an organization, why not just donate the funds directly to them? do you really need another scarf/candle/keychain/piece of jewelry? as much as i often think i do, my money can frequently be better spent, wouldn't you agree? i'm refraining from posting more cute products that i've found for this reason.
   
3. if you're into reading (or even if you're not - there's lots of pictures in this one) i would encourage you to check out marisa acocella marchetto's book "cancer vixen". in stores just this fall, it's a very bright-colored, very candid, very humorous look at the author's own fight with breast cancer. most of the book is written in a comic strip style so if you happen to get a kick out of the funny pages, you'll like this one a lot. i know this is technically another "product", which i said above i wasn't going to talk about, but i think if you're buying a book, that means you're reading it, and reading is always good. i myself have not read the entire book but have flipped through it and it is totally cute and very interesting. additionally, the author is donating part of her profits to comprehensive cancer center (affiliated with st. vincent's hospital manhattan) to provide healthcare to women in need, and to the breast cancer research foundation. check out her website for a cute promo and if you're really interested you can also buy the book (and matching yummy wild berry-scented body products) at bath and body works. now i am seriously done talking about products. i get so excited about shopping i can't stop myself.
4. okay i know you probably don't want to hear this one, but i was surprised to hear it myself: did you know that regularly consuming even half a glass of wine per day can increase your risk for breast cancer? (or beer or spirits or whatever you fancy.) a few drinks a week or less is not a problem - in fact, if you're drinking red wine the antioxidants you're receiving are certainly not hurting anything (this is only red wine by the way - no antioxidants in your riesling, girls) but new findings have proven that women who consume one or more drinks per day are at a greater risk for cancer.
   
5. this is interesting and not very well known but boys can get breast cancer, too. true, boys don't have "breasts" the way we think of them, but because they are mammals they have mammory glands the same way that we do and their mammory glands are also suceptible to cancer cells. breast cancer in men is much less common than it is in women (1,990 new cases are expected this year according to the bcrf), but it does exist and the more people that know that the better.
   
6. tell a friend. now that breast cancer is becoming more and more widespread, more women do know about it. unfortunately, however, not everyone knows how to prevent it. so make sure your mom/sister/aunt/grandma/daughter/cousin/bestfriend, etc. is saving her second base by getting regular breast exams and mammograms, performing regular self-exams, etc. the more we know, hopefully the less women will die from the disease.
   

image via gentlepurespace.com

well, i have certainly enjoyed writing these pink posts (and i have learned a lot myself!) and i hope you have as well. take care of yourself, your boobies, and the women that you love and hopefully one day with our help, they will find a cure for this disease!