HEALTH + WELLNESS
‘ WEAR IT PINK’ for Breast Cancer Awareness Month
EVERY YEAR, MORE THAN 60,000 PEOPLE ARE DIAGNOSED WITH BREAST CANCER IN THE UK. SINCE THE INTRODUCTION OF BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH IN OCTOBER 1993, EVERY OCTOBER SINCE HAS BEEN AWASH WITH PINK RIBBONS, WHICH ARE NOW A GLOBAL SYMBOL FOR BREAST CANCER AWARENESS. THIS MONTH, BREAST CANCER NOW – THE UK’ S LARGEST BREAST CANCER CHARITY – IS ENCOURAGING US TO GO ONE STEP FURTHER AND DIG OUT OUR PINK GLAD RAGS FOR THEIR FLAGSHIP FUNDRAISER,‘ WEAR IT PINK’, ON FRIDAY OCTOBER 20TH.
Wear it pink calls on supporters to ditch their everyday colours and pull on some pink to raise money for Breast Cancer Now’ s lifesaving research and to help the charity achieve its aim that by 2050 nobody will die from breast cancer. The charity’ s flagship fundraising day started in 2002 and has so far raised over £ 30 million for vital breast cancer research.
“ Wear it pink is a brilliant opportunity for individuals, groups, coworkers and families across the UK to fundraise together,” says Lottie Barnden, senior fundraising products manager at Breast Cancer Now.“ There are so many ways to get involved, from holding a pink cake sale or sports day in the office or at school, to having a pink party at home with your friends. Whatever you do, you’ ll be raising money for Breast Cancer Now’ s lifesaving research.”
To take part in wear it pink this October, please visit wearitpink. org for further details, fundraising ideas and how to register for your free fundraising pack.
HOW TO CHECK YOUR BREASTS
There’ s no right or wrong way to check your breasts, but do try to get used to looking at and feeling your breasts regularly as part of your usual body care routine. This could be while you’ re in the bath or shower, when you’ re putting on body lotion, or when you’ re getting dressed- do what’ s comfortable for you. You should check all parts of both breasts, your armpits, and all the way up to your collarbone for any unusual changes.
It’ s important to look out for lumps, but there are many other symptoms to be aware of too. This handy infographic from fellow breast cancer charity, Breast Cancer Care, shows you exactly what to look for and where( www. breastcancercare. org. uk).
Breast Cancer Now was created by the merger of leading research charities Breast Cancer Campaign and Breakthrough Breast Cancer. The charity’ s overall ambition is that by 2050 everyone who develops breast cancer will live – they are determined to stop women dying from the disease, working in a new, collaborative way and bringing together all those affected by breast cancer to fund research, share knowledge and find answers.
For more information on Breast Cancer Now’ s work, visit www. breastcancernow. org, find them on Facebook at / breastcancernow, and follow them on Twitter @ breastcancernow.
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