Pink may not fit the fall color scheme, but come October, it crops up everywhere to mark the start of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It’s one of the more high profile awareness efforts, but how much do you really know about the condition that affects over 1,900 PatientsLikeMe members?
Let’s test your knowledge. How many of the facts* below from the National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF) did you know?
- One in eight women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime.
- Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women.
- Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among women.
- Each year it is estimated that over 246,660 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 40,000 will die.
- Although breast cancer in men is rare, an estimated 2,600 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer and approximately 440 will die each year.
- On average, every 2 minutes a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer and 1 woman will die of breast cancer every 13 minutes.
- Over 2.8 million breast cancer survivors are alive in the United States today.
*http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/
The NBCF also has free tools you can use to learn more about breast cancer, from spotting the first signs to managing your diagnosis:
Early Detection Plan
Create an Early Detection Plan and invite others to do the same through their online site or using the mobile app.
Beyond the Shock
Share Beyond The Shock, the NBCF’s breast cancer educational resource, with friends and family. This free and comprehensive online guide to understanding breast cancer is a resource for women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer, a place for loved ones to gain a better understanding of the disease, and a tool for doctors to share information. Here you can learn through a series of educational videos, ask and answer questions about breast cancer and hear inspirational stories from breast cancer survivors.
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