October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month! With events in full swing, we’re devoting this week’s post to what-you-need-to-know to ride Pinktober out in style! After all, breast cancer is the 2nd most common cancer in women (after skin cancer), and we know the subject hits close to home for a lot of you – as it does for all of us here at Lovability.
It's Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Don’t Forget To...
Do:
Feel Yourself Up
We want to make sure you babes stay as healthy as possible, and a super important part of that is early breast cancer detection. At 20 years old, regardless of your family history, a monthly self-check is highly recommended. By age 45 (or earlier with family history), an annual mammogram should be scheduled (recommended for October, to keep your appointment top-of-mind each year).
The generally accepted method to self-check is to stand, and then to lay down, using a mirror and your fingers to search for any changes to your breast size, color and nipples. If you have any doubts, go to a doctor to get checked out. For a more in-depth step-by-step, we recommend Coppafeel’s Boob Check Basic’s video.
Walk it How You Talk it
Organizations like Breast Cancer Research Foundation and the American Cancer Society make it easy to walk, run or race for a cure. You can also donate directly and/or volunteer at the many events held nationwide. Lots of ways to participate, so get out there, babe, and be part of the movement!
Plan Something
Spreading awareness is important, but raising some real cash to support the cause is SoOoO much better. Every dollar counts, so consider how you might jump in at school, work or in your community – a car wash, a fashion show, a silent auction, a friendly bake sale (with pink treats, of course), or getting to the point, a Fuck Cancer Party.
You can also reach out to local businesses and ask them to get involved. There isn’t soul alive who hasn’t been impacted, and sometimes it just takes asking.
Not sure where to make the donation? There’s an endless list of organizations supporting the cause. You might consider the National Breast Cancer Coalition, BCRF (above), and the National Breast Cancer Foundation.
Tit For Tatt
If you or your bff has had a mastectomy and you’re curious about tatting “The Girls”, there’s a website called P.Ink that’s connecting tattoo artists with women who want to tattoo their mastectomy scars. The Personal Ink Fund uses donations to pay artists to provide mastectomy tattoos. One such tattoo artist, David Allen, had inspiring things to say about the process. “What was clinical became beautiful again…We turned sterile into sensual. We took back control.”
Buy:
Beat Your Face! Beat Breast Cancer!
Ulta Beauty has several products they’ve released in partnership with the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. If you purchase the Becca Ultimate Love Lipstick, Becca Hydra-Mist Set and Refresh Powder, or the Beautyblender, a portion of your purchase is donated directly to BCRF research (in fact, since 2009, Ulta and BCRF have partnered to raise $27.5M!).
Stay Hydrated, Stay Hopeful
Swell’s pastel-colored Pink Topaz Traveler comes in two sizes and can keep your drink hot or cold. Best of all, 20% of profits go to BCRF.
Read:
Tea and Chemo by Jackie Buxton (2015)
This book is the true story of wife and mother, Jackie Buxton who, at age 45, was diagnosed with breast cancer. Jackie decided to write about everything she went through “to share her experiences and help others recognize you don’t have to be defined by your cancer.” We enjoyed it because it’s honest, funny and uplifting (with the right touch of English humor). And as a nice touch, all proceeds from sales of the book go to charity.
For additional “must-reads for patients, survivors, partners and children”, check out Every Day Health’s 13 Breast Cancer Books to Help You and Your Family Understand the Disease.
Listen to:
You, Me, and the Big C: Putting the Can in Cancer
A British podcast via BBC started by three female bloggers who each had cancer, two of whom had breast cancer. These babes saw a gap in the podcast market, realizing there were so few honest and raw broadcast platforms addressing the Big C. This cheeky podcast aspires to be informative and hopeful, with each of the 43 (and counting) episodes 1 to 1.5 hrs.
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October is quickly coming to a close, but there’s still plenty of time to jump in and support Breast Cancer Awareness Month – and encourage your friends to join you too! Xx
#breastcancer #breastcancerawareness #breastcancercure #fuckcancer #youmeandbigc #ultabeauty #swell
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