There are many ways to lend your support to Breast Cancer Awareness Month this October
As we are battling the Covid-19 pandemic, it is important to remember that there are other diseases that continue to affect the lives of people around us. According to the National Cancer Centre Singapore, breast cancer is the number one cancer affecting Singaporean women, and also the leading cause of cancer deaths in women. One in 13 Singaporean women will develop breast cancer before the age of 75.
Breast cancer is survivable if detected early through regular mammogram screening, yet about 60 per cent of women aged 50 to 69 years are skipping theirs.
To promote mammography as a weapon against breast cancer, National Breast Cancer Awareness Month was founded in October 1985 by the American Cancer Society and the pharmaceutical division of Imperial Chemical Industries. The Breast Cancer Research Foundation was then founded in 1993 by Evelyn Lauder, senior corporate vice president of the Estée Lauder Companies, with the pink ribbon as its symbol. Today, Breast Cancer Awareness Month is observed around the world, encouraging the early detection of cancer and also supporting breast cancer patients.
As we observe the campaign in October this month, here are some meaningful ways you can do your part for the cause and encourage the women around you to care for their health.