Breast Cancer Awareness

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM).  Since the program began in 1985, mammography rates have more than doubled for women age 50 and older and breast cancer deaths have declined.  In recognition of this important initiative, members of the Colby Community College Lady Trojan softball team set up a table in the Student Union and distributed informational materials, pink bracelets and mints to students, faculty and staff members.
Although exciting progress has been made, there are still women who do not take advantage of early detection at all and others who do not get screening mammograms and clinical breast exams at regular intervals.  Women age 65 and older are less likely to get mammograms than younger women, even though breast cancer risk increases with age.  In addition, women below the poverty level are less likely than women at higher incomes to have had a mammogram within the past two years.
Experts agree that if all women age 40 and older took advantage of early detection methods–mammography plus clinical breast exam–breast cancer death rates would drop as much as up to 30 percent.
The National Breast Cancer Awareness Month program is dedicated to increasing public knowledge about the importance of early detection of breast cancer.  Fifteen national public organizations, professional associations and government agencies comprise the Board of Sponsors, who work together to ensure that the NBCAM message is heard by thousands of women and their families.