October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month so ladies AND gentlemen, please check your boobies.  I know most of us go to the doctor and swear that we know our bossoms left and right (that was a joke).  But seriously, we need to be aware of how to prevent this growing epidemic.  Think I should shut up...here are some facts and figures I've researched from the American Cancer Society and the Susan G.

Komen Foundation for the Cure.  For those of you who want to know more, http://www.cancer.org/downloads/STT/BCFF-Final.pdf.

• breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women
• more than 1 in 4 of all cancers diagnosed in women is breast cancer
• according to the National Cancer Institute, in 2008, 182,460 new cases of breast cancer were diagnosed in women...40,480 of those diagnosed died
• breast cancer does not discriminate

And guys, you're not out of the woods either.  In 2008 alone, 1,990 new cases of breast cancer will present themselves in men.  450 will die.

Please talk to your doctors and do your monthly checks.  For those of you with a strong family history, I want to tell you about a type of genetic testing that can predetermine your risk of having the gene that gives you breast cancer.  It's called BRCA testing.  Performed by a simple blood test, you can find out the chance that you may develop breast or ovarian cancer.  Just a note, this test does NOT find cancer, but rather measures the likelihood of cancer developing.  Here's the criteria (http://www.webmd.com/breast-cancer/breast-cancer-brca-gene-test) for getting tested:

• if you are Jewish with any of the following: a first degree relative with breast or ovarian cancer and/or 2 second degree relatives with a history of breast or ovarian cancer occuring on the same side of the family
• 2 first degree relatives (parents, siblings, children) diagnosed with breast cancer (one under the age of 50)
• 3 or more first or second degree relatives (aunts and uncles, grandparents, etc.) diagnosed with breast cancer (age not a factor)
• a presence of both breast and ovarian cancers in your family
• a first degree relative with breast cancer in both breasts
• 2 or more relatives with ovarian cancer
• 1 relative with breast cancer in both breasts AND ovarian cancer
• a male relative with breast cancer

 This topic is extremely close to my heart, as I'm sure it is for many.  The day after Christmas of 2006, my mother passed away from breast cancer after battling the disease for 15 years.  If she knew that I helped one or two, or even a handful of people, she would be so proud.