Think Pink.

I can't forget the tears in my classmate's eyes from last week.

The one with an aunt afflicted by cancer.

Chin Huat says a good journalist makes the important, interesting. So I'm going to blog it. :)

The following is an extract from College of Radiology's Breast Health Information Centre website (http://www.radiologymalaysia.org/breasthealth/About/FactsNStats.htm):

"Almost everyone knows someone or knows of someone who has been affected by breast cancer: a mother, sister, daughter, grandmother, aunt, colleague, friend, neighbour or more rarely, a father or brother.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in most parts of the world. There is a marked geographical variation in incidence rate. The incidence is highest in North Europe and North America, intermediate in the Mediterranean countries and South America and lowest in Asia and Africa. The mean age at diagnosis reported in most developing countries is around 50 years compared to 60 years in Western countries.

In 2000, there were 1,050,346 cases reported with 372,969 deaths from breast cancer world-wide. The incidence ranged from an average of 95 per 100,000 in more developed countries to 20 per 100,000 in less developed countries."

"Presented in another way:

Every 3 minutes, one woman is diagnosed with breast cancer (USA)

Every 11 minutes, one woman dies from breast cancer (USA)
Every year, 30,000 women and 200 men are diagnosed with breast cancer (UK)"

What about in Malaysia?

"Breast cancer was the commonest overall cancer as well as the commonest cancer in women amongst all races from the age of 20 years in Malaysia for 2003 and 2005.

Breast cancer is most common in the Chinese, followed by the Indians and then, Malays.

Breast cancer formed 31.1% of newly diagnosed cancer cases in women in 2003-2005."

Those are the problems. What are the solutions?

Go to: http://www.breastcancer.org/risk/index.jsp?gclid=CLSprYaJopUCFQz7bgoddRV8lA for information on how to reduce the risk or detect it early.

Breast Cancer.org says "Knowledge is power" -

so the more you know, the better.

As a tribute to breast cancer awareness, I did a Pink Mini-Series on Photoshop! :)

If you have a blog, do a Pink Series yourself, and do your part to increase awareness about breast cancer in the same post!

I also discovered that I have a pink skirt tucked away in the back of the closet:

Remember - at the moment, there is no "prevention" for breast cancer.

Just as there is no harmless "cure".

Lower the risk. Or detect it early.

Think pink!