BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH: HEALTHY BREAST, HAPPY HOME!!
The breast has been a woman’s most valuable body part since Garden of Eden. Its biological as well as its physical purpose cannot be underestimated.
The Bible in Proverbs 5:19 mentions one of the many pleasures of the breast; “Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breast satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love.”
I met a guy the other day and he said to me; “I’ve quit drinking, but I’m a breastmilk addict now, surely.” I thought that was a joke, but the stern look on his face made me think otherwise. I began to wonder and asked myself some few questions; why will anyone quit drinking and think breastmilk is a safer option? What kind of breast is this gentleman even feeding on? What if all men started feeding on breast and competing with babies? The more I thought about it, the more I was entering into the realms of absurdity, but then I realised, it shall not be long before a healthy breast will make a happy home.
This brought my mind to the most common cancer in women; Breast Cancer. It is estimated that worldwide over 508 000 women died in 2011 due to breast cancer (Global Health Estimates, WHO 2013).
As Cary Elwes puts it; “There’s a shortage of perfect breasts in this world. It would be a pity to damage yours.”
Although there have not been any established cause of breast cancer, the three main risk factors according to breast cancer care UK are;
- Being a woman – over 99% of new cases of breast cancer are in women.
- Getting older – more than 80% of breast cancers occur in women over the age of 50. Most men who get breast cancer are over 60.
- Significant family history – this isn’t common, around 5% of people diagnosed with breast cancer have inherited a faulty BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene.
Breast Cancer have become common because most women are not aware of its symptoms, not doing regular checks on their breasts and more importantly they do not know how to check for any changes.
It is important for every woman to be their own breast police. Regular checks help identify any small changes in one’s breast and helps in early diagnosis. It is not enough to just take a look at your breast without proper examination. It is imperative to have time by checking all parts of your breast, your armpit and all the way to your collarbone.
Check for; any change in size or shape, swellings, discharge, any pain, lump, change in skin texture, etc. When in doubt, it is always advisable to see a doctor for further checks.
Video link: https://youtu.be/ulvtkXg4oZk
Don’t be like Brooke Burke and say; “I don’t want to discuss my breasts with the whole world!
Article by Abigail Nsuapim. She is a top 10 finalist at the just ended Miss Ghana U.K. 2017 and by extension, ambassador for the Missghanauk foundation. She is also the secretary to Goodseed charity foundation which aims at helping pregnant women and their babies. Follow Abigail Nsuapim on Instagram @grand_duchessss
