Breast Cancer Bracelets and The History of Breast Cancer Awareness
Breast cancer bracelets have become a more and more popular way to share and raise awareness for breast cancer. We have come a long way from the 1920’s where doctors where just starting to research the cause and also to find new ways to detect and prevent cancer.
Awareness today is very much different than it was 70+ years ago. There are several stages of awareness that have occurred in the last several decades. The first effort was just to find a way to detect breast cancer and in the 1920’s an inventor used a small amount of radiation that took pictures (mammogram) of the human breast and improved the detection of breast tumors before they become large enough to detect in normal breast examination. History has detailed that this procedure has help detect 85% of the cancerous tissue.
Mammograms are still part of the examination process today. Usually you should have a mammogram every one-two years after the age of 40. As part of the prevention, one should have their doctor examine ones breast and should examine your own breast every month.
In the later part of the 1970’s, a new direction was taken with a message to the public that “it’s OK to have breast cancer” and in the 1990’s the message became “it’s not OK to breast cancer and we need to find a way to stop it”. This was really the primary springboard for raising awareness to find a cure. Many national organizations were formed during the early 1990’s. The push was to find the cure and much political activism has contributed to the increase of funding and lobbying for research to find a cure.
Much of the studies now are based on family history. Research have now shown that if you are over the age of 30 and exercise at least 60 minutes a week you can curve the risk of breast cancer. Research has also found that you can reduce your risk of cancer by breastfeeding specifically if you have a family history of breast cancer.
More research is still needed to find a cure but continuous research has helped the discovery of new facts in regards to prevention. Exercise, eating vegetables and fruits, lower fatty foods, minimizing the use of alcohol …. many of these steps have proven that they can prevent cancer.
How can you help? Raising awareness is probably the best way to let everyone know that we need to find a cure. Breast cancer awareness bracelets are only one of the ways to show your support. The bracelets come in many varieties from silicone to fine jewelry. Whatever your preference it’s only one of the ways to show your dedication and support for the cause to find a cure.
Breast Cancer Bracelets and The History of Breast Cancer Awareness
