I remember how nervous my mother and I were, the first time I accompanied her for a routine mammography. Even though it was a mere annual checkup, the thought of anything going wrong kept me on my toes the whole time. October is celebrated as Breast Cancer Awareness Month every year. In a study published by Ravi Mehrotra and Kavita Yadav titled, ‘Breast cancer in India: Present scenario and the challenges ahead, “Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among women globally. As per the Globocan data 2020, in India, breast cancer accounted for 13.5% of all cancer cases and 10.6% of all deaths.”
According to the American Cancer Society, women aged 40 and above are advised to start annual breast cancer screening with mammograms. In line with the aforementioned study, “When it comes to the 5-year overall survival, a study reported it to be 95% for stage I patients, 92% for stage II, 70% for stage III and only 21% for stage IV patients.” So it becomes clear that early detection is the key to better survival chances.
Here’s a guide we’ve prepared with the help of a website named, Mayo Clinic that you can follow as a preliminary check. This test is merely a self-exam and it is heavily advised to consult a doctor if you need more help.
- Choose a flat surface to lie down on your back. If you’re doing this in the shower, you can use soap to lather your fingers for a better check.
- Use the pads of your three middle fingers, not the very tips, for the exam. If you have difficulty feeling with your finger pads, use another part of your hand that is more sensitive, such as your palm or the backs of your fingers.
- Use different pressure levels to feel all the breast tissue. Use light pressure to feel the tissue closest to the skin, medium pressure to feel a little deeper, and firm pressure to feel the tissue closest to the chest and ribs.
Image via Mayo Clinic - Take your time as it may take several minutes to carefully examine your breasts. Carefully follow a pattern to ensure you examine your entire breast. Begin near your collarbone and examine that section, moving your fingers toward your nipple. Then move your fingers to the next section.
These are some things you need to check out for. Contact your doctor if you notice any of the following:
- A hard lump or knot near your underarm.
- Changes in the way your breasts look or feel, including thickening or prominent fullness that is different from the surrounding tissue.
- Dimples, puckers, bulges or ridges on the skin of your breast or any recent change in a nipple to become pushed in (inverted) instead of sticking out.
- Redness, warmth, swelling, pain, Itching, scales, sores or rashes, or a bloody nipple discharge.
At ELLE, we firmly believe in doing our part to support breast cancer survivors. Here’s a list of products you can shop to support the cause.
Birkenstock
This Barbie supports breast cancer awareness! During the breast cancer awareness month, Birkenstock is working with celebrity stylist Leslie Fremar to support women impacted by breast cancer. 20% of the sales of the limited-edition velvety pink Arizona sandals will be donated to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Founded in 1991 by breast cancer survivor, Janelle Hail, the National Breast Cancer Foundation provides help to those affected by breast cancer through early detection, education, and support services. To support the cause, shop the limited-edition velvety pink Arizona sandals here.
Ralph Lauren
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Ralph Lauren has been one of the most fierce supporters of breast cancer awareness in the realm of fashion. In 1989, Ralph Lauren co-founded the Nina Hyde Center for Breast Cancer Research in honour of his close friend and fashion editor at The Washington Post, Nina Hyde. In 2000, the first-ever Pink Pony campaign was launched. Since then, 25% of each item’s purchase price from the Pink Pony collection has been donated to Ralph Lauren’s mission to reduce disparities in cancer care and to ensure access to quality treatment is available to everyone at an earlier, more curable stage. Not only this, the brand has founded the Ralph Lauren Center in partnership with Memorial Sloan Kettering in Harlem. Another project includes a world-class research facility, the Ralph Lauren Center for Breast Cancer Research at the Royal Marsden, Chelsea. To support, shop the Pink Pony collection here.
AnaOna
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AnaOno designs soft breast cancer bras for mastectomy, reconstruction and surgery patients in every phase of recovery. Founder and CEO, Dana Donofree, scoured the globe after her breast surgery for a bra that fit but continued to show up braless. That’s when she (re)designed bras till she created a fit that wasn’t only comfortable but beautiful too. This year they’re also partnering with non-profit organisation Living Beyond Breast Cancer and Third Love lingerie brand in support of breast cancer awareness month. You can find their great range of bras here.
Sézane
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An avid advocate of breast cancer awareness, Sézane celebrates ‘Pink Wednesday’ every month. Since 2021, Sézane has supported breast cancer research, awareness and care through their monthly Pink Wednesday campaign. On the first Wednesday of every month, Sézane donates 100% of the net profits of sales from a dedicated pink piece and 10% of the day’s gross sales revenue from all denim sales to their global partner charities like Women’s Cancer Research Fund and The Pink Ribbon Foundation (TPRF). If you’re looking to support the cause, you can shop their clothes here.
Wacoal India
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Wacoal India, the premium lingerie brand from Japan has partnered with Cancer Patients Aid Association for creating awareness about breast cancer through its #WaCoalKnowsBreast initiative. For every bra purchased through their online platform, WaCoal will donate money to the CPAA’s mission. Additionally, they’ve introduced a three finger symbol to represent the self-exam that individuals can use to check for any lumps. You can support the brand’s noble initiative by buying their bras from here.
