Breast cancer patients, survivors, friends, and family members alike join in fundraising events throughout October for Breast Cancer Awareness Month; photo courtesy of Sue Cerwinske

Each year, October is designated as International Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and everyone from NFL players to the Tokyo Tower are being draped in pink. Throughout this month there has been an assortment of events such as walks and runs to help raise awareness and funds for breast cancer research and treatment. Nurse Lynn Fisher of Washington County Public Health says, “It’s kind of shocking to learn that 200,000 American women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year. About 10% of those women are under 45, so it affects a lot of women across the whole life span. So it’s really important for people to become aware of the disease itself to get screening, and it’s also really important that research is being conducted so we can find a cure for this disease.”

Breast Cancer is the second most common form of cancer for women in the United States after skin cancer, but Fisher also assures it’s one of the most treatable. The key, she says, is early detection, which is commonly done in the form of mammograms. Fisher says women have traditionally been advised to start getting mammograms once every two years after the age of 50, though if there’s a family history of breast cancer, they can begin as early as 35. If women have any questions about screenings or treatment, Fisher urges them to consult their doctor.