This is an emotional month for many.  Maybe you or someone you know has battled, is currently battling, or has lost their battle to breast cancer.  Maybe you’ve been impacted by a different cancer and all of the awareness around breast cancer brings an unsettling feeling to your heart.  Maybe you’re wondering if you yourself, or a close relative/friend, are at high risk for breast cancer but you’ve not yet taken the leap to explore your genetics or have those difficult discussions with family members and doctors.

I get it.  I absolutely understand.  We’ve had multiple family members diagnosed with breast cancer, one of which that lost her life in her mid 40’s after a long fought battle.  One of my dearest friends mother is a breast cancer survivor, as is our pastor’s wife.  As you know, I myself carry the what feels like “it’s only a matter of time” gene and do my best to be reminded of the good health I have at the current moment.  I have yet to meet someone who is not personally impacted in some way by breast cancer.

With that said, this month should be about awareness, about remembrance, about perseverance and about supporting each others journeys.  It should be about encouragement, taking action and being the Brightest Pink we can possibly be.  A gazillion dollars is spent on making the NFL players bedazzled in pink while the stores are filled with bright pink ribbons, clothing and more to help raise awareness for the significance of this month.  Somehow with all of the pink flare, BACON and processed meats affects on breast cancer made the morning buzz.  Breast cancer and (pink) pigs?  Not the kind of “old news” data I want to spend my time in, if you smell what I’m steppin’ in (forgive the attempt at humor and irony as I mentioned pigs)…

Let me back up – while I was on my way home from an early morning boot camp, I heard the radio host sharing today’s headline news between songs.  At the top of their list, they shared that processed meat, like bacon, is linked to an increased risk in breast cancer.  Researchers followed ONE MILLION women to come to this conclusion.  Don’t get me wrong, we need to continue to compile the various environmental triggers that can impact our breast (and other) cancer risks.  We need to stay informed, educated and aware of how the choices we make can impact our health.  However, I would argue that the researchers could have landed on something of even greater significance to study and maximize these one million women in a different way!  We already knew red meat, processed meat and unhealthy foods are not good for us for SO many reasons…

I digress…

Bacon or no bacon, this month I want to encourage you to use any and all energy and courage you have to take one (big) bold step towards awareness by facing your own breast cancer risk head on.  No better time to do it than this month.  Bright Pink, along with the CDC, came up with a quick way to determine your personal level of lifetime risk for developing breast cancer.  Based on how you answer the questions, you will quickly learn what % chance you may have of developing breast cancer in your lifetime:  Average Risk (up to 12% chance), Increased Risk (up to 25% chance) or High Risk (up to 89% chance).  In 5 minutes, you can Assess Your Risk and learn valuable insight into ways you can begin to take action today.

In addition, while it may be nerve racking to take a look under the hood so to speak, your results will also come with many helpful recommendations and targeted next steps.  Your quiz results will be provided in an easy to download/print/share format and it will be encouraged that you bring them along to your next doctor visit.  I won’t spoil all of the great tools and recommendations that come after taking the quiz – you’ll have to take it and see for yourself.

Because I didn’t see much new value in learning about bacon’s risks today, I thought that sharing Bright Pink’s quiz would be helpful for those following my blog but haven’t quite mustered up the courage to take action.  While Increased and High Risk gals will have additional screening recommendations, I did want to share a quick lifestyle graph as a great reinforcement of the areas we can each control to impact our individual risks.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month is hard and so unique for every single person out there.  If you’re on the front end of your health discovery, I can’t reiterate enough how considering taking the quiz might be your next best step.  Yes, huge leaps would be jumping into things like full on genetic testing, so let’s start small.  If you’re all over this, who in your world can you send this to to encourage them to take action?

As a BRCA2 positive “High Risk” gal myself, I am so thankful someone pushed me to assess my risk now almost 7 years ago (journey detailed in previous posts).  While I carry a lot of anxiety and worry, I am also thankful to be monitored by a large group of doctors that want nothing more than to have me avoid a diagnosis.  I’m due for my 3D Mammogram in early November and can only pray for an all clear.  The pressure of time and from my doctor group is mounting for me to make surgery decisions.  I’m just not ready.  High surveillance will have to do.  That is the absolute Brightest Pink I can get, for now.

What is the Brightest Pink you can find this month?  Would love to hear from you and learn if this post prompted you to take the quiz and turn… 

xox

Carey

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