Have you checked your breasts?

We are coming into October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Early detection of Breast Cancer has been proven to save lives, so it’s important to ‘Be Breast Aware’ and check your breasts regularly. This applies for both Males and Females alike.

The more often we check our breasts, the more confident we can become at identifying any changes to our breasts that may be an indication of breast cancer.

Here are the steps:

1) LOOK at the shape and appearance of your breasts and nipples in the mirror, with your hands by your sides. Then raise your arms overhead and have another look.

2) FEEL your whole breast and nipple, looking for anything that is not ‘normal’ for you. This can be done in standing or lying down. Feel from your collarbone, down to your bra line, across to your armpit.

3) LEARN what is normal for your breasts! We all come in different shapes and sizes. If you find a change see your doctor without delay.

It is recommended to check your breasts once a month around the same time in your menstrual cycle for females to account for any hormonal changes.

Make it a discussion that you openly have with your family members and friends – if we are all reminding each other then we can collectively improve early detection and early treatment to keep our loved ones safe.