We ask each of you today to join us in pledging to continue the fight against breast cancer.
It is our fight, after all — few lives have been untouched by this horrific and costly illness.
Most families have a grandmother, mother, wife, sister, daughter or even a father, husband or son who has suffered or been lost as a result of this devastating disease. Breast cancer is no respecter of persons.
This is a battle that must be won. The American Cancer Society predicts that 16,080 cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed in Texas this year.
And while breast cancer incidence and death rates generally increase with age — 79 percent of new cases occur in women 50 years of age or older, according to the American Cancer Society — the disease also strikes the young.
Although men are generally at low risk, breast cancer does occur in males, and education efforts encourage men to report any changes in their chest area to a doctor immediately.
And this is a battle that can be won. Although breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the United States other than skin cancer, millions are surviving the disease, thanks to early detection, improvements in treatment and advances made through research efforts.
Remarkable progress has been made through the years and more and more breast cancer survivors are helping lead the fight, encouraging others and sharing their knowledge and inspiration.
Thanks to the ongoing efforts of millions of Americans who are already involved in the battle against breast cancer, funding has been made available to help the American Cancer Society and other organizations work toward the day when we can celebrate a cure.
And until that time, the efforts of those who take part in fundraisers across the country are contributing to an improved quality of life for those who have been diagnosed. The American Cancer Society is helping women get tested earlier, understanding treatment options and helping them cope with physical and emotional side effects.
Funding helps educate Americans about strategies to avoid breast cancer, which include avoiding weight gain, engaging in regular physical activities, minimizing alcohol, avoiding smoking and choosing to breastfeed (women who breastfeed for a year or more may reduce their cancer risk, according to the ACS).
Thanks in part to the American Cancer Society, nearly 14 million cancer survivors are celebrating birthdays this year, and their stories are being studied to examine the factors tied to a good quality of life after diagnosis.
The American Cancer Society is the largest nongovernmental, not-for-profit funding source of cancer research and training in the United States, according to the organization, and it invests more in breast cancer research than any other cancer type. From 1971 to 2010, the society awarded approximately $450.7 million in research and training grants associated with the disease, the ACS information stated.
The society is currently funding $86 million in breast cancer research through 220 research and training grants. These grants are awarded in multiple areas relevant to the disease.
Please join the fight against breast cancer today and make sure that everyone is aware of how important this battle is — not only during Breast Cancer Awareness Month — but throughout the year.
The American Cancer Society tells us that 1 in 8 American women will develop breast cancer in their lifetimes, but thanks in large part to research discoveries, breast cancer declined in the early 2000s after increasing for years, and more women who do get breast cancer are surviving it.
You can learn more about the American Cancer Society and the battle against all types of cancer by calling 1-800-227-2345 or visiting http://www.cancer.org/.
