Blogging for Breast Cancer Awareness Month

As I am sure most women and many girls know it is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Breast Cancer Care is very active on social media with Twitter, Facebook and blogs. I've posted this blog as part of their competition, the winning post receiving a copy of Gok Wan's new autobiography. I am pleased to support raising awareness of the charity and the work they do.

The stats say 1 in 3 affected by cancer in their life; 1 in 9 UK women will develop breast cancer. As a 40+ish year old woman, I know it is the number one cancer to watch for. I have the benefit of a mammogram every two years, do regular self examination and in particular, have found my local GP very helpful in checking if I raise any concerns - being thorough and respectful even when I have had nothing to worry about. If you have any concerns, see your GP as soon as possible, if only to put your mind at rest.

Running my business, I meet many women from all walks of life who have had, are going through or are concerned about Breast Cancer. Many of these women are open about their experience and many others want to retain a high degree of privacy. The approach taken will of course vary by personality. By talking about breast cancer and pointing to positive stories, my personal view is our daughters will be more aware of the risks, be willing to do self examination and be better able to cope with the concept of cancer. And I hope, it will also help women who are undergoing treatment feel more confident about their appearance.

As the age of diagnosis falls, again partly through increased awareness, many women are now juggling illness, work and family responsibilities. Employers will need to increasingly consider breast cancer as a key area of focus, as was the case with heart conditions in male employees, providing improved programmes for wellness, detection and coping.

Show your support and write your blog today.