Iowans will be seeing a lot of pink when October arrives next week, pink ribbons, pink t-shirts and even pink fire trucks to promote Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Chuck Reed, spokeman for the American Cancer Society in Iowa, says the focus of the month is not exclusively on women.
“Men do get breast cancer as well,” Reed says. “Last year in Iowa, only about ten did receive a breast cancer diagnosis but the number is 1,900 throughout the United States so this month affects both men and women.” Reed says about 2,000 women in Iowa will be diagnosed with breast cancer before 2012 is done.
He says screenings are vital. “It’s kind of a Catch 22 in a lot of ways,” Reed says. “We want women to go get their mamograms and we want women to talk to their doctors and stay on top of their health and oftentimes, that doesn’t always bring the best news, but if you catch breast cancer early, there’s about a 99% survival rate.”
In Iowa, skin cancer impacts the most women, but breast cancer is a close second. About one in eight Iowa women will get breast cancer during their lifetimes. Learn more at www.cancer.org or by calling 800-227-2345.
By Pat Powers, KQWC, Webster City