Worship in Pink Sunday

What is Pink Sunday? Today, we have partnered with over 350 area congregations to open the lines of communication about breast health, promote breast cancer education and celebrate the lives of those who have fought against breast cancer. The impact of Pink Sunday comes from the way it empowers survivors and those who have lost loved ones to this disease to create unique Pink Sunday services.

What is Pink Sunday? Hundreds of churches join in the effort to “Celebrate Life- Increase Awarness-Inspire Hope” by spreading the message of early detection and honoring survivors.

Did You Know? 1 in 8 women will get breast cancer within her lifetime.

Did You Know? Men can get breast cancer too. Over 2,350 men are expected to be diagnosed in the U.S. in 2015.

Did you know? Over 231,840 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015.

Did you know? Even though Caucasian women get breast cancer at higher rates, African American women are more likely to die from breast cancer.

Did you know? Breast cancer is NOT a death sentence! When caught early, the 5-year survival rate is 98%.

What can you do?

PRACTICE BREAST SELF-AWARENESS (BSA) Know your risk Get screened Know what is normal for you Make healthy lifestyle choices So, to review: Breast self-awareness can help us find breast cancer earlier. So, just to review the things you can do – know your risk, get screened, know what is normal for you and make healthy lifestyle choices.

1. KNOW YOUR RISK Talk to your family about your family health history Talk to your health care provider about your personal risk of breast cancer Know your risk. Talk to your family about your family health history. Sometimes families are private and quiet about their health histories. But, knowing this family history can be helpful in understanding your own risk of breast cancer. While it is true that we don’t know what causes cancer, we know that having a family history of breast or ovarian cancer may increase your risk of breast cancer. And, as we learn more about the causes of breast cancer, we may learn about other health conditions that may increase our risk of breast cancer. So, having this information may be helpful to us today or in the future. This history from both your mother’s and your father’s side of the family can be valuable. Talking with your doctor then about what you have learned about your family history can help him/her know how to advise you regarding your own risk and screening practices that may be right for you. There are assessment tools and tests that can be used to help evaluate your risk of breast cancer and guide his/her recommendations for your actions. If your family history suggests the presence of a gene mutation in your family, you might discuss genetic counseling and genetic testing.

2. GET SCREENED Ask your health care provider which screening tests are right for you if you are at higher risk Have a mammogram every year starting at age 40 if you are at average risk Have a clinical breast exam at least every 3 years starting at 20, and every year starting at 40 So, the second action step is: get screened. After learning about your risk by talking to your family and then talking to your doctor you can then talk to your doctor about which screening tests are right for you. I would just like to mention that screening tests are tests that are offered to people who feel fine and who have no reason to suspect a breast problem. They are different from tests that are done to evaluate a problem in the breast. Screening tests provide a real opportunity to find breast cancer when it is early before there are signs of a problem.

3. KNOW WHAT IS NORMAL FOR YOU Know how your breasts look and feel Report changes to your health care provider right away Knowing what is normal for you is important, because then you would recognize a change and have the opportunity to seek care from your doctor.

4. MAKE HEALTHY LIFESTYLE CHOICES Maintain a healthy weight Add exercise into your routine Limit alcohol intake Make healthy lifestyle choices. I mentioned earlier that some risk factors can be controlled. Three of those factors are listed on this slide. Research has shown that gaining weight as an adult increases the risk of breast cancer, so one thing you can do to try to reduce the risk is maintain a healthy weight. Research has also shown that being physically active can reduce the risk of breast cancer in both premenopausal and postmenopausal women. It has also been shown to reduce the risk of recurrence of breast cancer – and can be helpful even during treatment to reduce a common side effect, fatique. Studies have shown that the risk of breast cancer increases with alcohol intake. So, one way to reduce risk may be to limit alcohol intake.

TO REVIEW: BREAST SELF-AWARENESS (BSA) Know your risk Get screened Know what is normal for you Make healthy lifestyle choices So, to review: Breast self-awareness can help us find breast cancer earlier. So, just to review the things you can do – know your risk, get screened, know what is normal for you and make healthy lifestyle choices.

Join Us for our special Pink Sunday Celebration! October 25th Reedy River Missionary Baptist Church Survivor’s Reception immediately following service in the Jack Tate Room.