Why do we have to have a WHOLE month for breast cancer awareness?

Question

I mean, i think we're fully aware of what it is by now. Don't get me wrong though, it's good that people make it an important issue as many are affected by it, but what about cancers of the prostate and such.

Answer 1

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, next to skin cancer. More awareness means more early detection, and more successful treatment. Many of the lifestyle improvements recommended to women to lower their risk of developing breast cancer will improve their health in other ways as well, and will also help lower their risk of other types of cancer. Furthermore, if women decrease their own risk by eating sensibly, exercising and giving up smoking, it may influence other members of their family to do it as well, so everybody wins! There is NO down side to a month set aside for breast cancer awareness. So get yourself a pink ribbon and join the fight.

Answer 2

1. The more people that are aware, the higher the chances of earlier diagnosis and treatment.

2. The more that is done for breast cancer awareness, the more money can be raised to try and find treatments and such

and

3. I may have misunderstood but suggesting prostate cancer instead makes me feel you think that the awareness is more for female cancer but men get breast cancer as well but not many guys know this is possible which makes breast cancer awareness even more necessary.

We have it for a whole month because it is needed.

Answer 3

They have months too

http://www.healthfinder.gov/library/nho/nho.asp#m9

Jan - Cervical Cancer Awareness Month
March - National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month
May - Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month

September is Prostate Cancer Awareness Month
November - Lung Cancer Awareness Month and Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month

Just to name a few..

Answer 4

To be honest withyou i beleives Cancer awareness ( breasts, prostate, skin etc...) should be a year round thing. My mom was affected by breast cancer about 6 years ago. She had to end up having a double masectomy. But I am very greatful to have her alive and well now. So i am a lil bit sensative onthe whole cancer issue. But i truly beleive that instead of making it it one month for one type, make it an all year round thing for all types. i am sure that the same Men whom develop prostate cancer is almost equal to women who develop breast cancer. Although the media does seem to move more towards wmen than men.

Answer 5

Maybe you should organize one to cover a cancer that has touched your family. That's how all of it is started. There is another breast cancer out there also besides the tumors and lumps. Did you know that? It's called Inflammatory Breast Cancer. Look it up. I was shocked to learn about it and usually because no one knew what it was, it was too late when they got diagnosed.
My mother-in-law who was also a very best friend just passed away in February from complications after battling lung cancer. She never even smoked! Cancer is something that we should never be silent about.

Answer 6

You do know that men can get breast cancer too right? I agree that prostate cancer should also get more funding, as should ovarian. At least prostate cancer is routinely checked for, many health insurance companies will not pay out for the CA-125 (ovarian cancer marker) blood test for women when they will pay out for the PSA (prostate specific antigen) blood test for men. In summary, why NOT a whole month for breast cancer awareness when so many people die every year from it?

Answer 7

In the 90's the gays start complaining HIV doesn't get enough money because you don't like Gays and we disproportionately fund HIV.

Now breast cancer has become the women's version of the gay arguement. If you dare not to jump on the breast cancer band wagon then you are just like a bigot in the 70's or a homophobe in the 90's. Now if you don't support DISPROPORTIONATE funding for breast cancer you are anti-woman.

That is why there is a whole month. It should be CANCER AWARENESS MONTH not breast cancer month, but if anyone says that they are not PC.

Well, I am a woman and could get breast cancer some day but fair is fair and corrupt is corrupt. The NIH and all government funded health research should have dollars appropriated based on the number it can help and NO OTHER CRITERIA.

I am sorry if you are one of only 20 cases of the deadly XXX disease but if a million dollars can go towards your disease or one like lung cancer that has thousands of cases every month then screw the few to help the many.

Folks that life.

Answer 8

I agree, I think the work done and what breast cancer charities are doing an excellant job but what about other forms of cancer I think awareness needs raising on cervical screening maybe because it's a subject close to my heart.ok so each type of cancer might have an awareness month but do we hear about these in the media?

Answer 9

Obviously you are a man, and obviously you havn't had a woman in your life...a Mother, Sister, Wife or Daughter who has been afflicted with breast cancer. No one is trying to take anything away from any other very important causes....but this one is huge. Most men just don't get it...but once someone you really love goes thru it, you can not help but see, that an entire LIFETIME of Breast Cancer awareness, would not be enough.

Answer 10

Hopefully a whole range of cancers will feature in high publicity campaigns to raise awareness but I think its because breast cancer has multiplied so much over the last few years.