In these times when we require a sort of symbolism for each and every thing that concerns us, the pink ribbon is the most accurate symbol that could be ever made for the extremely sensitive issue of breast cancer in women. Come October, and we see the pink ribbons in their full bloom, proudly adorning the chests of people from all walks of society, and sending out the message about the viciousness of breast cancer and that it is time women took that mammogram test just to make sure. And, to the little pink ribbon's credit, it has become a very significant contributory force in the treatment of breast cancer. This little single loop of pink has done much more to create the consciousness about the second most deadly form of human cancer than any amount of words could ever achieve.
Know Your Pink Ribbon Day
The breast cancer ribbon is worn in the month of October, which is the international month of breast cancer awareness. In the US, the fourth Monday of October has been designated as the Pink Ribbon Day. This is the day when the breast cancer pink ribbon is very prominently worn and is complemented with a lot of other activities that are aimed at breast cancer awareness. On this day, there are several educational programs and a sale of a whole lot of materials – the awareness ribbon included – mostly in a bid for fundraising for several breast cancer awareness endeavors. Along with the breast cancer awareness fundraising and educational programs, there are also sports events, such as marathons and walkathons in which the general public is invited to participate.
Wear Your Pink Ribbon With Pride
The pink ribbon is more than just a cloth ribbon – it is an awareness ribbon. By wearing this ribbon, people are sending out an important message. And that message is – Breast cancer is a killer, but it can be nipped in the bud. So be aware of the devil and fight it as soon as it raises its head.
That is the reason why you must never feel shy of wearing the cancer awareness ribbon, and sending the message across. Guys need not feel wearing a pink accessory will lower their manliness in any manner. On the contrary, you will come across as a sensitive person, who cares for an important social issue and is willing to participate in the fight against it. Celebrities are wearing breast cancer pink ribbons, sportspeople are wearing them, politicians are wearing them, and now it is high time every person in the street wore them.
The purpose of the pink ribbon is to remind women of the potential dangers of breast cancers and make them take preliminary precautions. It reminds them of the need of a self checkup, and take the requisite measures before it is too late. Just think, even if only one woman saw your breast cancer ribbon, was reminded of the need to take a breast cancer test, was diagnosed, and that actually went a long way in her getting the treatment. This one life you save through a simple act such as wearing the breast cancer ribbon could give you the biggest accolade there ever was. And you must think of the countless women who see your pink ribbon when you wear them, and most probably, that might be reminding them to save their own lives.
Get Your Pink Ribbon Day Products
The Pink Ribbon Day is a day of creating awareness about breast cancer in people across the world. The intention is to let people know that such an affliction exists and to take steps at the right time to prevent the problems from aggravating. And towards this end, a lot of symbolic selling goes on.
The cancer awareness ribbon, i.e. the pink ribbon, is not the only thing sold on The Pink Ribbon Day. Several manufacturers come out with a whole range of products that carry the pink ribbon motif. Chief among them are t-shirts carrying pink ribbon designs, frig magnets, pendants and lockets shaped in the form of a pink ribbon, armbands and headbands, pens and several other such pieces of memorabilia. The sale of these products begins from the month of September itself and culminates on The Pink Ribbon Day. Manufacturers promise that a portion of the sales goes towards various breast cancer awareness programs. Hence, the selling of the pink ribbon merchandise becomes an important step towards fundraising towards breast cancer research and treatment.
Products can be ordered through the Internet, and several card shops and gift shops also stock their own merchandise. As The Pink Ribbon Day approaches nearer, you might also find sellers out on the roads itself, and several kiosks vending out pink ribbon memorabilia. Getting your pink ribbon products from them means that you are intent in spreading the message of breast cancer awareness, and also helping in a very small way to fund their research.
Monday, January 17, 2011
My Survival Dream of Faith & Donation
Getting married is a dream many women strive for, fight for, and live for. My dream came true July 18th, 2009, however this dream here, I strive for, I fought for, and today I am living it to the fullest.
On May 17th, 2007 the dream of me ever getting married to anyone felt shattered and very far away from becoming true. At the age of 31, I was diagnosed with "Breast Cancer." It was a day I will always remember and will never forget for the rest of my life. It was a day of shock, of worries, of fear, of confusion, and even loneliness. However, there was one thing that I did not fear through all this. It was my religious belief. After having the news delivered to me, I turned to our father god and I prayed, I prayed, and I prayed. I asked him to help me survive this; help me overcome this obstacle with faith, with strength, with belief, and with survival. I prayed loudly because I wanted (God) to hear my pain and my plead of life because I knew deep inside I had more years not only to live, but to be grateful for as well.
Four weeks later, my surgery was scheduled and I lived through it and survived it. After the surgery my body went through a dramatic change. My body of course was not the same. Mentally this type of change/surgery can be very dramatic to anyone. In this day and age we are lucky to have the surgeons we have because through the dramatic change, there is reconstruction. I feel very grateful for that, however, even through the reconstruction, at the end of the day, it is still a big change for anyone.
After the surgery, there were moments I would find myself in deep thoughts and I used to ask myself, will I ever find anyone to love me now after all this? My body has just gone through a change and even though it will get repaired and look brand new again, it will never be the same. There was only one person that knew the answer of me finding a man that will love me unconditionally, and it was God. He had a beautiful plan for me which including me meeting the man that I married on July 18th, 2009.
Just when I thought I was ready to have the reconstruction process begin, doctors found a tumor on my other breast. As scared I was, I did not allow fear to take over me. I said to myself, I already went through this; I will make it again, again, and again.
After my second diagnose and surgery, I met my husband a few months after at our work place. While I was getting to know him, he had sat me down one day and told me his mother had died of cancer about 8 months before I met him. Now mind you, I had not been honest with him about what I had been going through, and after he told me about his mother, telling him my story brought fear inside me. I thought by telling him what I had been through, he would change his mind of getting to know me and possibly developing a relationship. Well, I was wrong, because once I told him my experience, he looked at me and said 'Thank you for telling me. I will always be here for you whenever you need me, I am not going anywhere.
Since that day, we developed a strong relationship and on August 27, 2008 after my last treatment, he proposed to me. I went through my treatments with him and my sisters by my side. I believe god never left my side. He gave me a second chance at life with wonderful opportunities and blessings.
So here I am sharing my survival story. Being diagnose with cancer and surviving it is a true blessing. Today because I feel that I was given another chance at life, and I was able to find true love after my survival of cancer. I am offering and donating my wedding gown to any bride to be who has survived cancer, or is in need of a beautiful wedding gown. With my wedding gown, a jewelry store has offered to donate a pair of earrings and a necklace to go with the wedding gown. Again I turned to you (bride to be) because I am paying forward my survival story and my faith which I acknowledge as a true blessing from God.
My wedding gown to me means faith, survival, and a belief that happiness can only come to those who believe in surviving all life experiences.
On May 17th, 2007 the dream of me ever getting married to anyone felt shattered and very far away from becoming true. At the age of 31, I was diagnosed with "Breast Cancer." It was a day I will always remember and will never forget for the rest of my life. It was a day of shock, of worries, of fear, of confusion, and even loneliness. However, there was one thing that I did not fear through all this. It was my religious belief. After having the news delivered to me, I turned to our father god and I prayed, I prayed, and I prayed. I asked him to help me survive this; help me overcome this obstacle with faith, with strength, with belief, and with survival. I prayed loudly because I wanted (God) to hear my pain and my plead of life because I knew deep inside I had more years not only to live, but to be grateful for as well.
Four weeks later, my surgery was scheduled and I lived through it and survived it. After the surgery my body went through a dramatic change. My body of course was not the same. Mentally this type of change/surgery can be very dramatic to anyone. In this day and age we are lucky to have the surgeons we have because through the dramatic change, there is reconstruction. I feel very grateful for that, however, even through the reconstruction, at the end of the day, it is still a big change for anyone.
After the surgery, there were moments I would find myself in deep thoughts and I used to ask myself, will I ever find anyone to love me now after all this? My body has just gone through a change and even though it will get repaired and look brand new again, it will never be the same. There was only one person that knew the answer of me finding a man that will love me unconditionally, and it was God. He had a beautiful plan for me which including me meeting the man that I married on July 18th, 2009.
Just when I thought I was ready to have the reconstruction process begin, doctors found a tumor on my other breast. As scared I was, I did not allow fear to take over me. I said to myself, I already went through this; I will make it again, again, and again.
After my second diagnose and surgery, I met my husband a few months after at our work place. While I was getting to know him, he had sat me down one day and told me his mother had died of cancer about 8 months before I met him. Now mind you, I had not been honest with him about what I had been going through, and after he told me about his mother, telling him my story brought fear inside me. I thought by telling him what I had been through, he would change his mind of getting to know me and possibly developing a relationship. Well, I was wrong, because once I told him my experience, he looked at me and said 'Thank you for telling me. I will always be here for you whenever you need me, I am not going anywhere.
Since that day, we developed a strong relationship and on August 27, 2008 after my last treatment, he proposed to me. I went through my treatments with him and my sisters by my side. I believe god never left my side. He gave me a second chance at life with wonderful opportunities and blessings.
So here I am sharing my survival story. Being diagnose with cancer and surviving it is a true blessing. Today because I feel that I was given another chance at life, and I was able to find true love after my survival of cancer. I am offering and donating my wedding gown to any bride to be who has survived cancer, or is in need of a beautiful wedding gown. With my wedding gown, a jewelry store has offered to donate a pair of earrings and a necklace to go with the wedding gown. Again I turned to you (bride to be) because I am paying forward my survival story and my faith which I acknowledge as a true blessing from God.
My wedding gown to me means faith, survival, and a belief that happiness can only come to those who believe in surviving all life experiences.
Multivitamins and Breast Cancer
Many individuals take multivitamins in order to thwart diseases related to deficiency and other serious disorders. A daily dose of multivitamins is good for health as it ensures that the body obtains the essential nutrients that it does not gain from food. A single pill everyday is said to improve the overall health and prevent heart diseases and sometimes even cancer. There are many multivitamins for women that can fulfill the recommended dietary allowance of nutrients in women. However, a recent observational study that was conducted revealed that multivitamins increased the risk of breast cancer, especially in women who were in their post menopausal stage. But the research does not have any proof that multivitamins may be directly linked to breast cancer. Let's take a look at the relationship between multivitamins and breast cancer and whether it is substantial.
Multivitamins and Breast Cancer Risk
Breast cancer is the second most occurring cancer that is diagnosed in women all around the world. Women tend to take multivitamins specially after menopause in order to supplement the dip in nutrients in their body. Though these multivitamins maintain a balance of nutrients, some of the ingredients in these pills may be linked to breast cancer. While conducting breast cancer research, studies have shown that women who are above the age of 40 and who are taking multivitamin supplements are more prone to cancer as compared to other women of the same age group. This research has been going on for a decade and approximately 35,000 women have been reviewed. The factors like age, weight, family history of breast cancer and other habits like drinking and smoking were taken into consideration, during the research period. The diet, multivitamin supplement intake and exercise regimen of these women were also monitored. After some years, the women aged between 45 and 85 years, who took these supplements on a regular basis were reportedly suffering from different stages of breast cancer. These women were 20 percent more susceptible to breast cancer than the women who never used multivitamins.
Though the research could not prove the relationship between multivitamins and breast cancer, it has shown a slight possibility of getting cancer, if there is an overuse of multivitamins. Researchers have also found biologically plausible reasons that can associate increased risk of getting breast cancer with the use of multivitamins. There are certain ingredients in these supplements that can trigger the growth of cancerous cells in the body. Folic acid, which is the main component of many multivitamin supplements, tends to increase the density of tissues in the breasts, which can stimulate the growth of cancer. Iron and zinc are also known to increase the risk of this life threatening disease. However, this reason is still debatable. The research also showed that vitamins B6, C and E did not alter the body conditions. Calcium also did not have any link to this cancer and in fact, it acts as shield to protect the body from the attack of cancerous cells.
Preventing Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is one such disease that can be life threatening, if not detected in time. In order to prevent this disease, maintaining a healthy body weight, eating a balanced diet, including lots of fruits and vegetables and avoiding smoking and alcohol is essential. Following a proper exercise regimen will be helpful to cut the extra flab in the body. In case, you need to take any nutritional supplements, consult a health care practitioner who will guide you correctly on what extra supplements are needed by your body.
A healthy and varied diet can reduce the need for taking multivitamins in any form, and hence reduce the risk of breast cancer. Hope you found this article on multivitamins and breast cancer informative and useful.
Multivitamins and Breast Cancer Risk
Breast cancer is the second most occurring cancer that is diagnosed in women all around the world. Women tend to take multivitamins specially after menopause in order to supplement the dip in nutrients in their body. Though these multivitamins maintain a balance of nutrients, some of the ingredients in these pills may be linked to breast cancer. While conducting breast cancer research, studies have shown that women who are above the age of 40 and who are taking multivitamin supplements are more prone to cancer as compared to other women of the same age group. This research has been going on for a decade and approximately 35,000 women have been reviewed. The factors like age, weight, family history of breast cancer and other habits like drinking and smoking were taken into consideration, during the research period. The diet, multivitamin supplement intake and exercise regimen of these women were also monitored. After some years, the women aged between 45 and 85 years, who took these supplements on a regular basis were reportedly suffering from different stages of breast cancer. These women were 20 percent more susceptible to breast cancer than the women who never used multivitamins.
Though the research could not prove the relationship between multivitamins and breast cancer, it has shown a slight possibility of getting cancer, if there is an overuse of multivitamins. Researchers have also found biologically plausible reasons that can associate increased risk of getting breast cancer with the use of multivitamins. There are certain ingredients in these supplements that can trigger the growth of cancerous cells in the body. Folic acid, which is the main component of many multivitamin supplements, tends to increase the density of tissues in the breasts, which can stimulate the growth of cancer. Iron and zinc are also known to increase the risk of this life threatening disease. However, this reason is still debatable. The research also showed that vitamins B6, C and E did not alter the body conditions. Calcium also did not have any link to this cancer and in fact, it acts as shield to protect the body from the attack of cancerous cells.
Preventing Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is one such disease that can be life threatening, if not detected in time. In order to prevent this disease, maintaining a healthy body weight, eating a balanced diet, including lots of fruits and vegetables and avoiding smoking and alcohol is essential. Following a proper exercise regimen will be helpful to cut the extra flab in the body. In case, you need to take any nutritional supplements, consult a health care practitioner who will guide you correctly on what extra supplements are needed by your body.
A healthy and varied diet can reduce the need for taking multivitamins in any form, and hence reduce the risk of breast cancer. Hope you found this article on multivitamins and breast cancer informative and useful.
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