October is Breast Cancer awareness month and is soon upon us in a few weeks and it is a reminder for all of us to do something. Throughout the month of October, women are encouraged to make mammography appointments. In rare cases, men can also come down with breast cancer as well.
Some may wonder why a man is writing about breast cancer, which is more common in women, but it affects us all. All the women we love — our mothers, sisters, aunts, wives, daughters, friends — can be affected by this insidious disease. We are their caregivers and try to care for the ones we love.
My wife of 33 years, Eva, goes often for the test, and I know it scares her because breast cancer runs in her family. She has friends and relatives who have had this disease and some have passed away. Each time she goes for the test, I’m afraid to hear the worst and maybe lose the most important person in my life. But we must remember early detection is the answer. I know that for a fact because I had come down with an aggressive prostate cancer, but due to early detection and an aggressive surgery I am in remission five years later.
Now, with new treatment options, mammography screenings do improve a women’s chance of survival. Many years ago, I had an aunt who had breast cancer in the 1960s and had passed away at age 62. But more can be done today and the cure rate is much better today. We all need to to get involved and do what we can to fight this insidious disease. Like donating to the American Cancer Society, hospitals that care for breast cancer patients and other organizations that run fund-raisers and can be found on the Internet. I fully understand it is hard for some to volunteer during this COVID-19 pandemic but maybe donate what we can to fight this disease. Let’s end this disease that has affected many women and their families.
Frederick R. Bedell Jr.
Bellerose