Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The purpose of Breast Cancer Awareness Month is to promote awareness of breast cancer and to support women suffering from the disease. Cancer starts in the cells of the body and is named after the body part it affects. Many women are alive and well today because of early detection and treatment of breast cancer.
To help raise your awareness on the topic of breast cancer, the following resources from the Canadian Health Network are available to you:

Aboriginal people and breast cancer 
Provides a listing of programs, groups, and treatment centres of interest to Aboriginal people affected by breast cancer.
Source: Canadian Breast Cancer Network (CBCN)

What is breast cancer? 
Explains what breast cancer is and outlines risk factors, symptoms, diagnostic tests, staging, and treatments. Includes information on inflammatory breast cancer, breast cancer in men, and lymphedema.
Source: Canadian Cancer Society (CCS)

Breast health: what you can do 
Explains what the risk factors are for breast cancer, and how to reduce the risk. Includes signs and symptoms of breast cancer, and recommendations for screening tests, such as mammography and clinical breast examination. Information is available in English, French, Chinese, and Punjabi.
Source: Canadian Cancer Society (CCS)

Breast cancer screening: First Nations communities in New Brunswick 
Reports on a survey of women living in First Nations communities in New Brunswick and their knowledge of and participation in breast cancer screening programs.
Source: College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC)
From: Canadian Family Physician

Early detection and screening for breast cancer 
Presents age-based, breast health guidelines which include screening tests. Provides information on mammography, clinical breast examinations, and how to do a breast self-examination (BSE).
Source: Canadian Cancer Society (CCS)

Busting out: breast health for lesbian & bisexual women  
Raises understanding and awareness of breast health for lesbian and bisexual women. Discusses breast screening and risk factors for breast cancer. Link requires PDF reader.
Source: Sherbourne Health Centre

Cancers: actions I can take to reduce my risks of developing cancer 
Outlines steps that Inuit women can do to reduce their risk of cancer. Resource is in English and Inuktitut. Link requires PDF reader.
Source: Pauktuutit Inuit Women of Canada

Up front: new perspectives on breast cancer 
Presents a research initiative which works to improve cancer care and people's experience of living with breast cancer in Ontario. Website includes research on women's experiences of detection, diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship.
Source: Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation (CBCF)
 
Ontario Breast Cancer Community Research Initiative (OBC CRI)  
Supports research on women's psychological, emotional, spiritual, and social experience of breast cancer. Prioritizes research on women who are underrepresented in current breast cancer research and support, for example, women of colour. A partnership of the Women's College Research Institute and the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, Ontario Chapter.
Source: Women's College Research Institute (WCRI)

  These links as well as many others are available at: www.canadian-health-network.ca

Last Update: October 11 2007