October as you all know is ‘Breast Cancer Awareness Month’ aka ‘Pink Month’. Internet is buzzing with everything ‘pink’. People can be seen walking down the roads sporting pink ribbon or pink tee-shirts… all to support the Pink Month campaign. But what needs to be communicated is to push people to go beyond pink… and get their facts right.

And this is the only reason why I thought about writing a post on this topic. One in twenty six women in India is said to be suffering from breast cancer. As a matter of fact this form of cancer is the most common in Indian urban women. The factors governing the risk of getting Breast Cancer are many. Most importantly, it’s the growing age and being a female that come out as the major factors.

Meanwhile the campaigns run by the public health care organisations and other non-government organisations are doing their bit. But, it requires something more than that. Breast cancer is still one of the most neglected ailments among Indian women. Or might I say they don’t seem to take it seriously. But that’s where this problem majorly finds its inception. Yes, ignorance is bliss but then precaution is the best cure. Well, in this case, it’s indeed THE BEST cure. Yearly mammography and regular visits to doctor are what count. All in all, early detection in this case means the cancer battle is half won.

Having said that, those diagnosed with breast cancer should not consider it as the end of the world. With many advances in science, the majority of early breast cancers can be cured and the ones that are diagnosed late can be palliated. It all comes down to happy living at the end of the day… and that happy living is mostly dependent on how updated you are.

So, stay updated to stay fit!