WELLBEING
BREAST CHECK-IN
With Breast Cancer Awareness month upon us, it’s time to get clued up on all the signs and symptoms
REPORT: BECCI VALLIS. PHOTOS: GETTY IMAGES
When we think of self-care we tend to think of facials, yoga or taking a candlelit bath. But we should think about our health, too, and checking your breasts definitely needs to be on the list.
With Breast Cancer Awareness month upon us, there’s no better time to add checking your breasts to your self-care routine. A regular check could mean any abnormalities get picked up quickly and lead to a speedier diagnosis.
”Checking your breasts only takes a few minutes and it could be when you’re getting dressed, showering or putting on moisturiser”, says Addie Mitchell, clinical nurse specialist at Breast Cancer Now. “There’s no special way. It’s as simple as TLC: touch, look, check. And remember to check the whole breast and surrounding area including the upper chest and armpits.”
Breast cancer is the UK’s most common female cancer – around 55,000 women are diagnosed with it ever year and one in seven will develop the disease in their lifetime. Eight out of ten cases are diagnosed in women over 50, while only 4% of cases occur in women aged 39 or under.