October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

There are loads of different ways to get involved in Breast Cancer Awareness Month – from being “Breast Aware”, to helping raise vital funds for breast cancer research, education and patient support.

• Pink Ribbon Street Appeal – Grab a bucket, get dressed up in pink and join thousands of volunteers around NZ collecting donations for Breast Cancer Foundation on 18^th and 19^th  October.

• Pink for a Day ­ – Join hundreds of workplaces that go Pink For a Day during Breast Cancer Awareness Month and start conversations about breast health and wellbeing.
• Pink Ribbon Walk – Walk 5km or 10km for the ones you love in Auckland (13^th October) or Christchurch (20^th October)
• Shop for good – Buy a Pink Product from one of the Breast Cancer Foundation NZ’s generous partners (including Estée Lauder, ghd, Sealy, Griffin’s and The Good Oil), where a portion of sales will go towards BCFNZ’s life-saving work.

About breast cancer in New Zealand – facts & figures

• Breast cancer is the most common cancer for Kiwi women and the third most common cancer overall.
• More than 3,500 women across the country are diagnosed with breast cancer every year.
  • That’s nine women a day: one of them will be Māori, one of them will be under the age of 45.
• Every year 25 men are diagnosed with breast cancer in NZ too.
• We still lose more than 650 Kiwi women a year to breast cancer.
• Breast cancer is the leading cause of death for NZ women under 65.
• Breast cancer in younger women is less common, but it does tend to be more aggressive. Of the 3,500 women in NZ diagnosed every year, nearly 400 of them will be under 45.
• Wāhine Māori are 35% more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer and 33% more likely to die.
• Pasifika women are 20% more likely to be diagnosed and 52% more likely to die.
• The 10-year survival rate if breast cancer is detected by mammogram is 95%, but this falls to 85% if a woman finds a lump.

BCFNZ’s breast health messages

• Early detection is the best way to beat breast cancer.
  • Breast cancer is survivable if it’s caught early enough.
  • When tumours are small and haven’t spread, they are easier to treat.
• Being ‘Breast Aware’ can save your life:
  • Know your normal – get to know the normal look and feel of your breasts.
  • Check your breasts regularly. If you notice any unusual changes, get them checked out by your doctor straight away.
  • If you’re 45-69, go for a free mammogram, provided by BreastScreen Aotearoa, every two years.
  • BCFNZ recommends you consider a mammogram yearly between the ages of 40 and 49.

Buy a Pink Product from one of the Breast Cancer Foundation NZ’s generous partners

Suport BCFNZ by purchasing one of their products. Here’s just some of the products they have online and Here’s the link to purchase.

Visit breastcancerfoundation.org.nz/bcam to see all the different ways you can make a difference this October.

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About Breast Cancer Foundation NZ (BCFNZ)

• Breast Cancer Foundation NZ’s vision is to see zero deaths from breast cancer.
• We work towards this by pushing for new frontiers in early detection, treatment and support.
• We receive no Government funding and rely entirely on donations from the public and our partners to fund our life-saving work.
• When you donate to BCFNZ, your money goes towards programmes in their four focus areas to reach ‘zero deaths’:
  • Education and awareness campaigns to promote the importance of early detection;
  • Research by NZ’s top scientific minds to advance breast cancer detection and treatment;
  • Support to help patients get through treatment and recovery;
  • Advocacy to improve access to diagnosis, treatment and care.