FACT: 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime.†
FACT: The chance of getting breast cancer increases with age and every woman is at risk.††
FACT: In 2005 alone, more than 211,000 women in the United States will learn that they have breast cancer.†
FACT: This year, over 1,600 men will be diagnosed with it too.†
Fortunately – thanks to early detection, education, and better treatments – breast cancer deaths are on the decline. The good news is, much is being done to find a cure!
Since 1992, The Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF) has been dedicated to provide the funding needed to wipe out this killer. They’ve raised over $115 million in the hopes of finding a cure.
FACT: 30 years ago a woman diagnosed with breast cancer would likely have heard her doctor say, "I’m sorry… you need a mastectomy." Modern-day advances mean that surgery may not always be necessary. †††
FACT: In the past year, $25 million has been raised through the Foundation. More than 85% of those dollars are spent on breast cancer research and educational programs resulting in some remarkable breakthroughs.
For example, cancer drugs now target breast tumors directly and with fewer complications. Plus, a recent study funded by the BCRF found that adopting a low-fat diet leads to a higher overall survivor rate for breast cancer patients.
Want to know more? Check out BCRF’s website: bcrfcure.org. You’ll learn how your genetics plays a role in the disease… how to interpret a mammogram… and how to talk to your doctor about early-stage breast cancer.
Take heart: survival rates have improved greatly! In fact, for every year that a woman survives cancer, her risk of a recurrence drops.** What’s more, researchers found that breast cancer patients who engaged in physical activity for at least one hour a week had an overall higher survival rate***.
That’s good news, indeed.
† National Breast Cancer Foundation †† National Cancer Institute ††† American Cancer Society ** California Breast Cancer Research Program *** Journal of American Medicine
