Breast Cancer is NOT a Pink Ribbon

David Jay

Have you heard about the Scar Project? If not, it's about time that you did.

David Jay became interested in starting this project when his wife's twin sister found out that she had breast cancer at 26 years of age.

Originally intended to be an educational piece, (SCAR stands for Surviving Cancer. Absolute Reality) it has become much more for David Jay. He soon realized that his project gave women the ability to not only show to the world their strength, but also their courage and beauty.

• To read more about the project, see here. 
•  To read more about the photographer, see here. 
•  To purchase his book, see here. 
• To visit them on FB, see here. 

Check Your Boobies

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Do you do regular breast examinations? I challenge you to start, if you don't already!

While celebrating our breasts and educating about cancer prevention and detection this month, check out some of the links below to better familiarize yourself with your mammaries!

• At Check Your Boobies, you can learn how to do a breast exam on yourself, and even how to educate your friends and community through holding a "CYB Party"!
• The Feel Your Boobies campaign offers a hip and trendy educational site, filled with printable fliers for education and distribution, promotional clothing and accessories, and a Boob Tube educational film (see below). It is a non-profit group whose main focus is to educate women under 40 to get into the habit NOW.
  
• The Breast Cancer Website has a great wealth of information on symptoms, signs, treatments, support groups, and studies
• The Avon Walk for Breast Cancer has a list of walks throughout the U.S. on their site, along with fund raising pages for participants, stories from survivors, and information on how to get involved.
• The American Institute For Cancer Research and La Leche League published a report showing that breastfeeding greatly reduces mamas risk of breast cancer later in life. This resulted in breastfeeding being one of their Top Ten Recommendations to Prevent Cancer
• The Young Survivor Coalition is a non-profit support group for women under 40 who have survived breast cancer and also hope to educate the public to starting regular breast exams at an early age.
• Keep a Breast is one of my favorite sites. They raise money for breast cancer awareness and medical research to find a cure through very unconventional, beautiful, and artistic means. Check it out for inspiration!
• Living Beyond Breast Cancer is another great survivor support site with a load of information, a calendar of upcoming events, and a message board.
  
• The American Cancer Society makes Strides Against Breast Cancer a main focus.
• Lymph Divas is another one of my favorite sites, offering 'medically correct fashion for lymphedema' - a common condition that can occur during the treatment of breast cancer, necessitating compression as treatment.
  
• TLC is a part of the ACS and focuses on cancer survivors, offering support through mastectomy products, products for hair loss, and jewelry to raise awareness.
• And, of course, the Susan G. Komen for the Cure, which was popularized by Yoplait Yogurt's support.
  

So, whose up for a Check Your Boobies Party?