“My boobs aren’t healthy” said 14,940 women this year.

By AVI VINCE

My boobs and I have a rocky relationship.  It probably stems from when they first made an appearance in my life and seriously impeded my tomboy status.

They further irritate me by being uncooperative and give me a hoochy-mama Housewives-of-the-OC status in triangle bikinis.  And sometimes they get annoyed by me wanting to cover them up – sorry about restraining you to a sports bra for the first two years by the way.

But like most relationships, there is something I take for granted every single day.  And that is that my boobs are healthy.

We are all pretty smart women.  But when it comes to breast cancer and mammograms, if you are anything like me, we become a bit ignorant and fall for some of the following breast cancer myths.

Just as an FYI, you should know that this post is sponsored by BreastScreen NSW. But all opinions expressed by the author are 100% authentic and written in their own words.

We don’t think about the almost 15,000 women who will be diagnosed with breast cancer by the end of the year. We don’t think about making an appointment to have a mammogram. Many of us don’t even know that breast screening is free for women over the age of 40 (and seriously encouraged for women aged 50-74).

Most of us don’t want to think it could ever happen to us. And instead, we hide behind breast cancer myths we’ve heard and convince ourselves that it ‘will never happen to me’.

So let me take this chance to get us all to come out from hiding and dispel all those myths:

I don’t have a family history of breast cancer

Consider yourself fortunate.  You have been spared from having to watch a loved one battle cancer.  But unfortunately, that is where the perks end.  Take a deep breath while you read this stat: 9 out of 10 women who get breast cancer do not have a family history.

And if you do have a family history, you need to talk to a doctor…like now.

I check my own breasts

High five to you.  It’s important to be breast aware, especially from a young age.

But if you’re nearing your 50’s and this is as far as you have gone, you don’t get a gold star.  You need to book in for a breast screening. Stat.

When we’re young our breast tissue is dense and therefore mammograms (where they screen your breasts for cancer) are difficult to read. But as we get older and our boobs start to migrate south, mammography becomes easier to read and breast cancer is easier to find at its earliest stages. Mammograms can find cancer the size of a grain of rice, which is not something you would ever be able to feel or notice.

Breast cancer risk increases significantly with age and women 50-74 are most at risk. So if you or someone you know falls within this age bracket, give them a kick up the backside to book in for their mammogram. Why? Because if you do get breast cancer, the earlier you catch it, your chances of survival are as high as 97%.

I have small breasts

While I am always envious of women with smaller breasts and those low cut dresses they can wear without a bra, breast cancer isn’t a big boob fan.  Regardless of the size of your breasts, you are just as likely to get breast cancer.  And regardless of the size of your breasts, getting regular mammograms gives you the best chance of finding breast cancer early.

I have implants

Again, I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but fake or real, breast cancer isn’t picky.  But thankfully, radiographers have special techniques to take clear x-rays of breasts with implants.

I don’t have time

Okay, now we are getting into the excuses of why you can’t get a mammogram.  A mammogram appointment takes less than 30 minutes.  But let’s remember that you have to get to the appointment and then get back to wherever you came from.  So it bumps it up to one hour of your time.  Done once every two years, that is…punching the numbers into my calculator…0.00005% of your time.  Bad excuse.

Trust me on this one: having a mammogram is much quicker than having treatment for breast cancer.

Mammograms can be uncomfortable

Yes, for some, mammograms may be uncomfortable.  But so is waxing…laser hair removal…glycolic peels…eyebrow tweezing.  The discomfort caused by a mammogram is due to the compression of the breast so that the clearest possible picture can be taken using the least amount of radiation.  By the time you count to 10, it will be all over.  Don’t make me get my calculator out.

I don’t want to be exposed to radiation during the mammogram

Wait, I just said radiation, could that be another reason not to have a mammogram?  Nope.  The risk associated with the small amount of radiation that you get exposed to far outweigh the benefit of having regular screening.

I don’t know where to go            

BreastScreen NSW has over 200 screening locations in NSW (both fixed and mobile services). All you need to do is type in your postcode and your nearest location pops up.  Too easy. To book an appointment call 13 20 50 from anywhere in Australia.

Over 90% of surveyed women agree that a mammogram may save their life     

While everyone might agree that mammograms are lifesaving, the statistics of those who actually have a mammogram are terrifying.  Did you know that less than 50% of women aged 50 – 74 years old have their two-yearly screening mammogram?

So stop pretending like breast cancer won’t happen to you or someone you love. Those breast cancer myths aren’t based in fact.

You can reduce your risk of getting breast cancer by maintaining a healthy weight by eating lots of fresh fruit and vegetables and whole grains.  Make sure to exercise 30 minutes each day.  Say no to that glass of wine a couple days a week and give up smoking (or don’t even bother).

But most importantly, go get a mammogram and don’t take your healthy boobs for granted.

Please share this post with the women you love and encourage those aged between 50 and 74 to book a routine screen.

BreastScreen NSW aims to increase breast cancer survival for women through early detection. When a breast cancer is caught at the earliest stage, the chances of survival are as high as 97% and a screening mammogram can detect a breast cancer as small as a grain of rice, long before it can be seen or felt.

Women aged 50-74 years are invited to have a free screening mammogram every two years. However, currently less than 50%  of eligible women across NSW do so.

BreastScreen NSW is part of the national program, BreastScreen Australia.

Visit the BreastScreen NSW website by clicking here to share the message and help save lives.