Thursday, March 28, 2024

It’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month in the United States. It is a month when pink seems to be everywhere. Pink ribbons, pink hats, pink posters. You name it, it may be pink this month.

That’s because pink has come to signify being aware of breast cancer and offer support to those who are fighting it. The National Breast Cancer Awareness Association and the Susan G. Komen organization have spent years getting the message out.

Statistics show that one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. Each year it is estimated that more than 220,00 women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 40,000 will die.  

The most significant risk factors for breast cancer are being female and aging. About 95 percent of all breast cancers in the U.S. occur in women 40 and older. It is the second leading cause of cancer death among women in the U.S., and leading cause among women globally.

There is, however, good news. Breast cancer deaths have been declining since 1990 thanks to early detection, better screening, increased awareness, and new treatment options. In the United States there are more than 3.5 million breast cancer survivors, making them the largest group of all cancer survivors.

The number of survivors is due in large part to the existence of groups like the Breast Cancer Awareness Association and the Susan G. Komen organization and events like Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

The survival rate increases when more women are aware of the signs of breast cancer and get their mammograms on a regular basis.

For many women this is easy to do. If you have a primary care physician you will likely receive yearly reminders. And if you have insurance the cost will not be an issue.

But for those without a doctor or no insurance getting mammograms and treatment is not quite as easy.

That’s is why Dodge County residents are fortunate to have an organization such as the Center Clinic in Dodge Center to help them. Center Clinic staff are able to arrange for mammograms and any other testing that is needed through the Sage Program of the Minnesota Department of Health.

October is a good time to be reminded that the best way to reduce the cases of breast cancer and the death rate is to know the signs, know what can help reduce your chances of cancer and get early diagnosis testing.

 

Election Day is approaching

 

Election Day is fast approaching on Nov. 8.

To help keep you informed the Dodge County Independent will be including a Voters’ Guide in the October 27 edition.

We also want to hear from you on the editorial page.

We continue to invite letters to the editor regarding the election. As with all letters we require letters to be signed and noted where you live. We reserve the right to not run form letters or those that are not from local residents.

Election related letters will continue to be published in the October 27 edition. This is the last date we will publish election-related letters with the exception of letters from a candidate who is responding directly to a letter published the previous week.

 

 

Dodge County Independent

Dodge County Independent
Dodge County ADvantage
301 S. Mantorville Ave.
Plaza 57 • Suite 200
Kasson, MN 55944

Dodge County Printing
301 S. Mantorville Ave.
Plaza 57 • Suite 200
Kasson, MN 55944

507-634-7503
 
Hours: 
Monday-Thursday 10a.m.-3p.m.