Pinky Swear

It's October 1st, which marks the start of Breast Cancer Awareness month. It's a big issue to me, in small part because of two scares I had this past year, and largely because some important people to me have been impacted by breast cancer, either personally or second-hand.

In a brochure given to me recently by Sharsheret, an organization supporting young Jewish women affected by breast cancer, I read:

"Alterations in two genes inditified as BRCA1 and BRCA2 make carriers more susceptible to developing breast and ovarian cancers….Among individuals of Ashkenazi Jewish descent, research scientists have found that approximately 1 in 40 carry an altered BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene compared to 1 in 345 in the general population. Among people with alternations in the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes, three particular alternations have been found t be most common in the Ashkenzi Jewish population– two in the BRCA1 gene and one int eh BRCA2 gene. While there is still debate as to whether breast or ovarian cancer rates are higher in Jewish women as compared to the general population, the proportion of breast or ovarian cancer that is heredity is higher in Jewish women of Ashkenazi descent."

Contact Sharsheret for a copy of one of their many information packets including Breast Cancer Genetics and the Jewish Woman, Facing Breast Cancer as a Jewish Woman, Facing Breast Cancer as an Orthodox Jewish Woman and The Jewish Family Facing Breast Cancer. Also, you might want to consider getting a breast self-exam shower card, a handy waterproof self-exam reminder that looks like the Do Not Disturb signs you hang on hotel doors. Other organizations to keep on your radar and to help support are Hadassah's Healthy Women, Healthy Lives Program, Bikur Cholim's Women's Healthcare Project, in addition to organizations serving everyone such as Living Beyond Breast Cancer, National Breast Cancer Coalition, Susan G. Komen Foundation, Y-Me, Young Survival Coalition, Facing Our Risk and The Breast Care Site. Of course, breast cancer isn't just a women's issue, either, with men's resources like this page from the American Cancer Society and BreastCancer.org's men's section.

Of course, you can get active and raise some serious money in support of breast cancer, too. Events like Avon's Breast Cancer 3-Day (which I did a few years ago and can vouch for how well-organized it was and how meaningful it was to go 60 miles in three days and would do it again in a heartbeat), Race for the Cure events (which I've also done– there are events in almost every city so check the website and see if there is one near you), Making Strides Against Breast Cancer (which I am doing this year) and and for the perhaps less-active, there is Wacoal's Fit For the Cure, where getting fitted for and buying a brassiere does a world of good and Brides Against Breast Cancer's 3-day bridal tzotch-fest raises funds. Or go test-drive a BMW, if that's your bag.

And, in addition to supporting these organizations or doing these events, you can make some of your purchases stretch your donation dollars with finds like this mezuzah case and these mezuzah cases. Here is a list of cosmetics that are tricked out in pink for October to benefit breast cancer research, all sorts of goodies at The Breast Cancer Site to wear and use, fabulous kitchen accessories and small appliances at KitchenAid's Cook For The Cure and even this pink Clean for the Cure vac. Things you probably need to buy anyway, right? Right. Okay, okay, and because baseball is heating up this week, I have to share this t-shirt. Okay, wait, this one, too.