In February this year the women’s campaign will be hosting a breast cancer awareness campaign called ‘Cop a Feel’, this campaign will raise awareness about breast cancer, while teaching women the symptoms to check for and offering an opportunity for women to speak with NHS Nurses about the risk of breast cancer.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK. About 46,000 women get breast cancer in the UK each year. Most of them (eight out of 10) are over 50, but younger women and, in rare cases, men can also get breast cancer. (NHS, 2009)
Breast cancer can have a number of symptoms but usually shows as a lump or thickening in the breast tissue (although most breast lumps are not cancerous). If cancer is detected at an early stage, it can be treated before it spreads to nearby parts of the body. (NHS, 2009)
Symptoms:
See your GP if you notice any of the following:
- a lump or area of thickened tissue in either breast,
- discharge from either of your nipples (which may be streaked with blood),
- a lump or swelling in either of your armpits,
- a change in the size or shape of one or both breasts,
- dimpling on the skin of your breasts,
- a rash on or around your nipple,
- a change in the appearance of your nipple, such as becoming sunken into your breast, or
- pain in either of your breasts or armpits which is not related to your period. (NHS, 2009)
Regular self examination will make it easier to notice any differences. It is providing information like this that needs to be improved upon and that is why we’re running the ‘Cop a Feel’ Campaign. It was requested by you during the ‘What Women Want Campaign’ and it will be delivered during February this year, in conjunction with a Breast Cancer Awareness Fundraising Event presented by the Pole Dance Society. February is set to be an exciting but very busy month so if anyone wishes to volunteer their time for this event please contact me before the 1st of February 2010.
For information on how to perform a self breast examination please follow this link:
http://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/testing/types/self_exam/
Useful Breakthrough Breast Cancer Links:
http://breakthrough.org.uk/breast_cancer/breast_cancer_facts/risk_factors_general_information/
http://breakthrough.org.uk/our_work/our_campaigns/screening_saves_lives/
Signs and Symptoms of Male Breast Cancer:
http://breakthrough.org.uk/breast_cancer/breast_awareness/male_breast_cancer.html
Lu Samson studies Environmental Science and Environmental Management and is in her third year at the University of Derby. Previously in post as Ethics and Environment officer she has been involved with the Union, and writing for Dusted, for some time. 
