Annual health campaign targets breast health

Encouraging breast cancer awareness

As of 1985, October was declared as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a campaign created with the purpose of promoting prevention and attention to the dangers of breast cancer as well as creating awareness of the disease.

“[Breast Cancer Awareness Month is] an annual international health campaign organized by major breast cancer charities every October to increase awareness of the disease and to raise funds for research into its cause, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure,” Director of Counseling Services Renee Weiss said.

At Texas A&M University – Kingsville (TAMUK) services like Student Health and Wellness are ready to provide students with more information through the Peer Education Program and the Wellness program. It also provides outreach and presentations to educate campus. It holds the annual Breast Cancer Awareness Walk and encourages TAMUK to wear pink throughout the month.

“The Breast Cancer Awareness Walk is meaningful to me and my chapter, Alpha Sigma Alpha (ASA), as it is one of our philanthropies that helps fundraise for the Susan G Komen Foundation alongside Student Health and Wellness on campus,” Senior education major and member of ASA Micaela Gracia said.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer, after skin cancer, that is diagnosed in women in the United States. It is more commonly found in women, but it can also be found in men. It is important for students to check themselves and stay up to date with their bodies. Breast cancer screening and early detection can save lives and prevent the cancer from progressing.

Alongside Student Health and Wellness, the Men’s and Women’s Health Services of the Coastal Bend aids in keeping students informed and offering their services.

“We want to make sure that people are taking care of their general reproductive health. We also want to let people in the local areas know that they have places they can go to,” Community Educator for the clinic Cinda LeBus said. “We want to make sure that people who do not have insurance have a place they can go to regardless of their ability to pay.”

Individuals should be on the lookout for any lumps or thickening in the breast that may feel different from the surrounding tissue, change in size, shape or appearance of breast. Changes to the skin over the breast, such as dimpling, peeling, scaling, crusting or flaking of the pigmented area of skin surrounding the nipple or breast skin. Redness or pitting of the skin over the breast, and more. They are highly encouraged to see a doctor if they notice any changes in their breasts.

LeBus is a breast cancer survivor. She said it was a scary, eye-opening experience but she fought through it. She explained that once she moved past it, she got to what is called “a new normal.”

“You just want your life to go on, you want to get back to normal, but things are subtly different,” LeBus said. “They are different physically, mentally and emotionally. You just have a new awareness.”

For more information on Breast Cancer Awareness, contact the Student Health and Wellness center at (361) 593-3991 or visit the Men’s and Women’s Health Services of the Coastal Bend online at www.wahs.org.