Building your skills in knowing how to accurately perform a breast self-exam (BSE) and understanding, based on your risk factors, at what age and frequency you should be screened for breast cancer, are important aspects to building your confidence and consistency.  This foundational pillar is key to your health and one of the main reasons Touch4Life was founded. Most women don’t know what to do to perform a BSE.  They pat, they squeeze.  They flounder.  Frustrated and unsure, they give up and worse, they may miss something important, delaying care and risking a more severe late-stage diagnosis.  Our goal is to ensure that you know how to perform a BSE.  Many women don’t know their risk factors.  More, still don’t know which tests to have performed to screen for breast cancer—mammogram, MRI, genetic tests, etc. Find out more about risk appropriate screenings.

Stick with it!  Consistently keep your appointments.  Whether you are being screened or following through on a cancer treatment plan, stay the course.  You can do it. 

Good breast health starts with being aware.  Learn about your options, your body, and the latest screening and treatment guidelines.  You are your best advocate.  It starts with a baseline of your overall and breast health as a snapshot in time, and staying in tune with yourself so that you recognize when something isn’t quite right.  If you are on a breast cancer journey, understanding your options, seeking and finding the care team that works for you.

Now that you’ve learned about breast health, you can be confident in your approach and establish your baseline. Perform a Breast Self Exam, become self-aware, and write down what you feel and observe each time, for each breast.