October is officially here and with its arrival comes many things: plaid scarves, bonfires, and, of course, dozens of new pumpkin spice-flavored beverages. But October isn’t just about the start of the holiday season or the cold weather; it’s also Breast Cancer Awareness month.

Thankfully over the years breast cancer awareness has risen, but that doesn’t mean the war against breast cancer is over. According to the American Cancer Society, breast cancer is the second most common cancer among American women after skin cancer. Every little bit of research and awareness helps, however, and these beauty brands are doing their part to in the fight against breast cancer. When you purchases any of these products in October, you’ll not only be pampering yourself but giving back to the “pink” cause, and there’s nothing more empowering than women helping other women.

The Wand from Nikki’s Magic Wand

Makeup lovers, your beauty dreams have come true. Now you can scrape every last bit of your lip gloss from the tube with the help of this handy device. The Wand has a flexible tip that can reach where other makeup applicators can’t, whether the container is thin or thick or square or round. For every purchase of the exclusive Breast Cancer Awareness wand, Nikki’s Magic Wand will donate 25% of the sales to BCA.

Simple Sugars PINK! Body Scrub

This all-natural body scrub contains antioxidant rich acai berry and strawberry along with natural oils and vitamins. 100% of the profits from this yummy strawberry vanilla-scented scrub will be donated to Bright Pink, a national non-profit organization that provides educational programs about breast and ovarian health for young women.

Jane Iredale Smell the Roses Hydration Spray

A Jane Iredale customer favorite, this limited edition spray hydrates and calms the skin, leaving it plumper and smoother. Spritz the Smell the Roses Hydration Spray on top of your foundation or wear it alone. Every cent of the profits from this exclusive item will be donated to Living Beyond Breast Cancer, an organization dedicated to helping those whose lives are affected by breast cancer.

HydroPeptide Breast Cancer Awareness Kit

This beauty set comes with a full-size version of the Eye Authority, a four-dimensional eye cream that diminishes the look of dark circles while reducing the look of wrinkles, expression lines, and puffiness. The full-size Island Bloom Perfecting Gloss immediately plumps lips while providing long-lasting smoothness and hydration. Five dollars from every purchase of the kit will be donated to Look Good Feel Better, whose mission is improve the quality of life and self-esteem of people undergoing cancer treatments.

Handmade Beauty Box – October

You’ve heard of beauty box subscriptions, but Handmade Beauty Box is different from others in that it allows subscribers to DIY their own beauty products. You can opt for one of the single boxes, or choose from one of the three subscription levels. Every sale of the October box will be donated to Project Violet, a research program dedicated to finding cures for diseases that are currently considered incurable.

The post Beauty Products Going Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

Thirty years ago, a diagnosis of breast cancer was thought of as a virtual death sentence for many women, but since that time significant progress has been made in the fight against breast cancer. Reduced mortality, less invasive treatments, an increased number of survivors and other advancements have their roots in breast cancer research – more than $790 million of it funded by Susan G. Komen, the world’s largest breast cancer organization.

However, the reality is that breast cancer is still a serious disease. National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, held each October, brings awareness to the disease and empowers women to take charge of their own breast health.

This year, about 200,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed among women in the U.S. and nearly 40,000 women will die from it. Globally, 1.6 million people will be diagnosed, and 400,000 will die. Despite the increased awareness of breast cancer, major myths still abound. Women must remain vigilant against this disease by learning the facts and understanding how they may be able to reduce their risk.

The Myths and Facts on Breast Cancer

Myth: I’m only 35. Breast cancer happens only in older women.

Fact: While the risk increases with age, all women are at risk for getting breast cancer.

Myth: Only women with a family history of breast cancer get the disease.

Fact: Most women who get breast cancer have no family history of the disease. However, a woman whose mother, sister or daughter had breast cancer has an increased risk.

Myth: If I don’t have a mutated BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene, I won’t get breast cancer.

Fact: You can still get breast cancer, even without a gene mutation. About 90 to 95 percent of women who get breast cancer do not have this mutation.

Myth: Women with more than one known risk factor get breast cancer.

Fact: Most women with breast cancer have no known risk factors except being a woman and getting older. All women are at risk.

Myth: You can prevent breast cancer.

Fact: Because the causes of breast cancer are not yet fully known, there is no way to prevent it.

Actions to Reduce Your Risk

Breast cancer can’t be prevented; however, research has shown that there are actions women can take to reduce their risk of developing breast cancer.

• Maintain a Healthy Weight – Postmenopausal women who are overweight have a 30 to 60 percent higher breast cancer risk than those who are lean.
• Add Exercise into Your Routine – Women who get regular physical activity may have a lower risk of breast cancer by about 10 to 20 percent, particularly in postmenopausal women.
• Limit Alcohol Intake – Research has found that women who had two to three alcoholic drinks per day had a 20 percent higher risk of breast cancer.
• Breastfeed, if you can – Research has shown that mothers who breastfed for a lifetime total of one year (combined duration of breastfeeding for all children) were slightly less likely to get breast cancer than those who never breastfed.

For more information on the facts about breast cancer and what you need to reduce your risk, or to find resources in your community, visit Komen.org or call 1-877-GO-KOMEN.

The post Breast Cancer in 2013: What You Need to Know appeared first on AKAMom Magazine.

“The moment the words “You have cancer” were said, I took out my pen and pad and started asking questions. I was on a mission to get information, to make sure my baby would be born healthy and happy.”

 “I got involved with Komen because they are on the front lines advocating for the most important issues for survivors like me – in states like California, for instance, many women rely on the state’s screening program, which ensures that a lost job or lost insurance doesn’t result in a lost life.”

“Komen’s California Affiliates are actively lobbying to sustain funding for specific programs that will make sure underserved women have access to screening and early detection of breast cancer.”

My husband and I got to hear our baby’s heartbeat for the first time at a routine doctor’s appointment in February of 2007. Everything checked out and looked great until my doctor asked whether I had any questions. “As a matter of fact, I do,” I replied. “What is this lump? Is it a milk gland, already?”

On Valentine’s Day, our worst fears were confirmed: I had triple-negative breast cancer. I was 14 weeks pregnant and 27 years old. On that day, every goal and timeline I had carefully mapped out for our family and my career were thrown out the window. Now my focus was only on the fight to make sure my baby would be born both healthy and happy; my own health and survival were secondary. One week after my diagnosis I began chemotherapy. My oncologist prescribed a cocktail of medications that were known to be safe for the fetus because the drugs didn’t pass the placental barrier. But that reassurance was difficult to grasp while sitting in an infusion chair for six hours.

I also had to deal with so many unexpected issues: disability and life insurance, pre-existing conditions, the lifetime and annual limits of health insurance policies, and coverage appeals. As a former insurance defense attorney, I was better equipped to handle these than the dozens of other young cancer patients I met, such as the single mom who lost her job at a gas station because of her treatment schedule, and the couple who lost their home because of crushing medical costs.

Our baby had nearly six months of chemotherapy with me before his early arrival on July 14, 2007. Blake was born at a healthy 5 pounds, 9 ounces, and with a full head of hair – more than I had, at the time, because of the drugs! A week after his delivery, I returned to my aggressive chemotherapy schedule for another three months. After that came a bilateral mastectomy and a series of six reconstructive and prophylactic surgeries. 

When Blake was five months old, I returned to work. I felt as though I had left work on cancer’s terms, and I wanted to go back to work on my terms – and that meant as soon as possible, even though I still wore a wig, faced major surgeries, and had an infant at home.

As part of my continuing education requirements for my license, I attended a cancer rights conference. Sitting there talking with 200 other attorneys, advocates, patients, and healthcare providers, I realized that I could become a cancer rights attorney, coupling my professional experience as a lawyer with my personal passion for helping others who struggle with cancer.

Now I work as a cancer rights attorney at the Cancer Legal Resource Center and seize every opportunity to educate others by sharing my experience as a young breast cancer survivor. I also proudly serve as the Past-Chair of Public Policy Chair for the California Collaborative of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, as a member of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure National Public Policy Advisory Council and was recently appointed to the California Breast and Cervical Cancer Advisory Council for the State of California to help ensure underserved women have access to life-saving early detection services.

Today, Blake is a healthy, vibrant five-year-old and a constant reminder about what is truly important to me.

http://ww5.komen.org/impact.html

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