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Thank you for following me this past one month. While I know I haven’t been the best of writers (try the worst) I do hope that you’ve gained something from the updates about Pink October.

If you’ve had even some fun reading what I’ve written, I hope you’ll consider donating to Makna. Thank you for your time. :)

Original entry as appearing at Ink to Screen.

Does anyone have any idea what this is talking about?

Original entry as appearing at Ink to Screen.

One of the things about cervical cancer is that it can affect your fertility chances.

For women who are planning to have babies, having an abnormal pap smear can be terrifying as it’s linked very closely to getting pregnant. While doing research, I found a website by one Stacy Wiegman, who shows that it is possible to have babies after being diagnosed with cervical cancer.

The biggest lesson I learnt here is that cancer is not the end of it all. Life goes on. It doesn’t stop even when you’re in the midst of the battle. I find that thought comforting, because it gives me something to hold on to.

You can read Stacy’s story here.

This entry has been written in support of Makna for PinkOcto. Please donate!

Original entry as appearing at Ink to Screen.

The Obedient Wives’ Club, also known as being part of a deviant Muslim sect, came up with this book called “Islamic Sex, fighting Jews to return Islamic sex to the world” which talks about Islamic sex. Apparently one of the chapters of the book deals with fondling breasts.

There’s a claim by the author of the book which says that breast sucking reduces the risk of breast cancer, made by the BBC no less.

Which I could not find.

What I DID discover was that women who breast fed their children tended to have lower risks of cancer. In fact, the National Childbirth Trust in the UK says women should ideally breastfeed their children for a minimum of 6 months or more to reduce their risk of cancer. The American Cancer Society admits that while preliminary studies show breast cancer risk is reduced slightly if a woman breastfeeds for at least 18 months, they are unable to confirm as breastfeeding for this amount of time in the US and other developed countries are uncommon.

If you plan to breastfeed your baby, please read up on it. While it may seem that breastfeeding is supposed to come naturally to mothers, I know a lot of moms who gave up breastfeeding for various reasons. If you’re having troubles, ask for help. Breastfeeding takes time and practice, so don’t be ashamed if it doesn’t go as planned.

This entry has been written in support of Makna for PinkOcto. Please donate!

Original entry as appearing at Ink to Screen.

One of the things about cancer is that it’s a journey that doesn’t focus on just you alone.

Very often, a battle against cancer is not a battle that you fight alone. It brings in everyone around you. Sometimes it could be just your family. Other times it could be the world.

This does not change the fact that cancer drains not just the person who carries it, but their caretakers. The people who will help you treat the disease. The people who will hold on your hands as you fight the pain. The same people who will tear to see a loved one fighting against a pain they can do nothing to salvage.

Cancer brings out the worst and best of humanity, much like the rest of the other serious diseases. The only thing we know for certain is that most cancers strike at random. Most cancers, including breast cancer, have no real patterns (I have heard a theory that says cancer is caused by repressed anger. I do not know).

What I do know is that in the battle against cancer, we often forget the casualties. The ones who have fought along with the patient.

This is one of the reasons I support Makna and their volunteer program. Very often the press focuses on those who have survived, on those who have “won” the battle against cancer. But you know what? Whenever you interview these survivors, they all say the same thing.

“If it weren’t for my family and the people around me, I wouldn’t be alive.”

So say thank you to the people around you today. The ones who have stood with you all these times. Don’t let it be too late.

This entry has been written in support of Makna for PinkOcto. Please donate!

Original entry as appearing at Ink to Screen.

No entry today as I’m too tired, but today’s NANO topic is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birth_control#Early_history

Good nite!

Original entry as appearing at Ink to Screen.

Breast cancer is one cancer where your lifestyle choices don’t really play a part in your risk of getting it. In fact, it’s determined almost solely by your genes and age (the latter to a very small extent).

Here’s some interesting information to keep in mind when assessing risk of breast cancer:

Blood family members with breast cancer
Yes, this does increase your chances of getting breast cancer, particularly if you have a sister or mother who has had breast cancer. If this is the case, then speak to your doctor about the risks. Screening often may be an option to lower your risk of getting breast cancer.

Age
The older you are, the higher the risk of breast cancer. This is especially so for women who have hit menopause. After the age of 40, women are highly encouraged to get mammograms yearly to screen for breast cancer.

Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)
This is possibly one of the few lifestyle choices a woman can make to control her risk of breast cancer. Research shows that combined Hormone Replacement Therapy (aka estrogen and progestin and others) may increase your risk. Interestingly, women who put on weight after menopause but are on HRT actually have a slightly lower risk of getting breast cancer, but considering that HRT increases your risk of other cancers…

Assess your understanding about breast cancer and its risks here.

Original entry as appearing at Ink to Screen.

Just two links today.

In 2009, the Danish government paid compensation to women who had not family history of breast cancer but developed it anyway due to working long shifts. BBC has this old news.

Here’s the Oxford Journal report on it.

Original entry as appearing at Ink to Screen.

For women, there’s now a call to their HPV shots to prevent cervical cancer. I would also like to ask:

When was the last time you got your Hepatitis shots?

Hepatitis B was named as the most common risk factor for getting liver cancer. The survival rate for this kind of cancer is 10%.

So why is getting your Hepatitis shots so important?

Simply put, these shots help immunise yourself against the Hepatitis virus and its many variants. Taking the shots therefore will help cut down on your cancer risk.

Note though, that there are several kinds of Hepatitis viruses. Last I checked, there was Hep A all the way to Hep G. The later the alphabet, the rarer the disease. In Malaysia, you’re recommended to get the Hepatitis B shot, which seems to be the most common type here. However, should you travel, they usually recommend getting a Hep A shot instead.

So, when was the last time you took your shots?

This entry has been written in support of Makna for PinkOcto. Please donate!

Original entry as appearing at Ink to Screen.

It’s been 10 days since I started this journey. If you’ve stuck with me through all that time (or haven’t kicked me off the friend’s list already), thank you! If you have some spare change, even better! Donate to Makna and help me reach my goal!

Now that that’s done, I’d like to ask. Have you done a BSE?

A breast self-examination (BSE) is pretty easy to do. It does, however, require you to be comfortable with your body. Your breasts are a part of you, so don’t be afraid to handle them like you would your hands and feet. The key thing about BSE is not that you’re looking for lumps, but you’re looking for anything out of the ordinary with your breasts. So if your breasts are raw in one spot when they’ve never been that before, consider talking to a doctor about it, especially if you haven’t changed any of your habits before this.

Interestingly, the American Cancer Society recommends BSE as a way for women to familiarise themselves with their breasts, rather than use it as a diagnostic tool. Scroll down below for a step by step guide.

With that, nite nite!

This entry has been written in support of Makna for PinkOcto. Please donate!

Original entry as appearing at Ink to Screen.