June 23, A Very Special Day for Breast Cancer Survivors

So you read the headline and I know what you are thinking.  Denny is blogging about his 50th birthday, Nope, I'm blogging about something WAY more important than that.  June 23 is National Pink Day.  A day to celebrate breast cancer survivors.  Unfortunately, this horrible disease has claimed my lives and changed a lot more.  Saturday is not only a day to remember those who lost their battle but it's also a day to celebrate those who have won.

I am the father of two beautiful daughters, I have a wife, a mother, two sisters, a sister-in-law and even though I am a man and may not understand everything that women go through, I know how much I care about my family and friends, so on Saturday, I will be wearing PINK!

Here are a few words from my friend and breast cancer survivor Becky Thomas with some tips for early detection of breast cancer:

Denny, thanks for asking for my input on your blog today.  I appreciate the chance to talk about breast cancer awareness any chance I get.

While there is no way to prevent breast cancer, there are a few things that we can do to reduce our risk.  These are basic things that we all should be doing anyway - a well balanced diet, regular exercise, limited alcohol intake, avoid tobacco, maintain a healthy body weight, etc. Even doing all of these things the risk still exists, one in seven women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime.  Think about it, one in seven women, that number is insane, but we do have one thing on our side and that is early detection.

In addition to annual screenings with our doctors, and monthly self exams it is so, so very important for us to be familiar with our bodies and be able to recognize any changes in our breasts.  Not all breast cancer presents itself as a lump.  Breast changes such as heaviness, discharge, redness and dimpling are all possible symptoms and should be checked out immediately.  Patients that are diagnosed and treated in the early stages show a much higher survival rate than those that are found later. Until there is a cure for breast cancer, early detection is all we’ve got.

If I may add one final thought here.  It’s not all about women.  Men get breast cancer too.  My sixty year old male cousin was just diagnosed and underwent a mastectomy last week.  So this goes for all of us, be aware of your bodies and bring any concerns to your doctor’s attention immediately!

I have some very dear friends that have survived this horrid disease and on this day, I will hopefully celebrate with them, if only in spirit.  Just a reminder ladies: self-examination is crucial and so are regular check-ups.

These pictures are pics of me getting pink in my hair and beard.