Breast Cancer Awareness - Thingamaboob key to women's breast health

This October, during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, women are encouraged to keep their breast health top of mind with a fashionable and practical accessory, the Canadian Cancer Society's Thingamaboob, designed to raise awareness around the importance of screening in the early detection of breast cancer. The Thingamaboob is made of pink beads that show women the different lump sizes that can be detected through a variety of breast-screening methods. The beads illustrate the following:

The smallest beads represent the average size lump found by getting regular mammograms.

The third largest bead shows women the average size lump found by their first mammogram.

The second largest bead shows the average size lump found by a clinical breast examination by a healthcare professional.

The largest bead shows the average size lump found by women performing regular breast selfexaminations.

The Thingamaboob can be used as an ornamental keychain or purse charm, so that it becomes a daily reminder for women to follow breast cancer screening guidelines for their age group. The Canadian Cancer Society recommends:

- Women 70 or older, talk to their doctor about a screening program for you.

- Women between 50 and 69, have a mammogram every 2 years.

- Women between 40 and 49, discuss with their doctor their risk of breast cancer, along with the benefits and risks of mammography.

- Women over the age of 40, have a clinical breast examination by a trained health professional at least every 2 years.

- Women can also consider doing breast self-examination to learn what is normal for their breasts and report any changes they find to their doctor.

Each purchase of the Canadian Cancer Society Thingamaboob helps fund vital cancer research and cancer-related support programs.

The Thingamaboob can be purchased for $5 at Canadian Cancer Society unit offices in Ontario.

For more information, visit www.cancer.ca/thingamaboob.