The power of pink can get breast cancer message across

Wear pink to make people think!

That’s the message from breast cancer groups throughout the UK for this year’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month which runs throughout October.

“It is chance not just to show your support, but also of getting people to focus on the issues surrounding breast cancer – such as the importance of self-checks and the need to seek medical advice if you think anything is wrong,” says the charity Breast Cancer Care.

At Spire London East Hospital in Redbridge, East London staff and surgeons will be adding a touch of pink to their outfits throughout the month as a light-hearted way of getting a very serious message across.

Consultant Oncoplastic Breast and General Surgeon Miss Jasdeep Gahir said: “Statistics show that increased awareness and thorough high-profile campaigns can influence the behaviour of women across the UK. We need to ensure that every woman knows how to carry out effective self-check procedures and, just as importantly, what to do if she thinks something is wrong.

“It is important to get an early appointment with a GP to discuss the matter. The patient will then receive informed advice and, if necessary, be placed on the healthcare pathway and receive the necessary advice, help and treatments.”

Miss Jasdeep Gahir added: “Breast cancer is not one single disease – there are several types of breast cancer and these can be diagnosed at different stages and can grow at different rates.

“This means that there is a range of treatments and we, as clinicians, will discuss with patients what we feel will be the best treatment for them as an individual.”

Although finding a lump in your breast does not always signify breast cancer it is important that women ‘get to know’ their breasts so they could spot changes.

“Many women will experience lumpy breasts just before their period which often disappears afterwards.  However, it is important to keep checking and if the lump doesn’t go away then get it checked out by your GP,” said Miss Jasdeep Gahir.