Breast Cancer Awareness Month: The Appointment That Could Save Your Life

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Every year, we see the pink ribbons, breast cancer walks, fundraisers, survivor stories, and reminders for women to schedule their mammograms. But behind every pink ribbon is a real person and a real story. There are women and men currently fighting breast cancer, people waiting anxiously for test results, survivors celebrating another year cancer-free, and families remembering someone they lost. For me, Breast Cancer Awareness Month means a little more now because, roughly two years ago, I had a breast cancer scare of my own.

I went for what I thought would be a routine mammogram. It was one of those appointments you make because you know you are supposed to get checked. I wasn't expecting anything unusual. During that process, however, I was told there was something on the scan that they were concerned about. Eventually, I learned that I needed to have a breast biopsy. A breast biopsy removes a small sample of tissue or fluid from a suspicious area of the breast so it can be examined under a microscope for cancer cells.

Hearing the word “biopsy” was enough to scare me.

I am an overthinker, so once I heard there was something suspicious, every positive thought seemed to leave my mind. Instead, my thoughts immediately went to the worst possible outcome. I thought about my children and everything I still wanted to be here to see. What if these results mean I am not going to be here to watch them grow up? What if I don't get to see my son or daughter go to prom one day? What if I don't see them get married? What if I am not here when my children decide to have children of their own and make me a grandmother?

Your mind can travel to some very dark places when you are waiting for an answer that could potentially change your entire life. For me, the waiting was one of the hardest parts. Not knowing can take you down a path filled with fear, anxiety, and a million “what ifs.” You try to continue with your regular life, go to work, take care of your family, and do everything you normally do, but in the back of your mind, you are waiting for that phone call or those results.

Then, I finally received the words I had desperately hoped to hear: “A benign breast finding.”

I could breathe again. Up until that moment, it felt like I had been holding my breath underwater, just waiting for someone to tell me it was safe to come back up. Thankfully, my story did not end with a breast cancer diagnosis. But that experience completely changed the way I think about mammograms, screenings, and early detection. I walked into that appointment thinking it was simply another routine thing on my list. I walked away understanding that a routine appointment could potentially save someone's life.

The numbers show why these appointments are so important. According to the American Cancer Society, an estimated 321,910 women in the United States will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in 2026, and approximately 42,140 women will die from the disease. Breast cancer accounts for about one out of every three new cancers diagnosed in women. The median age at the time of a breast cancer diagnosis is 63, but breast cancer is not only something older women have to think about. About one in ten women diagnosed with breast cancer is younger than 45.

There are also differences in how breast cancer affects different communities. According to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, Black women are about 40 percent more likely to die from breast cancer than White women. That statistic alone is a reminder that access to screening, follow-up care, treatment, education, and early detection matters. Awareness is important, but making sure women actually receive the healthcare they need is just as important.

We also cannot leave men out of the conversation. Breast cancer in men is rare, but rare does not mean impossible. The American Cancer Society estimates that approximately 2,670 men in the United States will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in 2026, and about 530 men will die from the disease. Fewer than one percent of breast cancers occur in men, and male breast cancer is most often diagnosed between the ages of 60 and 70. Men should also pay attention to unusual changes, including a lump or swelling in the breast or chest area, nipple changes, discharge, or changes in the skin.

This is why Breast Cancer Awareness Month has to be about more than wearing pink. It has to be about taking action. Early detection is important because breast cancer can sometimes be found before a person can feel a lump or experience other symptoms. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, mammograms can detect breast cancer before it becomes large enough to feel. National Cancer Institute data also show that when female breast cancer is found while it is still localized, meaning it has not spread beyond the breast, the five-year relative survival rate is about 100 percent.

For women at average risk, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force currently recommends having a mammogram every two years between the ages of 40 and 74. However, everyone's situation is different. I actually get my mammaogram every year now. Women with a strong family history, certain genetic risks, or other risk factors may need a different screening plan, which is why having a conversation with your healthcare provider is so important.

It is also important to know your own body. A lump is not the only possible warning sign of breast cancer. Changes in the size or shape of a breast, nipple discharge, a lump in the breast or underarm, changes to the skin, nipple changes, or anything else that simply does not feel normal, you should discuss with a healthcare professional. And if your mammogram comes back abnormal, remember something I had to learn firsthand: an abnormal mammogram does not automatically mean you have cancer. Sometimes doctors need additional imaging or a biopsy to determine exactly what they are seeing.

My biopsy was benign. Someone else's may not be, and that is exactly why we cannot allow fear to keep us from getting checked.

Yes, mammograms can be uncomfortable. Yes, waiting for results can be scary. I know firsthand how frightening it can be to hear that doctors found something suspicious. But knowing gives you the opportunity to act, and finding breast cancer earlier can make an enormous difference in treatment and survival.

So, this Breast Cancer Awareness Month, don't just wear pink. Ask your mother, sister, aunt, cousin, friend, coworker, or spouse if she is up to date on her mammogram. Encourage the men in your life not to ignore unusual changes in their breasts or chest. Learn your family history. Pay attention to your body. Have conversations about breast cancer even when they are uncomfortable.

Most importantly, if you have been putting off that mammogram because you are busy, nervous, afraid of what they might find, or simply don't want to think about it, make the appointment anyway.

I am grateful that I did.

Sometimes, a routine appointment is just a routine appointment. Sometimes, it gives you peace of mind. And sometimes, early detection can save your life.

American Cancer Society. “Key Statistics for Breast Cancer.” American Cancer Society, 24 June 2026. American Cancer Society – Key Statistics for Breast Cancer. Accessed 2 Oct. 2026.

American Cancer Society. “Key Statistics for Breast Cancer in Men.” American Cancer Society, 13 Jan. 2026. American Cancer Society – Key Statistics for Breast Cancer in Men. Accessed 2 Oct. 2026.

U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. “Recommendation: Breast Cancer: Screening.” U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. USPSTF – Breast Cancer Screening Recommendation. Accessed 2 Oct. 2026.