Breast cancer awareness month: Be Breast Aware
With Dr Heidi Peverill, Specialist Breast Surgeon.
A message from Dr Heidi Peverill, one of Australia’s leading female Specialist Breast Surgeons.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which means it’s the time of year that we loudly and proudly ask women to make sure they get their breasts checked, if they’re not already doing so.
Did you know only 55% of women get a mammogram? Mammograms have been proven to save lives, because they find abnormalities when they are small and therefore easier to treat.
Breast cancer rates are increasing in Australia where 1 in 7 women will now develop breast cancer at some time in their life. Know your breasts, examine them monthly and if you’re over 40 get a mammogram.
If you’ve got a family history of breast cancer, talk to your doctor about whether you need closer surveillance, which could include ultrasound or MRI.
What can you do to reduce your risk?
We now know that keeping in a healthy weight range and minimising your alcohol intake can help reduce the risk of breast cancer plus reduces the risk of heart disease, other cancers and can improve your mental health.
So Be Breast Aware and encourage your mothers, sisters, daughters and friends to do the same…today!
About the author: Dr Heidi Peverill
Dr Heidi Peverill is a Specialist Breast, Melanoma & General Surgeon. She treats all Breast conditions and is trained in advanced techniques of breast cancer management. Heidi also treats general surgical conditions and has trained in the latest techniques of melanoma surgery.
