Download breast cancer: know the facts

BREAST CANCER: KNOW THE FACTS
In some way, breast cancer will directly or indirectly affect you or someone you know. Today, an
estimated three million women are living with breast cancer in the United States, and one million of them
don't yet know it. Because there is no known cure for breast cancer, awareness, education and early
detection are our best defenses against the disease. According to the American Cancer Society, there is a
97% survival rate when breast cancer is caught early, before it spreads to other parts of the body.
How Much Do You Really Know?
True or False: Every woman is at risk for breast cancer.
True. All women are at risk for breast cancer. Some of the factors that increase the risk are aging, a history of
breast cancer in your family, women who began menstruating early, went through menopause late, had their first
child after 30 or had no children at all.
True or False: Breast cancer afflicts hundreds of thousands of women each year.
True. About 211,300 women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in 2003, and about 40,000
will die from it.
True or False: The chances of being diagnosed with breast cancer in your lifetime are 1 in a 100.
False. A woman's risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime is 1 in 8.
True or False: Certain diets can prevent breast cancer.
False. There is no known prevention for breast cancer. However, a low-fat diet, exercise and weight control can
help reduce your risk.
True or False: Men can’t get breast cancer.
False. Though males account for less than 1% of all breast cancers, men of any age can develop it; though it is most
commonly detected in men aged 60-70.
Get Involved
The new Avon Walk for Breast Cancer events will bring together thousands of women and men to raise
significant funds and awareness for the breast cancer cause.
The Avon Walks are non-competitive and have been structured for all fitness levels, offering participants a
choice of distances, with the goal of completing a marathon walk (26.2 miles) or a marathon and a half
(39.1 miles) over a weekend. On Saturday night, participants will sleep in tents at the Wellness Village,
where they will enjoy health-related activities, entertainment, hot showers, prepared meals and medical
services. The Wellness Village also includes a public area, open to Avon Walk participants, their friends,
families and area residents, featuring informational seminars on a variety of breast cancer topics.
The Avon Walk for Breast Cancer is the latest fundraising initiative of the Avon Foundation Breast
Cancer Crusade (www.avoncrusade.com), which in the last decade has raised $250,000,000 and
immeasurable awareness worldwide for the breast cancer cause.
To register to walk or crew, or to pledge financial support for the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer, visit
www.avonwalk.org or call 1-877-WALK AVON.
Sources:
American Cancer Society: Cancer Facts & Figures 2003, http://www.cancer.org
National Cancer Institute, http:// www.nci.nih.gov
For more information contact the media hotline : 1-888-AVON-411