Why should we all learn to TOUCH

There is a misperception about breast cancer in our culture. Young people tend to think of breast cancer as an older women’s disease. Actually, this disease has been increasingly on the rise in young women. We are a group of Northwestern students dedicated to spreading breast cancer awareness to young adults. We hope to increase awareness by advocating our TOUCH campaign. The mission of TOUCH is to encourage everyone to perform routine breast self-exam.

Now here are a few facts:

•  Breast cancer is the leading cause of death for women ages 15 to 54

•  Breast cancer is more aggressive and result in lower survival rates in young women

• There are more than 250,000 women 40 and under in the U.S. living with breast cancer, and over 11,100 young women will be diagnosed in the next year

• More than 11,100 women under age 40 will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year, and more than 1,100 will die

•  Men are susceptible to breast cancer too – it is estimated that in 2008 some 1,990 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed among men

• Women who perform regular breast self-exams find 90% of all breast masses