I really prefer the idea of breast health awareness month vs. breast cancer
awareness month.  Perhaps if someone had taught my mother about breast
health 10 years ago, she might still be alive today.  I'm one of those
lucky ladies who has a plethora of female blood relatives with the disease.
 If there is anything I can do to avoid the pain and suffering they have
gone through, I want to know about it.  For the women like me, I'd be upset
if I found there was research that pointed toward healthy behaviors for
preventing breast cancer and that research wasn't actively promoted by
organizations like ACS.

Perhaps this is a notion we should promote amongst our collective
organizations-ILCA, AWHONN, ACNM, ACOG, AAFP etc. for next year.  Perhaps
the American Cancer Society would get the message.  If you are a
contributor to ACS, perhaps a letter to them about this idea would be
helpful.  I think the cancer vs. wellness debate comes from our medical
establishment being more illness vs. wellness oriented.  It's getting
better but we still have a long way to go.

Maurenne Griese, RNC, BSN, CCE, CBE
Birth and Breastfeeding Resources  http://www.childbirth.org/bbfr
Manhattan, KS  USA
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