You've been taking care of everyone else. What about you? Important BCA tips

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and everywhere we look, there are pink ribbons, pink shirts, and reminders about the importance of early detection. But as the month comes to an end, I want to ask a question: When was the last time you made your own health a priority?

As a nurse practitioner, I often encounter women who can tell me when their children need appointments, what medications their parents are taking, and when their spouses are due for checkups. But when I ask about their own preventive screenings, the response is sometimes, “I’ve been meaning to schedule that.” Sound familiar?

Early Detection Matters

Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers affecting women in the United States. While receiving a diagnosis can be frightening, detecting breast cancer early can improve treatment options and outcomes. One of our most important tools is the mammogram, an X-ray of the breast that can identify abnormalities before symptoms appear.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends mammograms every two years for women ages 40 through 74 who are at average risk. The American Cancer Society recommends offering annual screening beginning at age 40, with yearly mammograms for women ages 45 through 54. Women 55 and older may transition to every-other-year screening or continue annually. Because recommendations vary, it’s important to discuss your individual risk factors and screening schedule with your healthcare provider.

Know Your Body and Your Risk

Although mammograms are important, being familiar with your breasts matters, too. Pay attention to new lumps, changes in breast size or shape, skin dimpling, nipple discharge, or unusual breast changes. Not every change indicates cancer, but anything new or concerning deserves medical evaluation.

Family history also matters. Having a mother, sister, or daughter diagnosed with breast cancer may increase your risk. However, many women diagnosed with breast cancer have no family history of the disease. That’s why waiting until you notice symptoms isn’t a reliable screening strategy.

An Important Conversation About Health Disparities

Breast cancer doesn’t affect every community equally. Although White women are slightly more likely to develop breast cancer, Black women experience higher breast cancer death rates. Differences in timely diagnosis, access to treatment, and other healthcare barriers contribute to these disparities.

These statistics aren’t meant to create fear. They remind us why access to quality screening, prompt follow-up, and appropriate treatment matters. If you receive an abnormal mammogram result, don’t delay the recommended follow-up. And if you have concerns about your breast health, speak up. You deserve to have your questions answered and your concerns taken seriously.

Make Yourself a Priority

I understand that life gets busy. Between work, family responsibilities, and everything else competing for our attention, preventive care can easily move to the bottom of the list. But taking care of yourself isn’t selfish. Your health deserves the same attention you give to everyone else’s. As Breast Cancer Awareness Month comes to an end, don’t let the message disappear with the pink decorations.

Healthy Habit: If you’re due for a mammogram, take a few minutes this week to schedule it. Encourage a friend, sister, mother, or coworker to do the same.

Healthy Reminder: Breast cancer awareness shouldn’t end on October 31. Early detection, knowing your risk, and advocating for your health matter every month of the year.

Joy King, DNP, MBA, APRN, NP-C, FAIHM, serves as president of the Georgia Nurses Association. She contributes her health column to The Telegraph regularly.