Today is my birthday and I am 41.
Time goes by faster than ever now that I have kids!
Every year around my birthday I get very reflective. I always think about all that I accomplished and all that I wish I had and resolve to make the next year better.
Last year when I turned 40, I had my obligatory mammogram. I had one when I was about 15 because I found a lump when I did my self-examination. Thankfully it was nothing, but it gave us all a scare. I’m happy to say that mammograms have “come a long way baby!” since my first encounter. It was much less invasive and didn’t hurt as much as I remember it.
But even if it did hurt, early detection is the key.
Breast cancer is a special topic in my family because I lost my godmother to breast cancer when I was 11. She died two days after my birthday. I will never forget that I saw her on my birthday because she had a special tradition. She would write me a check in the amount of my age so I could go get something nice. She was very sick and frail, but still managed to write me that check. Now I regret cashing it or at least not making a copy of it.
To this day, I still miss my Auntie Gloria. It’s hard to believe it’s been 30 years since she passed away.
Due to her illness, my family has been very aware of the importance of early detection. So every month I so a self-examination and soon I will be teaching my girls to do the same.
You may have noticed in the news that many stars have been diagnosed with breast cancer over the last few years: Maura Tierney, Kathy Bates, Christina Applegate and Guliana Rancic. There can never be too much information about early detection.
Did you know that one in eight women will get breast cancer in her lifetime? One in eight! That’s equivalent to an inner-circle of friends, or the women in an extended family. Fortunately, there is hope. When breast cancer is detected early, the five-year survival rate is 98 percent. That’s why it is critical for women to create an early detection plan. Because early detection saves lives.
This year, Proctor and Gamble’s Give Hope Campaign will kick off a little early with a Twitter Party hosted by Guliana Rancic.
Do It For the Girls! Twitter Party Details:
- When: Thursday, September 20 at 3 p.m. ET
- Where: Twitter – follow @pgmygive, @giulianarancic, @NBCF and #GIVEHope
You can RSVP for the party at http://www.shespeaks.com/givehope to be eligible to win prizes – invite your friends!
Plus, on September 17, there will be a Facebook app that allows users to donate $1 to the National Breast Cancer Foundation (up to $25,000) just by performing a self exam, telling them about it and changing your cover photo to a GIVE Hope hand.
Also this year P & G has two P&G brandSAVER coupon booklets that will be distributed in most local newspapers across the nation on Sept. 30 and Oct. 14. For each coupon redeemed from these books, P&G will donate $0.02 and $0.01 to the National Breast Cancer Foundation respectively (uncapped).
So join us on September 20th for the “Do It For The Girls” Twitter party and invite someone you love 
