Wacoal encourages Breast Cancer Screening

​A company which brand name is synonymous to undergarments and is at the forefront of their niche gives us more reason to love their brand as Wacoal supports Breast Cancer Awareness campaign.
 
Breast cancer can affect any female regardless of social status. One popular celebrity who suffered breast cancer is Hollywood Actresses Angelina Jolie and Christina Applegate while Maritoni Fernandez and Melissa De Leon are also known Breast cancer survivors in the local scene.
 
Breast cancer affects an estimated 5 out of 100 Filipino women below 75 years old and 2 out of the group is estimated to die before age 75. According to Globocan 2012 of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the Philippines ranked as the 5th country in Asia and the 2nd country in Southeast Asia with the highest incidence of breast cancer.
 
This data should be a cause for alarm given that the disease remains to be the leading cancer type among women followed by Lung Cancer. A call for advocacies have been spread and campaign have been develop to mend this figures.
 
 “Every time we talk about breast cancer, we always see negative statistics. The thing is, it’s curable. So why aren’t we projecting numbers of lives that were saved from this disease instead?” expressed Ann Christine Palisoc, President of Philippine Wacoal Corporation.

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Early detection is still the most effective solution to breast cancer management. Studies support that survival rates increase the earlier the cancer is detected with treatment during stages 0-3 providing the best chance of survival. This is supported by statistics from Cancer Research UK which reports that 90% of women who were diagnosed earlier have a better chance of recovering from the disease than those diagnosed during the advanced stages.

Several ways to perform a Breast Self-Exam

A monthly breast self-examination is suggested for women at the age of first menstruation.

(Photos from www.nationalbreastcancer.org)

• In the Shower

Using your forefingers, move around your entire breast in a circular pattern moving from the outer to the center of your breast. Check the both breast and armpit area. Check for any lump, thickening, or hardened knot.
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• In Front of a Mirror

Visually inspect your breasts with your arms at your sides. Raise your arms high overhead. Look for any changes in the shape of breast and in the nipples.

•  Lying Down

Lie down to spread breast tissue evenly along the chest wall. Place a pillow under your right shoulder and put your right arm behind your head. Using your left hand, move you forefingers around your right breast gently in small circular motions covering the entire breast area and armpit. Varying pressure. Squeeze the nipple to check for discharge and lumps. Repeat these steps on your left breast.
 

• In Front of a Mirror

Visually inspect your breasts with your arms at your sides. Raise your arms high overhead. Look for any changes in the shape of breast and in the nipples. 

•  Lying Down

Lie down to spread breast tissue evenly along the chest wall. Place a pillow under your right shoulder and put your right arm behind your head. Using your left hand, move you forefingers around your right breast gently in small circular motions covering the entire breast area and armpit. Varying pressure. Squeeze the nipple to check for discharge and lumps. Repeat these steps on your left breast.

Those in the same age range to their 30s are also recommended to have a clinical breast examination (CBE). For women aged 40 and above, having a CBE and mammogram yearly is advised.
 
Early Detection Can increase curability and save lives

“There is no shortage of options that can be used to detect breast cancer early. The problem is that people do not always understand the significance of early detection,” says Palisoc.
She continues, “This is why building breast cancer awareness is still very important. We need to inform the public. If they are properly educated, then they will build the initiative on their own.”
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Philippine Wacoal rises to this call with its 10-year-long Keep Abreast Campaign, an advocacy that centers in informing the public about the importance of early diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of breast cancer. For this campaign, Philippine Wacoal has partnered with non-profit organization Gift2Life, Inc. to conduct free seminars to build better public awareness on the subject.

Advocacy Seminar on Breast Cancer
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In addition, Philippine Wacoal Corporation also conducts clinical breast examinations after the seminars. This year-round advocacy also sells pink ribbon souvenir items to its customers to raise funds which will be donated to Gift2Life, Inc. and the Philippine Foundation for Breast Care, Inc.
The company is a subsidiary of Wacoal Corporation, Japan’s leading brand of female undergarments. Other than its quality products—which the company boasts to be supported by intensive research, the corporation has also made a name in the international and local market for building and valuing consumer trust.
Palisoc shares, “As a brand trusted by many, we have taken it as our responsibility to give back to society. This is our way of reaching a helping hand, because everyone deserves to be protected from this disease.”
She finishes, “Live an active and healthy lifestyle, exercise regularly, minimize stress, and most of all, know your risk factors. Be aware. It can save your life.”
The Keep Abreast Seminar was held on October 3 and another one will be on Oct. 17, 1 pm, at Ateneo Rockwell. Everybody is invited to join and learn more about breast cancer. To register, please contact Ms. Concel Pangilinan at 892-5706 or 09178907620. No entrance fee is needed to participate.