Thirty-six hours ago my boss’ mum passed away from breast cancer. She was in her mid-fifties, which is too young to die. I didn’t know her that well, but the time I did spend with her proved to me that she was a lovely woman – friendly, well loved, confident. But tragedy struck and, after a long fight, she is gone.

Within hours of hearing of her death I received a letter from the cancer council pleading for money to help in their research of breast cancer. All day today I have heard those two words – breast cancer – over and over again on the radio. What’s happening? Why are more women getting taken by this disease? Or, are we now more open about it than we’ve been in the past?

As far as I know, breast cancer does not run in my family. I’m told I’m in the low risk category, but can we really believe all this category business? Personally, I don’t think so. I think all women – and men, because they can get this too – should take the threat of breast cancer seriously and check themselves regularly. If anything, and I mean anything, seems odd or different then don’t sit back and worry about it but do nothing…go to the doctor and have it checked out. Go today! The sooner you get the diagnosis the more chance you have of survival. And if what you found turns out to be nothing, then you can stop worrying needlessly sooner rather than later.

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