Today’s post comes from Susan Knox, Executive Director of Europa Donna – The European Breast Cancer Coalition. Europa Donna works to raise public awareness of breast cancer and to mobilise the support of European women in pressing for improved breast cancer education, appropriate screening, optimal treatment and care and increased funding for research.
The European Breast Cancer Coalition holds Breast Health Day on 15 October each year to disseminate information about breast health and to raise awareness of prevention and early detection of breast cancer among women and girls across Europe. The figures are staggering: every year, 361 608 women in the European Union are diagnosed with breast cancer and 91 585 women lose their lives because of the disease.
The first Breast Health Day was held in Milan, Italy on 15 October 2008 and is now celebrated annually on 15 October. Annual campaigns include leaflets, posters, videos and other materials which are available on the campaign website to help women across Europe make good choices for their breast health. Europa Donna has been advocating for appropriate policies to help control breast cancer in Europe, such as the European Parliament Written Declaration on the fight against breast cancer.
This year’s campaign, “Healthy Lifestyle for Breast Health” uses social networks in order to reach as many women as possible and includes many awareness raising activities in ED’s 47 European member countries. Each ED member country will arrange lifestyle lectures, as well as fitness and exercise events at the local level for Breast Health Day on 15 October.
At the heart of the campaign is a fun animated video which will reach out to women of all ages, including young women, in order to convince them to make good choices every day, and be careful to maintain a well-balanced diet and engage in physical exercise.
Through Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, the campaign provides advice on how to include healthy choices in your day-to-day routine. It also stresses the importance of staying slim and maintaining your BMI (Body Mass Index) between 18.5 and 24.9 as well as provide suggestions for choosing a healthy diet and limiting food that is bad for you. Women who want more detailed scientific information on this topic can consult interviews from world-famous experts. Moreover, women can become personally involved through a web application on the Breast Health Day website, where they can share their personal breast health messages. In addition, this year women were encouraged via Facebook and Twitter to send in photos of themselves while doing something healthy and a video featuring these pictures will be shared on 15 October.
The campaign website includes a section dedicated to breast health where women can find information regarding nutrition, physical activity and obesity as well as a special section with recommendations on healthy living for women After Breast Cancer.
A small change in lifestyle today can make a difference in your breast health tomorrow. Join the 2016 Breast Health Day campaign and choose a healthy lifestyle for your breast health.
You can show your support by following Europa Donna online: