Break the Taboo! Save a Soul!


If the society is crowded by tearable paper-thin individuals, swaying at every step. They will take the
civilization towards growth, but it will be an outrageously demeaning growth.
India has become a land of many bad things, there is good too. You cannot help but focus on that one
black spot on the entire whiteboard. Talking about “your body” is a topic that people run away from.
Why?
They feel shy.
They are embarrassed.
They think it is taboo.
Talking about a “female body,” some might just puke. Changes take time, but we need to take steps, a
toddler step only to bring about this change. To bring about this change, we should talk about the
problems that are related to our bodies - sexual as well as non-sexual.
Breast Cancer is rarely mentioned, but it is a topic that people should know about. You need to be
informed about your mammary glands to take care of them.
The biggest myth surrounding Breast Cancer being - it only happens in women. Women are at a higher
risk, but it can also occur in males. Males are born with breast tissue in little amounts. Their bodies
produce testosterone during puberty, but it even makes estrogen.

Breast Cancer - Spread Awareness

Keep an Eye Out for Them

The most common symptom of Breast Cancer is a lump in your breasts. In the early teenage years, you
might experience a sag in your breast but do not panic. It can be an injury, connective tissue growth,
weight change, or due to periods in girls. You will be able to move the lump; it is not cancerous.
The lump is cancerous when it is hard and sticks to the chest wall. The lump in your breast will not move,
and there will be a change in the texture of your skin. There will be swelling in your armpits and around
your collarbone.
You might experience some pain, nipple discharge - blood, and nipple inward. There can be irritation or
dimpling of breast skin and redness in the nipple area.
In males, the lumps like the females may occur as a part of development. During puberty, they develop
gynecomastia. It is temporary in nature. If the lump is hard, then it can be cancerous.
Sometimes there might be no symptoms at all.

Prevention is Better Than Cure

There are many reasons for Breast Cancer, like, family history of the disease, an abnormality of the
breast, an unhealthy lifestyle like smoking, etc., and exposure to radiation in the early years of breast
development.
To help prevent Breast Cancer, follow a simple lifestyle like eating fiber-rich food, exercising regularly,
no smoking, and similarly other positive habits.

Get Checked

Breast Cancer is infrequent in teenage boys and girls. The risk rises as they grow old. Therefore, it is
suggested to undergo a Mammogram - test to detect Breast Cancer every two years, once they enter the
age bracket of 50-74 years. Once you reach the age of forty, you can also consult a doctor to know the
detailed process. If you keep quiet - whether a male or a female, you not only become a culprit in making
it a taboo but also take yourself towards fatal consequences.
Teens are not advised to have mammograms because their breasts are dense, and it exposes them to
radiation at an early age. It is best to go to a doctor.
You can also check yourself for the lump before going to a doctor.
Keep your arms at your side and notice if you see any of the symptoms listed above. Remember, the
changes might be natural too. Then keep your hands on your hips and beside your head, and check again.
Check your armpits and chest as well.

Life is Still the Same

If you have Breast Cancer, the doctor will decide on the most suitable treatment that should be followed.
You do not have to worry, you will be the same person.
There might be some changes in your body, but your breasts are not the only thing that defines you. Be
open to talking. This way, you can encourage others to talk and break the taboo surrounding periods and
Breast Cancer.
There are many people, in India and abroad, who have shared their fights with Breast Cancer openly.
Richard Roundtree and Tahira Kashyap are only two names. There are several others.
Do not hesitate to talk about your body. That hesitation can be disastrous. You are beautiful and
handsome; love yourself in every respect.

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