Part of overall breast health care
Barb Bryson says BSEs are part of a "triad approach" to maintaining healthy breasts. The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation recommends three steps towards breast health:
Step 1: Monthly breast self-examination beginning at age 20
Step 2: Clinical breast exam performed annually by a qualified health-care professional
Step 3: Mammography every two years from ages 50 to 69 (or according to your provincial/territorial health plan)
She cautions that no single detection method is foolproof, but that early cancer detection offers the best chances for a healthy outcome. Performing BSEs and knowing your breasts are the first steps toward a lifetime of healthy breasts.
More useful websites:
http://dawn.thot.net/BSE_Handbook.html
A BSE handbook for women with disabilities.
www.komen.org
An interactive site by the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation in the U.S. Includes instructional videos on how to do a BSE for women with large breasts or women who have had breast augmentation surgery.
www.willow.org
Survivor-to-survivor breast cancer support and resources across Canada.
www.cbcn.ca
The Canadian Breast Cancer Network. A bilingual site including resources and news on breast cancer.
www.007b.com
An extremely useful "breast" website, including breast photo galleries of all sizes, nipple shapes and ages.
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