Breast Cancer Awareness

October is just about over but Breast Cancer awareness doesn't end on the 31st. This disease has affected me personally as my mother has battled & defeated it twice. Being that she has had it, I have to be even more aware of my body.

 

 

I love this little fact chart that The Everygirl put together.

 

And this one by Julep and The Edith Sanford Breast Cancer Foundation.

 

Be aware. Be healthy. Take care of yourself.

Friday's Five

My five favorites this week...

 

 

#1 - I love this dark ladylike look by Atlantic-Pacific. It totally proves me wrong about combining navy & black together.

 

 

#2 - Maya Brenner's iconic pieces are now on BaubleBar. I totally love the state pendants & teeny, tiny initial necklaces!

 

 

#3 - Bath & Body Works "Leaves" candle. The perfect scent for fall.

 

 

#4 - My 'little' brother was in town this week and I totally enjoyed every moment we had with him. Lots of family time at our parent's house. And just before he left, we got some good news! I'll share it once I get the ok. :)

 

 

#5 - Today is "Pink Day" at work in honor of those who have battle & survived breast cancer. I'm wearing it for my mama who has survived it twice.

 

 

 

 

Movember

Movember is a campaign that raises awareness for cancers that affect men, specifically prostate cancer. November 1 kicks off the initative - men start off clean shaven and then grow out (and style!) their mustaches throughout the month. These "Mo Bros" unite as a living advertisement to men's health and the issues that aren't so widely discussed. It's a cheeky, humorous way to bring awareness to those diseases that affect so many men.
You can learn more about Movember here.

In light of Movember and the mustaches that will be popping up on faces everywhere, here are some things that us ladies can rock in support of this cause!

Modcloth tee - $48

Perpetual Kid case - $16

CafePress throw pillow - $20

MustacheMug - $12

Etsy - $11

*The sale of these earrings actually benefit the Movember cause!

And if you really want to go all out, check out this video tutorial for a moustache manicure from CutePolish! They have so many more cute ideas too!

 

While these mustaches are cute and silly, prostate cancer is not.

Make sure the guys in your life are informed. Get more information by checking out the Prostate Cancer Foundation.

Pink for Mom

That is my mom. She had just walked through the finish line at a Breast Cancer Awareness walk in October of 2009. Many of our family members joined her for a three mile walk that morning in honor of her and our grandmother who have battled this disease. My mom has been affected by breast cancer twice in her life, the most recent diagnosis just a few years ago. She underwent a few surgeries, several rounds of chemotherapy and radiation and even lost her hair. I'll never forget that day when I helped shave her head - it was a moment when I felt our roles had reversed in a sense. Here was the woman who spent my whole life taking care of me and my needs and now I had the moment to take care of her. The most memorable part of this experience was always seeing my mom with a smile on her face. She displayed such an enormous amount of strength during her treatment period. Thankfully she never got too sick during those treatments and she was always positive knowing that some women had it worse than she did. She put her faith in her Lord to keep her going through it all and He did!

 

(Rockefeller Center - pink for the cause!)

Many retailers help support BCA month by offering a donation by purchase of item(s) that are pink for that cause. Two of those retailers are Shoedazzle and JustFabulous, monthly membership clubs (read the terms and conditions for each membership site) that offer shoes, handbags and other accessory items each month for less than $40.

Shoedazzle is offering five items (three shoes, one purse and one scarf) in their "Powerful Pink" collection. Ten percent of your purchase from this collection will be donated to Susan G. Komen For the Cure. Not a member of Shoedazzle? Sign up here!

JustFabulous will be donating 100% (Wow!!) of the proceeds when you purchase "Hadley" in pink. Donations will be given to Triple Step Toward the Cure. Not a member of JustFabulous? Sign up here!

Take the time and get to know the facts of breast cancer and how it affects women. My mom survived it but many women do not. You can find more information on the Susan G Komen website.

As the most common cancer among women outside of skin cancer, the numbers associated with breast cancer are staggering, with over 230,000 women estimated to be diagnosed in 2011.*

*Provided by the American Cancer Society