October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, and Jessica Conti RN, breastfeeding and postpartum specialist with Jess and Lee Maternity is working to help everyone see the importance behind completing self breast assessments at home, including men. Breast cancer does not discriminate based on gender it can affect anyone at any time.

Conti says that awareness is significantly aimed at women as statistically, that is who have the higher percentage of cases related to breast cancer, but that does not mean they are the only ones.

One of the best ways you can help yourself is to be your own advocate when it comes to your body. Knowing what's normal and what's not can help you understand what your body is like, which also gives medical professionals the best chance of understanding the situation.

"I believe it is crucial to know your own body inside and out. It is the only way you can advocate for yourself when abnormalities occur and that is especially important right now when we are in a position where family doctors are not very accessible. When visiting a walk-in, new doctor, or emergency department, it is important that you can advocate for yourself and be able to describe your normal (body) versus the concerns you are having now."

Conti says when it comes to women conducting their own breast assessments they can find an easy way to get on a consistent routine. She says it should be done at least monthly and about a week after your period, although doing it more often would help you become more comfortable with how your body normally is. She added both women and men should start as early as 25 years old.

Knowing more about your body and how to do these exams is really important to give yourself the awareness needed to catch signs of breast cancer. Conti says there are many tools that can be a big help.

"I’m a huge fan of MyHealthAB People know it as the place you book Covid tests, look at your test results and maybe some know it for the emergency department wait times. It is so much more than that. There are hundreds of patient education resources on there."

Conti added there are other tools specifically for breast examinations as well.

"Specifically for breast self-exam the National Breast Cancer Foundation is great too. I subscribe to their newsletter and love their regular emails. It isn’t just asking for more funding, which they definitely need, but it’s educational content about screening recommendations. You can use this as a guideline to advocate for yourself at your doctor should you require further screening techniques due to your individual circumstances."

When it comes to openly talking about our health Conti understands speaking on more intimate issues with our bodies can be difficult, but we have to be our own advocates. This gives medical professionals the best chance to help their patients. There are ways to communicate outside of talking; Conti explained communication over email (in an appropriate situation), or having the patient write things down while in the office could be ways to get over the initial difficulty of communication.

Moving forward, Conti wants to be an advocate for communication and awareness in general society, as she feels that there is still work to be done.

"Women’s health, as we have seen especially recently, is a bit more taboo of a topic still. Personally, I do notice campaigns for this information and other health promotional campaigns like testicular cancer, cervical cancer, diabetes, etc. But, I think it’s just not on everybody’s radar because there is always something else pulling our focus until we have to focus on this because we experience a health event that requires us to focus on it."

For Conti, after receiving her nursing degree she chose to specialize in breastfeeding support and education services in Strathmore, but knows that she will continue to be a voice and an advocate for everyone she works with and encounters after she took her time to truly know this was the field she wanted to focus on and to support women's health especially.

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