When Journalism Professor Bill Drummond looks out over each new class, he counts how many women are left-handed. Usually it's one in eight - about the same number that will be stricken with breast cancer at some point in their lives, he sadly calculates. Because of what we've gone through, I can't help thinking about it. It is the leading cause of death among women ages 40-59.
Many women think they're safe if there's no history of the disease in their family.
Only five to 10 percent of breast cancers are linked to hereditary causes. The only proven and significant risk factors are being female and getting older, a demographic under which virtually every woman falls. But with early detection, women with breast cancer have a five-year survival rate of more than 95 percent. Self-breast examinations and regular mammograms and clinical breast exams are crucial weapons in the war against this devastating illness. To draw attention to this disease, October has been designated National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.