October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

This October, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office is participating in National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women. About 1 in 8 women born today in the United States will get breast cancer at some point. The good news is that many women can survive breast cancer if it’s found and treated early.

To increase awareness, all Sheriff’s patrol vehicles will be displaying pink ribbon decals for the entire month of October. Secondly, all staff will be wearing pink ribbon lapel pins. The message the County Sheriff’s Office wants to send are these reminders:

• If you are a woman age 40 to 49, talk with your doctor about when to start getting mammograms and how often to get them.
• If you are a woman age 50 to 74, be sure to get a mammogram every 2 years. You may also choose to get them more often.
• Talk to a doctor about your risk for breast cancer, especially if a close family member of yours had breast or ovarian cancer. Your doctor can help you decide when and how often to get mammograms.

Those who want to make a financial donation can contact the California Breast Cancer Research Program at the following link: https://rgpodonate.ucop.edu/?program=cbcrp

Follow the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office on Facebook and Twitter for further details and current information.

Prepared by Sgt. Chris Clark