Everyone knows we should see a doctor if we see or feel any changes in our breasts, but do we even know what we’re looking for?
Research by HCF shows that while 92 per cent of women understand the importance of regular breast checks, 44 per cent didn’t know what changes to look for.
In Australia, it’s estimated over 16,000 women were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2016.
Now a US campaign has gone viral after aiming to do just that – with a photo of a box of lemons.
Designed by Corrine Beaumont, founder of charity Worldwide Breast Cancer, the image features 12 lemons, all showing lesser-known symptoms such as dimpled skin, leaking nipples or a change in breast shape.
Know your lemons
Corrine says the colourful campaign is designed to help women overcome their fear of talking about breasts and the censorship that is often placed on pictures of them.
The photo has now been shared over 7 million times after being posted by a woman who identified she matched the dimpled lemon and was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer.
It seems ridiculous to us that we can’t have a campaign showing real breasts but this sounds like a great way to spread the message – and save more lives.
Learn more about the symptoms for breast cancer here. We also recommend Australia’s Health Direct as an online health resource. If you have any concerns, please visit your GP.
