Help Make Strides Against Breast Cancer

There are 26 walks to choose from in New England in October 2013.

In 2013, an estimated 232,340 women and 2,240 men in the U.S. will be diagnosed with breast cancer.   An estimated 39,620 women and 410 men will die from the disease. 

Excluding cancers of the skin, breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women. And, it is the second leading cause of cancer death in women after lung cancer.

So what can you do to help? Several things. Take action by joining an American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk near you.  Making Strides is a non-competitive walk ranging in length from 3 to 6 miles. We welcome people of all ages to participate and raise funds. There is no registration fee. All take place in October - Breast Cancer Awareness Month - and each walk's 2013 Web site will be up in early May. Click here to be added to our email list so we can let you know when this year's sites are accepting registrations.

The American Cancer Society is the leader in the fight to end breast cancer:

- 1 in every 2 women newly diagnosed with breast cancer reaches out to the American Cancer Society for help and support.

- We are in every community, providing free information and services - wigs, prostheses, rides to treatment, free housing when treatment is far from home, and more.

- Our cancer information specialists are available around-the-clock every single day to provide trusted information and comfort when it's needed most. The toll-free number is 1.800.227.2345.

- The American Cancer Society invests the most in research to find, prevent, treat, and cure cancer than any other non-governmental organization. We know that discoveries in one area can often help find answers in another.

Our 2103 Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Events in New England

There will be 26 Making Strides events happening throughout New England in October, including a new event in Spring, MA. All locations are listed below. Our new Web sites for each event, where you can register, use our online fundraising tools, and learn much more, will be launching in early May.

Massachusetts

Boston - Sunday, Oct. 6, 2013
Worcester - Sunday, Oct. 20, 2013
Springfield - Sunday, Oct. 6, 2013 - NEW THIS YEA
Cape Cod - Sunday, Oct. 6, 2013
Berkshire County - TBD
Nantucket - Sunday, Oct. 20, 2013

Connecticut

Westport - Sunday, Oct. 27, 2013
Hartford - Sunday, Oct. 20, 2013
New Haven - Sunday, Oct. 20, 2013
Litchfield - Sunday, Oct. 6, 2013
New London - Sunday, Oct. 27, 2013

New Hampshire

Concord - Sunday, Oct. 20, 2013
Dover - Sunday, Oct. 20, 2013
Exeter - Sunday, Oct. 6, 2013
Greater Lakes Region (Laconia) - TBD
Manchester - Sunday, Oct. 20, 2013
Nashua - Sunday, Oct. 20, 2013
North Conway - Sunday, Oct. 20, 2013
Peterborough - Sunday, Oct. 6, 2013

Maine

Brunswick - Sunday, Oct. 6, 2013
Damariscotta - Sunday, Oct. 20, 2013
Kittery - Sunday, Oct. 6, 2013
Portland - Sunday, Oct. 20, 2013

Rhode Island

Providence - Sunday, Oct. 6, 2013

Vermont

Chittenden County (South Burlington) - Sunday, Oct.  20, 2013
Rutland County (Rutland)  - Sunday, Oct. 6, 2013


Reducing Your Risk

Another step you can take to fight breast cancer is a personal one. While there is no way to absolutely prevent breast cancer, there are things women can do in their daily lives to help lower their risk:

• Maintain a healthy weight throughout life.
• Balance calorie intake with physical activity.
• Achieve and maintain a healthy weight if currently overweight or obese.
• Adopt a physically active lifestyle.
• Engage in at least 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity, in addition to usual activities, on 5 or more days of the week; 45 to 60 minutes of intentional physical activity is preferable.
• Encourage your children and adolescents to engage in at least 60 minutes per day of moderate to vigorous physical activity at least 5 days per week.
• Eat a healthy diet, with an emphasis on plant sources.
• Choose foods and drinks in amounts that help achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
• Eat 5 or more servings of a variety of vegetables and fruits each day.
• Choose whole grains over processed (refined) grains.
• Limit intake of processed and red meats.
• If you drink alcoholic beverages, limit your intake.
• Women should drink no more than 1 drink per day (or 2 per day for men).

Why the American Cancer Society?

The American Cancer Society currently invests more in breast cancer research to better understand, prevent, and cure the disease than in any other cancer site. We take pride in funding promising researchers early in their careers, and our track record is something we share with pride. Of the researchers chosen for Society funding throughout the years, 46 have gone on to win the Nobel Prize. Thanks to fundraising supporters like you, the American Cancer Society has played a role in nearly every major cancer research breakthrough in recent history, including:

•Funding research into breast-conserving surgery, using lumpectomy plus radiation for treatment
•Establishing mammography as the gold standard to find breast cancer early
•Discovering lifesaving treatments (such as Herceptin) to improve breast cancer survival and drugs (such as tamoxifen) to reduce the risk of second or first breast cancer
•Discovering genes for inherited breast and colon cancer
•Confirming the knowledge that genetics, diet, lack of exercise, and alcohol abuse can increase a person's cancer risk
•Discovering cancer-causing oncogenes and tumor-suppressor genes

Currently, breast cancer research projects are under way at institutions across the country, thanks in large part to the funds raised by Making Strides Against Breast Cancer participants. With your continued help, we can blaze a trail toward the next great discovery and make strides to end breast cancer.

Help for those with breast cancer

The Society also offers newly diagnosed women and those living with breast cancer a variety of programs and services to help them in their breast cancer experience:

• The Reach To Recovery program helps newly diagnosed patients cope with their breast cancer experience. Reach To Recovery volunteers offer the unique understanding, support, and hope from the perspective of someone who has survived breast cancer. 
• The Look Good . . . Feel Better program helps breast cancer patients manage the physical side effects of treatment. Patients gain beauty techniques to help improve their self-esteem and quality of life, but also a sense of support, confidence, courage and community with other cancer patients in the program.
• The Hope Lodge program offers patients and their caregivers free lodging for those receiving treatment far from home.
• The Society offers free information to help make treatment decisions and access to its programs 24/7 through 1-800-227-2345 or cancer.org.