“Anyone Is Susceptible”
Reese Witherspoon Talks About Her Passion To Raise Breast Cancer Awareness
Reese Witherspoon is on a mission. As the Honorary Chair of the Avon Foundation for Women, the Academy® Award-winning actress is determined to help women become more knowledgeable about breast cancer and the importance of early detection in fighting the disease.
Why have you become so involved in the fight against breast cancer?
I was never naïve about breast cancer, but when I learned that a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer every three minutes in the U.S., that really put it all into perspective. As a woman, a mother, and a daughter, I find that statistic terrifying. Women close to me have battled the disease and are now soldiers in the greater fight against it. But the moment I heard "every three minutes," I felt vulnerable and scared as I realized that anyone is susceptible. The only way for me to ease my fears was to take action. I needed to educate myself and others on this disease. As the Honorary Chair for the Avon Foundation, I had resources at my fingertips. I had access to an entire organization that is dedicated to giving back to women and educating people. So I started asking, "What do I need to know?"
What did you learn?
I found out the most important fact in breast cancer: Early detection saves lives. According to the Avon Foundation Breast Cancer Crusade, there is a 97 percent five-year survival rate when breast cancer is caught before it spreads to other parts of the body. When breast cancer first develops, there are usually no symptoms, which is why women need to perform self-exams regularly and contact their doctor upon noticing even the smallest change. Of course talking about breast cancer and breast health is a personal thing. I too am a private person but encourage all women to break through their reservations and talk to their doctors and physicians.
What else did you learn?
We have to banish the myth that young women are not at risk for breast cancer. In my work with the Avon Foundation, I’ve met young survivors who were diagnosed in their 20s, an age when most women are graduating from college and just starting their lives as full adult. Women in their 20s and 30s should have a clinical breast exam by a health professional at least once every three years and women 40 and older should have an exam every year.
Any final thoughts?
I am passionate about fighting this devastating disease. I fight for my mother, myself, my children and future generations of women, so one day we will not have to be afraid of breast cancer. I began my fight by learning important first steps in breast cancer detection, and will not end my fight until every woman can stand together saying we are breast cancer free.
Interview Source: CNN Online
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