Breast Cancer Resources: The Best on the Net

I have always taken finding a cure for breast cancer seriously. Just like I have always taken protecting the rainforests, saving the whales, and ending world hunger seriously. They're good causes. In the past, I've worn the t-shirts, talked the talk, and even attended some of the rallies (if the weather was nice enough, of course).

Last September, my world changed suddenly. While the United States was mourning the loss of thousands of people in terrorist attacks and preparing to inflict at least as much damage on Afghanistan, my family entered its own private drama. My mother, who had rarely seen a sick day in her life, was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Suddenly, I got very serious about breast cancer prevention, treatment, and cure. In doing so, I discovered some excellent internet resources for breast cancer patients and their loved ones.

Is breast cancer a lesbian issue? Well, the research suggesting that lesbians get breast cancer more often that heterosexual women is a little shaky. What has been established is that lesbians appear to have more risk factors than straight women do. (See, for example, "Lesbians and Risk Factors for Gynecologic and Breast Cancers" by Jared Rosenberg.) Whether the greater number of risk factors actually translates into a higher cancer rate has not yet been proven.

Regardless of whether or not lesbians are more at risk than other women, breast cancer is certainly a woman's health issue. The American Cancer Society says that breast cancer is now the second most common type of cancer in women (the most common type is skin cancer), and the National Cancer Institute predicts that one out of eight women will develop breast cancer during her lifetime. This year, more than 200,000 new women will be diagnosed with breast cancer, and more than 35,000 women will die from breast cancer.

But there is also hope. Since 1992, the odds of surviving breast cancer have increased dramatically while the recommended treatments have become far more user-friendly. This is at least partly due to the grass roots efforts of women who banded together and demanded that more money and more energy be devoted to breast cancer research.

If you have been diagnosed with breast cancer, if you are a supporter to a friend or loved one with breast cancer, or if you simply want more information, the internet is a good place to look for support and enlightenment. Here are some of my favorite sites.

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