A time to rally

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, a time for all of us to rally to fight this insidious disease.

According to the American Cancer Society, one woman in eight will fall victim to this disease during her lifetime. Gee, that's strange: the risk factor is exactly the same today as it was 11 years ago when I became a statistic myself. What are we doing--or not doing--to improve the odds of beating this foe in our lifetime?

Obviously, putting our money where our mouths are is a good start. In addition to the American Cancer Society and the Susan G. Komen Foundation, there are many other worthwhile organizations raising money to fund research for a cure and to support victims of the disease.

But we can also advocate for ourselves: when was the last time YOU had a mammogram? Statistics have shown that the earlier breast cancer is detected, the greater is the chance of surviving the disease. Just think: an hour of your time spent, once a year, could save your life. You might actually reach the bottom of that pile of UFOs in your stash--a scary thought!