OCRegister.com - Young breast cancer survivors create helpful calendar

"Young women DO get breast cancer" is the main decree espoused by a group of young survivors in Virginia called Beyond Boobs who have become passionate breast health advocates offering women hope, inspiration and information that can save lives.

"We want checking your breast health to be as routine as taking care of your teeth and skin," says Beyond Boobs co-founder Rene Bowditch.

"Our campaign speaks to all women about breast health, but we specifically want to wake up younger women to the fact that they too are at risk," she added.

Beyond Boobs is a nonprofit dedicated to saving lives by educating and encouraging women to take responsibility for their own breast health and to providing support nationwide for young survivors of breast cancer.

Because breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in females ages 15-54, Beyond Boobs' second mantra is "early detection saves lives."

To get the message out, these young women created "A Calendar to Live By" for 2008 that is available on their Web site, www.beyondboobsinc.org .

This breast health manual "disguised" as a calendar features uplifting, inspiring images of them portraying life-affirming messages such as "Laugh," "Love," and "Celebrate."

"We want women to learn and gain strength from our experiences; to know what we wish we had known. We want to remind women that the essence of a woman, her femininity and her value are not contained in her breasts or her outward appearance," says Mary Beth Gibson, co-founder of Beyond Boobs.

Beyond Boobs began as a support group of women who gathered monthly to share their unique concerns, fears and needs as young women diagnosed and recovering from breast cancer. Not wanting to be defined by their status as survivors, they focus on the power to get beyond the disease and live life to its fullest.

Using humor and beautiful photography, the artfully designed calendar offers 11 additional pages of educational information such as breast cancer warning signs and prevention, healthy diet tips, and some hard-earned wisdom. The calendar also includes handy stick-on reminders to do monthly breast self-exams, schedule annual checkups, and if over 40, annual mammograms.