This archive report was first published on 27 July 2019.
No Bra Day: A Call to Action for Breast Cancer Awareness ¶
October 13th, 2017
As the world observes Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Kenyan ladies are being encouraged to ditch their bras for at least 24 hours to raise awareness about the importance of breast cancer screening and the challenges faced by those affected by the disease.
The origins of No Bra Day are unclear, but it's believed to have started in 2011 to raise awareness about breast cancer and to be in solidarity with women who have undergone a fierce fight with breast cancer and now have to wear a prosthesis to hide the fact that they're unable to wear a bra.
Some of the common symptoms of breast cancer include a lump in the breast, a change in colour, such as the breast becoming red and inflamed, a change in texture, such as skin dimpling or puckering, unusual thickening of the breast tissue that won’t go away, pain in part of the breast or armpit, and a change in the direction of the nipple, e.g. it becomes inverted.
Ladies are therefore encouraged to go braless today and to go get a mammogram screening which helps in detecting breast cancer from up to two years before it can be felt by the patient or a physician.
Additionally, the 'wear it pink' occasion on October 20 is a significant day in the Breast Cancer Awareness month, where people are encouraged to organize events and wear pink to raise money and awareness for breast cancer care charities.
