Breast Cancer Awareness Month 2025

Every October, we recognize Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It’s a time to learn, support, and stand beside the millions of women and families whose lives have been touched by breast cancer. 

For some, the familiar pink ribbons feel encouraging and symbolic of hope. For others, this month can stir up complicated emotions, especially when awareness messaging feels disconnected from the ongoing reality of treatment, recovery, or loss.

What matters most is remembering that every experience is deeply personal. There is no single way to feel, no single way to heal, and no “right” way to move through it.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month calls on us to understand risk and prevention, practice early detection, tend to emotional wellness, and choose comfort that nurtures the body during and after treatment.

Why Breast Cancer Awareness Matters

Breast cancer remains one of the most common cancers worldwide. And while treatments have significantly improved over time, many researchers are still working toward more effective and less invasive options, including promising advances in immunotherapy, which uses the body’s own immune system to fight cancer.

Several factors can influence a person’s breast cancer risk. Some are genetic, like inherited mutations (such as BRCA1/2), or having a family history of the disease. Others relate to lifestyle: breast density, alcohol consumption, hormone therapy, and overall health can all play a role.

But breast cancer awareness isn’t just about understanding risk. It’s also about acknowledging the reality that survival outcomes vary significantly around the world due to differences in access to screening, early diagnosis, and treatment.

That’s why Breast Cancer Awareness Month continues to matter. Awareness encourages early action, screenings, self-exams, and supportive care, which are all steps shown to improve survival and quality of life.

Early Detection Saves Lives: What to Know

1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime. But early detection is one of the strongest tools we have in improving these breast cancer outcomes. Knowing what’s normal for your body (like your breast texture and shape) helps you recognize when something feels different. This is often called “knowing your normal.”

A monthly breast self-exam can help you detect when anything veers from the norm. You can do it in the shower, while getting dressed, or lying down. Gently feel across the breast and underarm area, noticing any new lumps, thickened areas, swelling, or skin changes. If something feels unfamiliar, trust yourself and speak to a healthcare provider.

If you’re unsure how to conduct a breast self-exam, check out the video below!

Additionally, most women are encouraged to begin yearly mammograms at age 40, unless their doctor recommends earlier screening based on personal risk. Talk to your medical provider for personalized guidance on when to start getting these scans. 

Navigating the Emotional Side of Breast Cancer

Breast cancer doesn’t just affect the body. It also touches the heart, mind, identity, and sense of safety. Many people describe feelings about breast cancer and their experience that shift constantly: fear one day, numbness the next, relief after treatment, frustration during recovery, or even gratitude mixed with worry. All of these emotions are valid. There is no “correct” way to feel.

And finishing treatment doesn’t mean those feelings simply disappear. Survivorship is its own chapter. It can bring uncertainty about recurrence or the sense that life “should” return to normal when it doesn’t.

Support helps. Therapy, journaling, gentle movement, breathing exercises, mindfulness, and talking openly with people you trust can all make space for healing. Support groups, whether online or in person, can also remind you that you are not navigating this alone.

Helpful places to connect:

• National Breast Cancer Foundation Resources
  
• BreastCancer.org Community Forums
  
• Susan G. Komen Support & Helpline
  
• The Pink Agenda
  
• Breast Cancer Now Peer Support
  

Community doesn’t erase the hard parts, but it can make them feel a little lighter. Community support has been shown to ease the emotional and mental strain of treatment and survivorship. And when we share our experiences, even in small ways, we help reduce stigma and isolation.

How to Choose Comfortable Lingerie After Breast Cancer Treatment

During and after breast cancer treatment, your relationship with your body can shift in unexpected ways (just like your emotions can shift throughout treatment and beyond). Tenderness, swelling, scar tissue, or skin sensitivity can make certain fabrics and underwires feel incredibly uncomfortable. Choose gentle, breathable lingerie to avoid additional discomfort during recovery. 

Many women find that wire-free styles or silk-encased underwires are easier on radiation-sensitive skin and post-surgery areas. And for those who still have regular scans, selecting metal-free bras can make appointments just a little simpler and less stressful (at JulieMay Lingerie, all our bras are metal-free). 

For those who want gentle shaping with more structured support, the Valentina Silk & Organic Cotton Underwired Full Cup Bra features wide, ergonomic straps, an underwire double-wrapped in cotton to prevent digging and irritation, and light organic cotton padding for softness.

Another fan-favorite is the Ivory Supportive Non-Wired Full Cup Bra, which is also crafted from ultra-soft Pima cotton and pure silk for a soothing feel. It has a full-coverage wireless design and removable cotton padding for mastectomy support. 

Going through breast cancer is hard enough. You deserve to feel comfortable and supported.

Show Up for Yourself (or Someone You Love)

Supporting yourself or a loved one through breast cancer doesn’t require grand gestures. It starts with presence. Instead of assuming what someone needs, ask: “What would feel supportive today?” The answer might be a ride to treatment, help with meals, childcare, work tasks, or simply sitting together in comfortable silence.

Remember that emotional boundaries may shift. Some people want to talk openly about what they’re going through; others may prefer distraction, routine, or quiet. Both are okay. Respecting how someone prefers to cope is a form of care. 

Breast Cancer Awareness Month is all about compassion and connection. No two experiences are the same, and every story deserves to be seen with tenderness and respect.

So let this month be a reminder to care for yourself and your loved ones. Know your normal, schedule your screenings, speak up when something doesn’t feel right, and lean into community when things feel too heavy to carry alone.

And when it comes to recovery, choose comfort that supports your healing, both physically and emotionally.