Nationally, a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer every three minutes, and according to the American Cancer Society (ACS), breast cancer is currently the second leading cause of cancer death in women, with an estimated 40,000 deaths this year.

The Avon Foundation Breast Cancer Crusade raises money that is awarded by the Avon Foundation, a public charity, for breast cancer screening, diagnosis, treatment, support services and scientific research, including prevention and therapeutic vaccine studies. Beneficiaries range from leading cancer centers to community-based non-profit breast health programs.

It's about raising money, but, it's also about raising awareness. All women are at risk of getting breast cancer. Some of the factors that increase your risk are:

• Personal history of a prior breast cancer
• A history of breast cancer in your family, particularly close relatives diagnosed at a young age
• Women who started their period early, went through menopause late, or had their first child after 30 or did not have children at all
• Drinking 2 or more alcoholic beverages a day

Exercise, a low-fat diet and weight control can REDUCE your risk of breast cancer. The lifetime risk for women to develop breast cancer is one in eight. However, different ages face different risks. Following are incidences of breast cancer based on age:

• 20's: 1 in 2500
• 30's: 1 in 257
• 40's: 1 in 67
• 50's: 2 in 36
• 60's: 1 in 28

Your Breast Health:

Early detection saves lives. There is a 97% five-year survival rate when breast cancer is caught before it spreads to other parts of the body.

Take time for yourself and follow the recommended guidelines for early detection. If you have a family history of breast cancer, you should start these procedures earlier in life.

Breast Self-Examination (BSE): Starting at age 20, women should discuss Breast Self Exam with their doctors. If you choose to do BSE, perform it at the same time each month, avoiding the days immediately before, during, or after your period, and have your BSE technique reviewed during your clinical exam by a health professional.

Clinical Breast Exam: Women in their 20s and 30s should have a clinical breast exam by a health professional at least every 3 years and women 40 and older should have an exam every year.

Mammogram: At age 40 begin getting annual mammograms (a specialized x-ray of the breast) by a licensed technician.

Symptoms of breast cancer might include (but are not limited to):

• Visual changes, including swelling and breast size, inverted nipple (looks like it has caved in), pitting or scaling of breast
• Nipple discharge
• Lumps in breast and/or underarm area

If you notices any of these changes, or have any concerns, call your doctor immediately.