Why Will You Walk this October?

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” - Lao Tzu

According to the WHO (World Health Organization), breast cancer has now surpassed lung cancer as the most diagnosed cancer for women worldwide, and people are now being diagnosed with cancer younger than ever before. We all know someone impacted by breast cancer, and we see the hardship it causes women and their families. The person you know might be a family member, friend, neighbor, or a coworker - or even you.

My Density Matters is a nonprofit organization on a mission to empower women to find out their breast density, learn their options, and take charge of their breast cancer screening. We envision a world where breast density no longer hinders the early diagnosis of breast cancer.

Why is it so necessary to carry out our mission? Dense breast tissue makes it much more difficult for radiologists to see cancer on a mammogram.

In fact, up to half of all cancer will be missed with mammography alone in women with dense breasts. Breast density is also a significant risk factor for developing breast cancer. A woman with very dense breasts is 4 to 6 times more likely to get breast cancer than a woman with almost no breast density. If you have dense breasts, as almost half of women do, mammography alone is not enough for you. Unfortunately, most women do not know these facts and are unaware that they need to advocate for themselves to get the essential additional screening they need to find their breast cancer early, while still curable.

Join us this October when we take steps together toward earlier breast cancer diagnosis for women everywhere. The earlier the diagnosis, the greater the chances of survival. Early detection reduces financial toxicity and also allows for less costly and more easily tolerated treatments.

Walk with us this October at My Density Matters. We will walk for progress, for you, for us, and for those you would like to honor.

Will you walk for progress?

Breast density hinders the early diagnosis of breast cancer. The earlier the diagnosis, the better the chances of survival, the less costly, with reduced negative impact on cancer patients and their families. Yet only one-third of women in the United States know about breast density, and even fewer are getting the essential additional screening they need. At My Density Matters, we make progress every day by empowering more women to know their density and take action accordingly. We enable more women to become educated and take charge of their breast cancer screening. We walk for progress.

Will you walk for yourself?

We won’t stop until every person gets the breast cancer screening, they need to find their cancer early, while still curable. That includes you. Many women take care of others before they take care of themselves. But when it comes to our health, we must take care of ourselves, so that we can take care of others. Do you have dense breasts? Are you getting the additional screening you need? If not, we walk for you

Will you walk for us?

Around 43,000 women die a year in the United States from breast cancer. For all of us, this is completely unacceptable. We can and must do better. Technology exists today to find breast cancer earlier while it is still curable, but for the most part, the steps necessary to find those breast cancers missed by mammography alone are not being taken. Therefore, we all must become empowered to advocate for ourselves. For those of us whose cancer continues to be missed, we walk for us.

Will you walk ‘in honor of’ someone?

Will you walk ‘in honor of’ someone? Almost everyone has been touched by breast cancer in some way—either through their own diagnosis, someone in their family, or a friend or coworker. Who is that person for you? This October, people will walk in honor of someone who has been diagnosed with breast cancer. For some, after the walk, the names of those being honored will be displayed in local shop windows for the last two weeks of October. Who will you walk in honor of?

Will you support our mission by walking wherever you are?

Will you support our mission by walking wherever you are? Your modest registration fee will allow us to continue our outreach programs and provide funds to develop potentially life-saving information and outreach programs. My Density Matters headquarters is near Chicago IL, and certainly, we will be walking in mass there. But you can walk where you are - even virtually and/or metaphorically. You can join us from anywhere. Walk by yourself, with your family, or gather your friends to walk in your hometown or neighborhood. Just sign up using the QR code below. Let us know what state you are in. Will you walk wherever you are?

No matter who you are, where you are, or why you walk, please join us this October when we take steps together toward earlier breast cancer diagnosis