The Tuesday, October 13 pink shirt pictures in Lincoln Daily News come from Davis Dairy Bar in Mt. Pulaski, Farmers State Bank in Emden, Whistle Stop Library in Emden and the Vinegar Hill Treasure Chest in Mt. Pulaski.

What do all these have in common? First, they are all people who want to show their support for breast cancer warriors in their communities. Second, they are all located in small communities in the county. While we know that Lincoln is the largest town the county seat of Logan County, it is good to remember that Logan County is made up of several communities that are all a part of the county.

This is similar to breast cancer. We all know that breast cancer occurs in the breast, but did you know that it can spread into other parts of the body and still be considered breast cancer? Metastatic Breast Cancer is a stage 4 breast cancer that can spread to the bones, liver, lungs, lymph nodes, skin or the brain. It is not curable, but there are drugs available that will prolong life and quality of life.

So how do you avoid metastatic breast cancer? A good place to start is with early detection. The sooner you are diagnosed, the greater your chance of survival, and that means, do routine self-exams, start your mammogram routine as soon as you are eligible, and always be aware of changes in your breast.

LDN