Performing a self-check breast exam
Adult women of all ages are encouraged to perform a self-check breast exam at least once per month. A self-check breast exam can be performed in the shower, in front of a mirror or lying down.
Most breast changes are not due to breast cancer, however if any of these symptoms are experienced, it is important that they are discussed with your doctor.
Signs and symptoms to be aware of
- A change in shape or size
- Redness or a rash on the skin and/or around the nipple
- Discharge (liquid) from one or both of your nipples
- A swelling in your armpit or around your collarbone
- A change in texture (puckering or dimpling)
- Constant pain in your breast or your armpit
- A lump or thickening that is different from the rest of the breast tissue
- If your nipple becomes inverted or changes its position or shape
- Always check any other changes in your breasts with your doctor
Click here to view the Self-check Breast Exam Shower Tag which includes simple diagrams.
Self-examination is not a substitute for regular mammogram screenings. Women aged between 45 and 69 years can can have a free mammogram every 2 years with BreastScreen Aotearoa. To book an appointment, call BreastScreen Aotearoa on 0800 270 200 or visit the BreastScreen Aotearoa website.
When is the last time you checked your breasts for signs of cancer?
Perhaps you’ve never done it? Perhaps you’re a man or a woman under 40 and don’t consider yourself at risk?
Breast cancer is the most common cancer among New Zealand women with
- one in nine NZ women affected by breast cancer in their lifetime
- six percent of all breast cancer diagnoses are in young women (under 40)
- on average 25 men are diagnosed with breast cancer in NZ every year.
That’s why Steel Blue’s What a Pair campaign is raising awareness on how to perform self-checks to lead to early detection of breast cancer. We’re also inviting Kiwis to help us raise funds for breast cancer causes.
Raising awareness
Throughout May, we will donate an extra $5 to our breast cancer charity partners, Sweet Louise in New Zealand and Breast Cancer Care WA in Australia, via our dedicated What a Pair social media post to help educate women on how to perform regular self-checks to lead to early detection. We’ll donate to the respective charity every time a person has been tagged in the comments, each tag equals one $5 donation.
Steel Blue has a long relationship with breast cancer charities. We’ve raised more than $1.8 million for breast cancer support over the past decade through the sale of our pink boots (and purple boots which are available in Australia). $10 from the sale of every pair of the fundraising boot range goes to breast cancer charities in Australia and New Zealand.
Steel Blue co-founder Ross Fitzgerald said the company hopes to raise $10,000 for breast cancer charities through the What A Pair campaign.
“Regular self-checks are the simplest way to find lumps or abnormalities that might be of concern—and everyone should be doing them, women and men, young and old” Ross Fitzgerald, Founding Director and Chief Sales Officer said.
"Regular self-checks are the simplest way to find lumps or abnormalities that might be of concern—and everyone should be doing them"
Early detection is incredibly important
“That’s why Steel Blue includes a shower tag, that explains how to conduct a breast self-check, in every box of our pink work boots.”
Steel Blue produces a range of work boots especially for women in trades.
Sweet Louise is the only organisation in New Zealand working to support Kiwis with incurable, stage four breast cancer, also known as advanced, secondary or metastatic breast cancer. Sweet Louise currently supports over 760 women and their families across New Zealand by providing one-to-one emotional and practical support.
Steel Blue is on track to provide $1.5 million in charitable donations to good causes between 2020 and 2025.
Ross encourages New Zealanders to not only tag a friend in Steel Blue’s social media advertisements to help raise an additional $5 for Sweet Louise, but to share Steel Blue’s breast self-check illustration with their friends and family, too. Every dollar invested in Sweet Louise delivers $5.70 of measurable good to New Zealand and helps support over 760 individuals and their families. See our Facebook account to stay up to date.
In addition to current donations, Steel Blue will donate a total of $10,000 throughout May to Sweet Louise and Breast Cancer Care WA via our What a Pair social post initiative.
