Reducing risk of breast problems.
Become a breast friend in four easy steps

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Mammogram technologist Leslea Boyle knows that regular breast screening saves lives -- because it saved her mother's life.

You're the expert when it comes to knowing how your breasts normally look and feel.

Take this quiz to find out how well you know your breasts.

Knowing Me, Knowing You

You're the expert when it comes to knowing how your breasts normally look and feel.

No one knows your breasts better than you do. And as someone who has been up close and personal with them for a number of years, you know that your breasts are always changing.

Throughout all these changes, it's important to know how your breasts normally look and feel so that if there are any major changes, you notice them right away. A change in your breasts is not necessarily a sign of a problem -- many changes are quite normal.

For example, when a woman is pregnant, her breasts become larger and firmer and her nipples become larger in preparation for breastfeeding. After menopause, a woman's body produces less of the hormone estrogen, which can cause her breasts to become less firm, less dense and to change shape. So, there are lots of normal ways your breasts change during your life.

But there are other kinds of changes that may be problems, so it's good to know what's normal for your breasts and what isn't. Being breast aware is easy:

• Know how your breasts normally look and feel. Breast tissue covers more than just your breast -- it extends up to the collarbone and from the underarm across to the breastbone in the middle of your chest. Become familiar with your breast tissue by looking at it and feeling it.
• Know what changes to look for. You should look for nipple changes, such as a change in the shape or position of a nipple or a nipple that becomes inverted or pulled inward. You should also look for redness, discharge from one or both nipples, lumps, skin changes, dimpling or puckering. If you aren't sure if a change is serious, check it again after your next period or, if you aren't menstruating, a few weeks later.
• Look and feel for changes. Keep an eye out for changes to the size or shape of one or both breasts. You should also pay attention to ongoing pain in the breast or underarm area and swelling underneath the arm or below the collarbone.
• If you notice changes that are not normal for you and that last for more than a few weeks, it's a good idea to seek advice from your family doctor.
• Go for a free mammogram every one to two years if you're 50 or older. You don't need a referral from your doctor -- you can make an appointment for a free mammogram yourself by calling the Ontario Breast Screening Program at 1-800-668-9304.