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Breast Cancer's Global Impact

NY Times 10/15/2013


October is Breast Cancer Awareness month.  Over the last few years, I have too many friends diagnosed with breast cancer under the age of 50.  I'm sure you've seen all the ads on TV, heard them on the radio, gotten hits from internet ads about breast cancer awareness in the United States.

What you probably don't hear too much about is the global burden of the disease.  The New York Times highlighted the issue with an excellent report about the challenges low and middle income countries face when trying to treat the disease and its after effects.  The infographic above comes from the article and shows the scope of the disease. You'll need to scroll down a bit in the article to get to this graphic and the others that further explain its pattern. 

Cancer's impact goes just beyond the individual.  Much like the cellular mutations that generate the disease, it touches the individual, family, community, and national health system.  Whether the disease is treated in the public or private sector, we all end up sharing the costs.

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