Local Woman Encourages Others To Feel Their 'Boobies'

Note: This is a piece I did for Examiner.com.  Hopefully it encourages women to be healthy and men to help take care of the women in their lives.


October is known for the orange color of Halloween but it also has millions of Americans seeing pink.

This is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  The official website displays the phrase, “Celebrating 25 Years of Education, Awareness, and Empowerment.”  Pink ribbons have come to be the well-known symbol of the movement.

Awareness is a key element in fighting the disease and promotion of the cause has come in different forms.  Last Sunday, NFL players donned pink towels, cleats, and gloves in support of breast cancer awareness.  For the 10^th year, Panera Bread sells a specially designed pink ribbon bagel, of which, a portion of the proceeds go to breast cancer research.

One of the leading organizations in the fight against breast cancer is located here in the midstate.

Founded in 2004, Feel Your Boobies is a non-profit organization that is taking a grassroots approach to making women care about their health.  Its founder, Leigh Hurst, is not just a spokesperson.

She is a survivor.

Leigh Hurst

From her home in Middletown, PA where the company is also headquartered, Hurst said that she found a lump in her breast at age 33, but doctors did not confirm her cancer until two years later.  She credits being familiar with her own body for saving her life.

“A lot of other women who don’t do exams, if they just spend a little time examining their body, they can be like me,” said Hurst.

Hurst said that simply showering or putting on a bra is enough for a woman to detect an irregularity. “Feeling your boobies is important,” said Hurst, “It’s something you do anyway.”

Some people have suggested this campaign portrays self examinations in an over-sexualized way, but Hurst said the idea is to reach women who do not speak the language of breast exams.

Having grown into a national organization, Hurst said that Feel Your Boobies still manages to have a local impact with their use of social media sites and through the numerous testimonials of women whose lives were saved.

Asked how people in the area can get involved with the organization, Hurst said that October 8-15 is National Feel Your Boobies Week.  For those interested, the company is holding a funniest video contest where contestants can submit a short video on, “How they would feel their boobies,” said Hurst.

Entries must be submitted by the 10^th and the winner will receive ten thousand dollars.

Hurst said her goal is to give women “unexpected reminders” about detecting breast cancer, saying a pamphlet in the doctor’s office may be too obvious and could be overlooked.

On awareness, Hurst said, “We want to get people to care, give them motivation, and make the message relevant.”

For more information, go to www.facebook.com/feelyourboobies and www.twitter.com/fybgirl