Mirror installation teaches breasts self-examination for cancer prevention

Valencia, Spain Oct 19 (EFE).- The Spanish city of Valencia marked on Tuesday World Breast Cancer Day by installing seven mirrors in the heart of the city to teach women how to self-examine their breasts for cancer prevention.

The initiative by the Spanish Association Against Cancer (AECC) aims to highlight the importance of early detection of breast cancer by encouraging women to explore their breasts and recognize any abnormalities.

Each of the seven mirrors represents a different movement to detect any warning signs.

One in 8 women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime, but thanks to early detection and diagnosis, the survival rate of breast cancer is over 86%, according to Dr. Cristina Hernando, Oncologist at the Hospital of Valencia.

“We must self-examine at all ages,” Dr. Hernando said, adding breast cancer can affect women of all ages starting from their 20s.

Julia Castro was 39 years old when she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

“If I hadn’t self-examined or recognized an abnormality, who knows if I would still be here,” she told Efe.

Every year over 3,000 women in Valencia are diagnosed with breast cancer, according to Dr. Antonio Llombart, president of the Valencia Oncology Institute.

Cancers diagnosed in Stage 1 have a survival rate of over 90% but when caught at later stages can drop under 70%. EFE

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