Elizabeth Pulanco/Winonan

Last week, Winona State University health advocates shared a heaping handful of health advice.

Tuesday, Oct. 15, marked the beginning of Winona State’s  Feel Your Boobies Week. This week was intended to raise awareness of the ways students can defend themselves against breast cancer. The “Feel Your Boobies” campaign began in 2004 to promote the importance of performing breast self-exams.

The straightforward and risque name of the campaign also brought awareness to breast cancer.

While supporting their cause in the Integrated Wellness Complex, the health advocates received some unexpected negative attention, according to Sara Milner, a senior and a health advocate at the event.

“Many people said that the title of the event was inappropriate,” Milner said. “There were even emails sent out by staff members.”

Although the people saw that the name was inappropriate, Milner said, they unintentionally raised awareness of the cause by commenting on the campaign.

In addition to the conversation about the controversy, pamphlets, door signs and stickers were offered to students to spread the word to their friends and to encourage them to start participating in the exams themselves.

Doctors recommend that women start performing these breast self-exams at the age of 20.

These exams can be performed at anytime without the hassle of making an appointment. The most recognizable thing to look for would be a lump that has formed in the breasts.

According to health advocates, the breast self-exams have saved lives.

Some women detected lumps and were able to get treatment right away before the cancer became serious.

Without the preliminary warning of breast self-exams, advocates said, many women would have found out about their cancer much later and would have not been able to stop it from spreading.

The Feel Your Boobies event included life-like models of breasts with lumps placed inside of them so women would know what to feel for when performing their breast self-exams.

Having brought the Feel Your Boobies campaign to Winona State, advocates hope that students now have the information that they need to use these skills and educate themselves and their loved ones on preventing breast cancer.

Contact Elizabeth at [email protected]