These days you find pink ribbons all over the place. October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and everywhere there are articles, commercials, fund-raisers, pink lids on yogurt cups, reports on the morning news programs, magazine covers, etc.

Why the media saturation? To get your attention, of course. So no woman can ever say, "Gee I didn't know," when it comes to taking care of herself. Until the ongoing medical research results in a cure, the October information flood reminds everyone of the necessity of mammograms, regular check-ups and self-examinations.

The Fly Creek Cider Mill is once again hosting "The Big Squeeze Weekend," Oct. 18 and 19. The mobile mammography unit will be on site and so will the Walking Example Group. Eleven percent of breast cancer is attributable to being out of shape, according to Dr. C. Everett Koop, former Surgeon General and founder of Shape Up, America! Just in case you were looking for yet another good reason to get moving and eat healthily, reducing your chance of breast cancer is especially compelling.

It cannot be repeated often enough: early detection is the best protection. Finding abnormalities when they're small puts you, your body and your doctors in the best position to eliminate the threat so you can get on with your life. Do not listen to any silly inner voice that says any of the following:

Breast cancer doesn't run in my family. The majority of women diagnosed have no family history. I'm too young. Not if you're over 40. If you do have a family history of breast cancer, check with your doctor to see if you should begin mammograms earlier. What if they find something? That's the point isn't it? Abnormal cells do not go away if they're ignored. Left on their own, eventually they make their presence known. Make the right decision; find it early.

The current frightening statistic is that one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer sometime in her life. On the positive side, addressing the two biggest fears of death and disfigurement, fewer of us are as likely to die from it and breast conservation and reconstruction methods are, comfortingly, more advanced.

Do everything you can to give yourself the advantage. Spend an autumn day this weekend at the Cider Mill and learn how. Take a walk, have an apple, protect yourself and celebrate life.

Brenda Berstler is the founder of the Walking Example Group (WE-GO) a non-profit organization encouraging walking and walkable communities. Visit their website at www.we-go.org.