by Lauren Mandel

In the United States, 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. That’s a scary statistic, and unfortunately, it’s also a reality for far too many women.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and although you may want to help or learn more about the disease, you may not know where to start. In order to do our part to help raise awareness for breast cancer, we’re sharing 3 educational resources that can help you understand your risk factors, treatment, early detection and prevention, and more.

Susan G. Komen

The Susan G. Komen organization was established in 1982, and since then, they’ve funded almost $100 million in breast cancer research. If you’re a patient looking for support, their national toll-free hotline offers support and services and message boards offer an immediate community for patients and survivors. You can also get involved with the organization by donating, organizing or volunteering at a fundraiser, or paritcipating in the annual Race for a Cure.

Bright Pink

This Chicago-based organization was founded by Lindsay Avner, who (at the time) was the youngest woman to undergo a preventative double mastectomy. After finding out she had the BRCA1 gene and undergoing this procedure, she knew she had to help others just like her. Today, Bright Pink promotes early detection of breast and ovarian cancers in young women by hosting various educational workshops (often taught by survivors themselves) and events.

American Cancer Society

While you may perceive the American Cancer Society as too broad, the organization has dozens of resources dedicated to breast cancer awareness. Whether you’re looking for inspiring stories from breast cancer survivors or the latest news and scientific developments about this disease, the American Cancer Society can help. Similar to the others, you can get involved by volunteering your time, donating, or attending one of their many events.