As Breast Cancer Awareness Month kicks off, local educator and advocate Jenny Borgfjord is using her personal experience to raise awareness about early detection, dense breast tissue, and the importance of self-examination. Diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2023, just weeks after receiving a 'normal' mammogram, Borgfjord is now a passionate volunteer with the Know Your Lemons Foundation, Dense Breasts Canada, and Breast Screening Advocates Manitoba. Borgfjord's story highlights a critical gap in breast cancer screening. Despite a normal mammogram result, she found a lump during a self-exam that turned out to be early-stage breast cancer. "I thought, 'I just had a normal mammogram, I'm sure it's fine,'" she recalled. "But the little birdie on my shoulder told me to get it checked out, and I'm so glad I did." Her diagnosis revealed another key issue: dense breast tissue, which can make it harder for mammograms to detect cancer. "Dense breast tissue shows up white on imaging, and guess what else shows up white? Cancer," she explained. "It can literally hide in plain sight." Approximately 43% of women have dense breasts, which not only obscure tumors but also increase the risk of developing breast cancer. Borgfjord is now working with advocacy groups to push for better education and policy changes in Manitoba. Currently, routine mammograms in Manitoba are offered to individuals starting at age 50. However, plans are in place to lower the screening age to 45 in December 2025, and to 40 the following year. "We'll celebrate when it's implemented," she said. "But for now, people need to take their breast health into their own hands, literally." To that end, Borgfjord strongly recommends the Know Your Lemons app, a free tool that teaches users how to perform self-exams and recognize 12 signs of breast cancer through inclusive and visual resources, like lemons in an egg carton. "It takes about three minutes, costs nothing, and could save your life," she emphasized. She also encourages using risk assessment tools like the IBIS Risk Calculator, which factors in personal health history, lifestyle, and family history, even though many, like Borgfjord herself, have no known family connection to the disease. "Breast cancer isn't just an 'old lady' disease. It affects young women too," she warned. "Knowing your body and being proactive is the best defense." Borgfjord also reminds the public that breast cancer affects men as well. "If something feels or looks different, get it checked out, don't be shy,” she urged. For more information about breast cancer health, visit: knowyourlemons.org densebreastscanada.ca Breast Screening Advocates Manitoba