A cause close to my heart: Wear your bright pink lipstick today for girls at high risk of breast and ovarian cancer.

This is one of my favourite pink lipsticks...
but I plan to go a little more wild for the day

Today is bright pink lipstick day! It's a day to wear bright pink lippie in support of pink hope, an organization raising funds and educating women about the risks of hereditary breast and ovarian cancer.

This cause is one close to my heart. I'm a high-risk girl myself. A little bit about my family tree:

My mother's eldest sister was diagnosed at 33 years of age with breast cancer. She went into remission after treatment, and later passed away sadly from a secondary cancer at approximately age 40.

My paternal grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer, I believe in her forties. She had what was, at the time, radical surgery and radiation therapy that left her with Osteoparosis, and went on to live a life longer than normal expectancy, passing away only recently in her late 70s from other (age related, natural) causes.

I am a little sketchy on the details of this one, but I believe my maternal Great Grandmother passed away after a battle with ovarian cancer.

Also, my father's younger sister was diagnosed with breast cancer in her forties and treated. She remains healthy and happy in remission and cancer free.

So all of this puts me well and truly in the high-risk group. I am one of those people who is hyper-aware of these things, and so I've had many discussions with my doctor about it, check my breasts monthly (normal hormonal changes can affect the way that your breast tissue feels, so checking more often can be misleading), and intend to have the available tests regularly once I reach the appropriate age.

Girls, I can't stress this enough. Get to know your body. Act upon it when something doesn't feel right. Early detection and treatment can be the difference between winning and losing your fight with cancer.

So wear your pink lippies today, get behind the cause. Post your pics on their facebook, twitter, pinterest and instagram. Donate to the cause. Share the love and help to raise awareness.

Click here to visit the pink hope website and get details of their pink lipstick day.