Halloween may be over, but breast cancer is still scaring women all over the world.

Thousands of women are diagnosed with breast cancer. Many times, they are diagnosed when it's too late to receive treatment. This is why it's important for women to do self-exams.

This summer, I received a surprise at my OB/GYN's office. I made an appointment with her because I was having concerns about my period. I was having abnormal and excruciating cramps that began to worry me.

Once in the examining room, my doctor suggested having a sonogram done to see what is going on in the Terminator that I have for a uterus. Suddenly, she asks if I do self-exams for my breasts. I tell her I do not. My doctor explains that I should do self-exams after every shower. After she examines me herself, she notices I have a lump in one of my breasts.

When she said that, my world stopped still. Me? A lump? I think to myself. I'm only 20 years old.

After that visit, I spent most of my time in doctor appointments. I went through a lot of ultrasounds and awkward exams. If you think blowing your nose in a quiet room is awkward, imagine being topless in a dark room where a stranger is rolling a tool over your breasts that is connected to a computer, seeing inside of you.

Fortunately, all of my exams resulted negative. For some, those exams have different results.

This is why it's important to do self-exams regularly. Don't be like me, who waited to be in an examining room to first notice a lump. Women should all do self-exams in order to stay alert to changes in our bodies. If you notice the slightest difference or the smallest possibility of a lump growing, go ahead and make a doctor appointment. A "maybe" is still worth a visit to the doctors.

Always remember that a two minute exam can empower you into doing something beautiful: putting yourself first.

For more information on how to do self-exams, visit: http://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/testing/types...