It is estimated that more than 220,000 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year, and more than 40,000 will die, making it the second leading cause of death among women. In the U.S. today, there are more than 2.9 million breast cancer survivors — the largest group of all cancer survivors.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and USA Medical is using the occasion to remind women with the cancer to continue performing routine self-check ups and to visit their doctor if they have any discomfort from their breast cancer treatment.

USA Medical is giving three important pieces  of advice to women, who are, or have been, on breast cancer treatment, to help them in the management of common chemotherapy and radiation side effects.

• Women who are undergoing or underwent invasive breast cancer treatments may experience loss of appetite, nausea or vomiting. So, eating smaller, room-temperature meals throughout the day should help. Ginger root or chamomile tea may help settle the stomach.
• It is also common for these women to feel weak or fatigued, so resting at least eight hours a day and avoiding caffeine later in the day is important. In addition, women should eat iron-rich foods, like lean meat, beans and leafy, dark vegetables.
• To manage mouth or throat soreness, the USA Medical recommends avoiding rougher acidic, salty or spicy foods and instead opt for softer foods such as bananas, pureed vegetables and scrambled eggs.

The company also is reminding patients it has developed customized prescription savings programs in all U.S states, including the California Prescription Assistance Program, Texas Prescription Assistance Program, and Florida Prescription Assistance Program.

Founded to provide prescription savings to millions of people who need help paying for their prescription medications, the USA Medical Prescription Assistance Program has created a free Pharmacy Discount Card that can help patients save up to 75% on almost all their prescriptions, whether they are uninsured or insured with a high deductible, high co-pays or a limited drug list.

Such programs, not affiliated with the government, help women afford the medicines prescribed to counteract treatment side effects, reaching out particularly to individuals who are most at risk, and whose health would be compromised without the savings the Pharmacy Discount Card provides.

“We want to help women going through this difficult situation,” co-founder and president of USA Medical, Jordan Sessler said in a news release. “If they have been prescribed medication to help with the side effects from breast cancer treatment, my company’s Pharmacy Discount Card can help them save up to 75% on their prescriptions. The card also works with prescriptions for vitamins and supplements.”

The pre-activated Pharmacy Discount Cards are accepted at more than 60,000 pharmacies nationwide — CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid, Walmart, Target, Costco, and many others. Several drugs are qualified for savings. These include lorazepam, ondansetron, dronabinol, alprazolam and ferrous sulphate, all medications that usually are prescribed to help patients with the side effects of their breast cancer treatment.