Breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in women worldwide. It is also one of the most highly publicised cancers in media as cases have been rising on average 0.3% every year since 2009.

It is now the second leading cause of cancer deaths in women, according to official records.

Due to the alarming rise in breast cancer cases in the past few years, health organisations and women’s groups have conducted several campaigns about self-examinations and treatment. Those who have beaten cancer, have spread messages of hope and educated others on how to deal with and overcome the disease.

Now, a 36-year-old survivor has developed an app to help people conduct self-examinations on their bodies.

Jessica Baladad, the creator of the app, began checking her breasts regularly following a cancer scare in college. At that time, she had felt a lump that turned out to be benign.

Even though the lump was surgically removed, she got into the habit of checking her breasts regularly. The habit helped because she found yet another lump several years later. Only this time, it was cancerous.

“It was time it was part of my routine to check my breasts at that time and I thought, ‘Should I really do an exam?’ And I thought, ‘Yeah I should stay in the habit’. And sure enough, I found a lump on my left side,” the 36-year-old said.

The then 33-year-old had her lump checked by a doctor, who didn’t say anything to her. But when she went for another check by a new doctor, she was told she had breast cancer after a round of ultrasound tests.

“I was really scared, I was in the process of losing an aunt to breast cancer at the time, and I missed her funeral; I couldn’t go, and I just felt like I was letting my family down,” said Jessica. What followed was 16 rounds of chemotherapy, a double mastectomy, and 25 hours of radiation and hysterectomy.

Earlier this year, she underwent a flap reconstruction surgery that meant surgeons taking fat tissues and blood vessels from her abdomen.

Things seem to work out well as Jessica is now in remission. But she still has one surgery to go for reconstruction.

These days, she dedicates most of her time to finding ways to help other women detect and survive breast cancer. She has created the ‘Feel For Your Life’ app for this very reason.

The 36-year-old said she is not a professional app developer but a ‘passionate advocate’ for people.

“I just want women’s breast health to be taken a little more seriously and that some of the stigmas be taken away from it. Women talk about their menstrual cycles, but we don’t really talk so much about you know our breast health so much,” she said.

The app allows the user to track and monitor their progress. It also notifies users as to when they should perform exams.