This week marks the convergence ofBreast Cancer Awareness MonthandNational Health IT Week.  Breast Cancer Awareness Monthis an annual campaign to increase awareness of the disease and to promote early detection, whileNational Health IT Weekis a collaborative forum to advance health through the best use of information technology (IT).

While these may seem like unrelated events, they really aren't.  Health IT, specifically the Internet of Everything (IoE), is beginning to use technology to change how breast cancer is detected and diagnosed.

Rob Royea, a scientist and entrepreneur, has developed a medical innovation called the iTBra, a bra patch embedded with IoE sensor technology.  The iTBra solution contains comfortable, intelligent breast patches which collect up to 12 hours of data for analysis.

The iTBra can detect abnormalities, such as tiny temperature changes, in breast tissue.  These tiny temperature fluctuations may indicate breast cancer, at an early state when it can be treated and possibly even cured.  The iTBra is tissue agnostic so it even works with dense breast tissue, which can be difficult to detect with traditional screening and often results in false negatives during mammography.

Cisco is helping fund a documentary about the iTBra calledDETECTED. This documentary will chronicle Rob's journey to create the iTBra and shed important light on how internet-enabled bras can make a difference in early cancer detection.

Throughout the month of October, you can follow inspirational stories from Cisco employees who are breast cancer survivors. Their personal stories highlight the importance of early detection, positive attitudes, and a determination to live each day to the fullest.

By using the IoE for early cancer detection, you can see that Health IT has the potential to advance healthcare in innovative and intelligent ways.  At Cisco, we know that IoE is more than just big data and sensors -it is the positive impact on human lives through transformed patient care.

Is your organization planning to use IoE to transform patient care?  If so, let us know -we'd love to hear from you.