|
|
|
Happy New Year, everyone!
As we begin 2009, we begin another year of waging war against breast cancer. But we are not only fighting the disease, we are fighting misconceptions and myths about it, we are fighting fear and ignorance, we are fighting culture and the economy.
Daily I receive an email digest about the "latest" in breast cancer news. Today's was no exception - "Broccoli can prevent breast cancer" - probably not, but it can lead to a healthier eating style. "I can't do self-exams, I'm squeamish about touching my breasts." This woman wanted to know how she could tell if she had breast cancer - "is it pain?" If she won't do self-exams, I wonder if she'll get a mammogram or allow a doctor to examine her. "Anti-perspirants cause breast cancer." Not true. The examples go on and on.
On the other hand, the digest also heralds new gene discoveries, new potential breast cancer markers, new potential treatments. I find this very encouraging - the more we know about the biology, the chemistry, the make-up of breast cancer, the better our chances of finding cures. I say cures because there are several types of breast cancer and one "cure" won't handle them all.
My New Year's resolutions are to keep fighting - for more research, more education, better information. I resolve to get myself in better shape physically, mentally, and emotionally - just because I am a survivor does not mean that I cannot get cancer again - I owe it to myself and my loved ones to be the best that I can be. I will continue to tell everyone who will listen about breast cancer, the need for more funding to provide for research and education, the need to educate our congresspeople and senators so they vote for Federal funding to help in this war, the need to help those who have the disease cope with it and get treatment and get care - regardless of their social standing, background, or finances.
I resolve to keep fighting - will you? Remember, together we WILL end breast cancer!
|
|
|
|
| Posted by Deb Haggerty at | | | |
|
Pink October is over, the Presidential and other elections are over, and we are coming up to Thanksgiving. We have much to be thankful for this year.
Breast cancer is receiving lots of publicity and funding. Congress has approved $150 million to the Department of Defense Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program for breast cancer research. The White House turned pink for October and many organizations held races or fundraisers for breast cancer causes. We, the Florida Breast Cancer Coalition, had our own very successful fundraiser at Mansion on Miami Beach. We have much to do yet to win the war on cancer, but we are progressing - something for which to be very thankful.
We had, as Americans, the right to vote for the candidates of our choice without coercion. As I stood in line at my voting place for over two hours waiting to vote, I reflected what a privilege it is to live in such a country. We have a new president - we can be thankful that our democratic process works. No matter your political party, we must all work to ensure adequate funds for reseach along with equal access to quality healthcare for all.
Our kids will be home for Thanksgiving. We'll spend the day with them and friends eating more than we should and giving thanks for all the blessings we have: home, health, happiness. Many families don't have those things. Many families have members serving overseas protecting us from harm. We are thankful for our Armed Forces wherever they are serving.
I am thankful for you - for all of you who advocate and educate and do research for the breast cancer cause - for all of you who contribute of your time, talent, and treasure. Without you, we would not be able to continue our fight for the end of breast cancer in Florida. Without your faithfulness, the war could not be waged.
May all of you have a blessed and Happy Thanksgiving! Remember, together we WILL end breast cancer!
If you'd like to support breast cancer research in Florida, go to www.floridabreastcancer.org
|
|
|
|
| Posted by Deb Haggerty at | | | |
|
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and waves of pink are everywhere. For women with breast cancer, all this publicity and "news" is sometimes overwhelming.
Newly diagnosed patients should take the time to research their options before jumping into a particular type of surgery or post-surgery therapy. Every woman should investigate what's available compared to her own diagnosis.
One of the decisions a woman often must make is whether to have breast reconstruction, and if so, what type. Following is a link to an excellent article about the different types of reconstruction available as well as what questions to ask the doctor/plastic surgeon. I, for one, am very happy that I chose to wait to have my reconstruction done as a "new" type of surgery became more known and I was able to avail myself of it.
Read, research, and refuse to accept the first answer as final. Women must control their own health care and bodies.
http://www.yourplasticsurgeryguide.com/reconstructive/breast-reconstruction.htm
|
|
|
|
| Posted by Deb Haggerty at | | | |
|
October is National Breast Cancer Month and all over the world, waves of pink are beginning to shimmer from shore to shore. Pink T-shirts, pink blenders, pink cars, pink scarves, pink bracelets, and pink ribbon pins among hundreds of other items. Pink is definitely in - even the guys are into it with a college fraternity selling "Real Men Wear Pink" t-shirts.
However, "wearing the colors" is not what Breast Cancer Month is about, nor is it about enriching the coffers of those who market the products. What Breast Cancer Month is about is drawing attention to the hundreds and thousands of women and their families who suffer or who have suffered through breast cancer.
Some organizations would have you think that wearing pink is betraying those women and the seriousness of the cause - but if I can wear pink and get one more woman involved in her own health care, get one more person to contribute to research, get one more government official to support breast cancer legislation, then you'll see me decked out from head to toe.
When you "see pink" in the months to come, think breast cancer and then Do something about it: volunteer, give, advocate, take a woman to her treatments, provide a free mammogram for someone without the funds to get one, cook dinner for a family whose hearts are troubled by the diagnosis.
Pink is a color to wear proudly. Pink proclaims breast cancer. Pink ribbons on cars and lapels cause folks to think. Thinking causes action. Action produces results. It's almost October - Think Pink and Together We WILL End Breast Cancer.
|
|
|
|
| Posted by Deb Haggerty at | | | |
|
I am encouraged everytime I see an article about breast cancer because it means awareness is increasing and that more people are writing about it.
Tiffany Harms, Women's Health columnist and Leisure Editor for The Summer Evergreen, published this article on June 9th and has graciously given me permission to post it on Positive Hope. I hope you'll enjoy it and pass it on.
Breast cancer facts you should know
Tiffany Harms
 - email the author
Breast cancer has always been on my mind. My grandmother had it and she survived, but only after a mastectomy – a surgery that removes the entire breast. But for something that seems so threatening and imminent, not to mention close to home, I admit that I know next to nothing about it. So if you’re hopelessly lost in the sea of things that can and will kill you, hopefully this will provide some direction about what you actually need to be worrying about. When it comes to your breasts, anyway. So for starters, what is breast cancer? According to the Susan B. Komen for the Cure's web site, komen.org, “Breast cancer is a type of cancer where cells in the breast tissue divide and grow without the normal control.” This rampant cell growth can damage healthy tissues, thus making you sick. The best way to lower your risk of dying from breast cancer is early detection. You can do this at home with the self breast self-exam, but mammography is viewed as the best-overall screening tool according to komen.com.
In addition to detection, it is also important to know about what does and does not increase your risk of developing breast cancer. Breastcancer.org offers a great section all on the myths of breast cancer in addition to anything else you could ever want or need to know on the subject. Probably the biggest myth out there is that breast cancer only affects older women. According to the site, your chances of developing breast cancer do increase as you get older, but from birth to age 39 you still have a 1 in 231 chance of getting breast cancer. The risk over the course of your entire lifetime is 1 in 7.
Another popular myth is that you’re safe from breast cancer if it doesn't run in your family. “About 80% of women who get breast cancer have no known family history of the disease. Increasing age – just the wear and tear of living – is the biggest single risk factor for breast cancer. For those women who do have a family history of breast cancer, your risk may be elevated a little, a lot, or not at all,” states the site.
Although you can’t remove your risk completely, breastcancer.org suggests life changes you can make to reduce your risk and improve your health in general.
First of all, (you’ve never heard this before) stop smoking. It is a definite risk factor in breast cancer in addition to a slew of other diseases. There are now tons of free programs offered to you in an effort to help you quit such as the online cessation program through the American Lung Association. Second, exercise. “Research has shown that five hours of exercise a week may lower the risk of breast cancer. Over time, exercise may be able to lower the estrogen levels in your body. With less estrogen around, there is less stimulation of breast cell growth, which is associated with a lower risk of breast cancer,” the site suggests.
Third, try to maintain a healthy weight. Apparently, there are several reasons why overweight women might be at higher risk for breast cancer. One of the main reasons is the more extra fat cells you have, the more extra estrogen your produce. Because estrogen is the hormone responsible for breast cell growth, any extra in your system could stimulate your cells to become cancerous. Fourth, as somewhat mentioned above, try and avoid prolonged exposure to estrogen. Situations such as starting your period young, going through menopause late or never having a full-term pregnancy can cause your body to produce estrogen over too long a period of time. Surprisingly enough, alcohol consumption also has an effect on your estrogen levels. According to breastcancer.org, consuming more than two alcoholic drinks a week can limit your liver’s ability to regulate your blood estrogen levels. Of course a healthy diet is also a great tool for reducing your risk. Try to reduce your exposure to anything that isn’t supposed to be in your food such as pesticides and extra hormones. Finally, you should make an investment in your future. By donating to breast cancer charities and research projects, you are directly benefiting yourself and any other woman you know by getting us all a little closer to defeating the number one cancer found in women.
|
|
|
|
| Posted by Deb Haggerty at | | | |
|
Recent news reports state that Laura Bush and Margarita Zavala, first lady of Mexico, are banding together to educate Mexican women about breast cancer. Positive Hope applauds their efforts as many Mexican women are either ashamed or too poor to get breast cancer care. We hope that this is the first of partnerships with many countries to educate women about breast cancer.
However, there are many here in the United States who need education and access to care as well. We need to ensure that our own poor, disadvantaged, and rural women get the education and care they need as well. The Florida Breast Cancer Coalition Research Foundation gives grants each year to education groups within the State of Florida who address the needs of Florida Women. Many other states have similar programs.
Anyone reading this blog has been touched by breast cancer. I would urge you to take the next step: instead of just concentrating on your own situation, figure out how you can share what you have learned with others. Perhaps you could give a ride to someone else in your own community when you go for treatment. Perhaps you can pass on your wigs and bras and scarves to someone else in need or give them to local centers to distribute. Perhaps you can volunteer to help in a chemo or radiation lab to show others that they can get through their treatment, too.
I'd urge you to join your own state organization that works to end breast cancer. If you're in Florida, please join the Florida Breast Cancer Coalition Research Foundation (www.fbccrf.org) to work to end breast cancer through advocacy, education, and research. Sign up for our Alert Network so you can lobby our senators and congress people about legislation that affects breast cancer and access to quality health care for all. Give a few hours a month to put our literature in tag agencies to raise awareness of the "End Breast Cancer" license plate which gives $25 of the $27 specialty plate fee to FBCCRF for grants for research and education. Write me to see how else you can be involved.
Together we can end breast cancer - and give others Positive Hope!
|
|
|
|
| Posted by Deb Haggerty at | | | |
|
I hope you all had blessed holidays - ours was very peaceful and quiet this year - a chance for reflection and gratitude. My biggest blessing was getting "fired" by my oncologist. He told me that there was no reason for me to keep seeing him and that my "rebel nature" at dictating what I would and would not do for cancer treatment had served me well. As of this month, January, 2008, I am eight years out from my breast cancer and doing fine.
My mission is encouraging you to take control of your own health care. My oncologist verified that my doing so had benefited me. Medical professionals have heard us. Please look at the recent article published in Artemis - an award-winning e-newsletter. Seem that we've been right!
Research Moving Toward Personalizing Breast Cancer Treatment
http://www.imaginis.com/breasthealth/news/news1.04.08.asp
Recent research suggests that analyzing individual characteristics of breast cancer tumors can provide a more effective treatment while avoiding unnecessary therapies with often serious side effects. For example, a study presented at a large breast cancer conference in December discussed results of a genetic test called Oncotype DX, which can help predict the likelihood of a breast cancer recurrence, and in doing so, provide information as to whether chemotherapy would be helpful in women whose breast cancer has spread to the lymph nodes. The test works by analyzing genes in a breast cancer tumor and rating the chances that the breast cancer will return.
Let me know how you're doing in your taking charge of health care for you and your family!
|
|
|
|
| Posted by Deb Haggerty at | | | |
|
When I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I knew with a certainty what I wanted to do: mastectomy followed by chemo. I wanted to get it off, get it out, and get on with life. However, there are different choices today - actually there were those choices then, but I knew what I wanted. The main points are: do not rush into a decision; do not automatically do what your doctor recommends; get a second opinion; do your own research; and then, when you have all the options - make an informed decision. A woman today MUST control her own health care. This is a link to a very good article about surgery. I hope it motivates you, if you are facing a surgical decision regarding a breast cancer diagnosis, to make an informed decision. http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/article/0,28804,1666089_1666563_1668034,00.htmlLet me know what you decided! Deb
|
|
|
|
| Posted by Deb Haggerty at | | | |
|
One of the most frustrating things about being treated for breast cancer is when the treatment is over. After months of blood tests, and doctors appointments, and being pushed and prodded and infused and radiated, it's over. Now what? What do I do now? Am I cured? What tests should I be having done on a semi-annual or annual basis? Do I stay with my oncologist for the long term or do I go back to my regular doctor? Finally this frustration is receiving the attention it deserves. Medical professionals are realizing that they must come up with a recommended follow-up plan for survivors - of all cancers, not just breast cancer. The link below leads to a wonderful article about follow-up. Read it and discuss it with your own doctor. And realize that while the article does not recommend some tests because they "do not save lives" you and your doctor may elect to have them done. http://asco.org/portal/site/ASCO/menuitem.c543a013502b2a89de912310320041a0/?vgnextoid=8ba694b14d005110VgnVCM100000ed730ad1RCRD&cpsextcurrchannel=1Know that you're not alone, all of us still wonder if we're doing all the right things, if what we feel is "normal," and whether or not we're still in 100% remission.
|
|
|
|
| Posted by Deb Haggerty at | | | |
|
Occasionally I receive feedback from someone who has also been affected by breast cancer. Christine Flurry wrote to me to agree that one always has to stay positive and always has to have hope. Here's her story:
I would like to introduce myself to the community, especially anyone concerned about breast cancer. Hi, my name is Christine Flury, aged 30, married with two children and two step children. Born and currently living in southern New Jersey. On October 27th 2005, I was shocked and distressed that I had been diagnosed with breast cancer. Yes, I am very young but I am a courageous and strong-minded woman. I have been
through chemo, radiation and surgery and lots of tests. In being diagnosed with breast cancer, it has come to my attention that I must make the best of what was dealt me. The opposite way of thinking will do me very little good. It has been hard but I have learned to accept my condition with a good deal of optimism.
My prognosis was good until Feburary 5th 2007. My cancer had metastasized to my brain and now I have felt the need to face any challenge ahead of me. I would like others to be aware that it is imperative and important to do self exams every month regardless if you're 20 or 70. If any changes occur like swelling, lumps, skin changes, nipple retraction, anything abnormal, please go to your doctor for a physical exam. I believe that early
detection can save can save your life. Unfortunately I never did monthly exams and so one day I had an advanced, 10.5cm tumor in my right breast, very big and very aggressive. At the inital diagnoses, I was scared, so surreal. As of today I am following up with doctors staying as positive as I can. It's inconvenient going to doctors, going to get tests, but it is something that I, myself, can handle. When I was growing up I was actually a hypochondriac, had lots of anxiety. I went to the doctors all the time I was so scared and worried I had something bad. Now I have cancer and know one day it may take my life, but I am not at all afraid. I am living each moment like it was my last.
I would like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt thanks to all of my doctors Ashok Bapet, MD (oncologist) Alexis Harvey, MD (radiation oncology) Charles Butler MD (breast surgeon), Dr. Sarao MD (family physician), and Dr. Brett Garber, DO (Plastic Surgeon). Without question, you all are absolutely superior for the excellent care you all gave me and I am so grateful to know that I will always be safe one way or another despite my outcome. Keep up the good work
I would also like to thank my mother and father for giving birth to me, who knew one day, I would grow up to be a phenomenally gifted woman. Also, my thanks to my husband for being there for me throughout all of this and for not leaving me when times got tough and my children for being kids, keeping me occupied and lovable, the fundamental reason for my strength in getting through this. Most of all I could not cope as well as I do without the support of all my family and friends. And to myself for well, just being the rock, the same yesterday, today and forever.
Christine Flury
|
|
|
|
| Posted by Deb Haggerty at | | | |
|
|
|
