Making Strides Against Breast Cancer… Walk for a Cure!!!

Cancer survivor Margery Rath started the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer events. She wanted to find a way to celebrate fellow cancer survivors by raising funds for the American Cancer Society. She worked with a committee of fellow cancer survivors and other volunteers and created a “move-along-a-thon” called Making Strides Against Cancer to bring people of all abilities together in an event to move the fight against cancer forward. The first event, held in Boston, drew 200 participants and became a yearly event in the city.

Today, the event has inspired nearly 5 million walkers to participate in Making Strides events in more than 145 communities across the country, raising more than $340 million to fight breast cancer.

The Making Strides Against Breast Cancer event honors breast cancer survivors, raises awareness about the disease, and helps save lives. All you have to do is walk or donate money to a person that is walking and you are helping in the fight to cure cancer.

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer also has a national league. This program allows a company or organization to join the fight against breast cancer. The Making Strides National Team Program offers a way to boost morale for a company and shows that they have commitment to an important cause. Some of the national team supporters for the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer are Bank of America, Wal-Mart, Curves, Kroger and more.

You can participate as big as Nationally or by starting a group of your own. The VCU Radiation Sciences team started their own team to get involved in the fight against cancer. The team walked in this years 2009 American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk at Kanawha Plaza.

The VCU Radiation Sciences team was the largest registered team from both VCU and VCU Medical Center.

The team this year lead by Melanie Dempsey, Assistant Professor for Department of Radiologic Radiation and Jodi Dualan, Radiation Sciences Student, has raised over $3,200 to date to support breast cancer research and the society’s endeavors.

The team raised so much money that they were ranked in the top ten this year thanks to the support of its 56 members.

The event overall raised over $500,000 thanks to the National supporters, the VCU Radiation Sciences team and many other supporters and sponsors who gave wither their time or money to help and support the cause.

This is a great program and everyone should get involved or donate to the Making Strides Against Brest Cancer Event.

Add a comment November 6, 2009

Breast Cancer in Young Women

We often think of only older women being at risk of breast cancer, but it can affect women of all ages. Only about seven percent of cases involving breast cancer occur in women under 40.  Even with such a low percentage of young women being affected, they still need to be aware of the risks.

One woman, who was only 29 years old when she misdiagnosed with breast cancer, documented her journey through a blog.

Doctors believed it was merely a cyst, but it turned out to be much more.  This blog follows her journey through the process that followed.  It was a year from the time the lump was noticed until she received a mammogram.

Her story shows how important it is for women to perform self-exams and be able to notice if something is wrong.  The doctor may not catch something, but you know your body and you know when something doesn’t seem right.

Young women often ignore the signs because they think they are too young to develop breast cancer.  The early you can catch the disease, the better the survival rate.  Unfortunately many younger women with the disease are hit with a more aggressive form of the cancer.  This only reinforces why it is so crucial for young women to catch the disease in its beginnings.

The American Cancer Society recommends that all women over the age of 20 perform at-home breast exams once a month.  The best time to preform one is the first day after menstrual cycle ends.  By doing the self check every month you will become more aware of what’s normal for your breast.  Then if something doesn’t feel right late, you won’t be questioning if it has always been there.

It is also recommended women be checked by their doctor every three years after they turn 20.  If your doctor isn’t offering- ASK!  It only takes a few minutes and it truly can save your life.

Plus, getting in these habits of self monitoring and requesting exams at the doctor’s office at an early age will help you in the long run.  We all know the saying you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.  So don’t wait, start early.  If you are a mom with a daughter in her 20′s why not do a buddy reminder once a month?  Or ladies, if you have roommates you can help remind each other as well.

Not sure how to perform an at home exam?  WebMD offers some advice

Add a comment November 6, 2009

Windows of Love

Ulta Beauty spent the month of October helping to raise awareness on breast cancer as well as raise donations towards research during their “Windows of Love” campaign.

The “windows of love” concept was meant to encourage women who may be battling the disease. The stores put up letters from employees, customers, friends, family members sharing their stories of survival. The stories came from those who battled the disease, and from those who witnessed a loved one struggle through it. Each story offered a window into how this disease affects women (and men) on a personal level.

The company’s goal was to reach 1 million in contributions from customers, and the company itself plans to donate a minimum of $50,000 to the Breast Cancer Research Fund.
Guests to the stores were asked if they would like to contribute (any amount was welcome.) If they contributed $10, the customer had his or her choice of a pink baseball style hat, or a pink scarf. Seventy-five percent of the purchase went to the Breast Cancer Research Fund. If a customer decided that he or she did not want the scarf or hat, then the full $10 went to the research fund.

Customers were also entered into a drawing for a gift bag that included more than $500 in items. Each store had different items, but some of the bags included Chi flat irons, fragrances, hair products, makeup and pink Yankee candles. The company hasn’t said yet whether it has reached its 1 million dollar goal, but let’s hope it was able to!

Every dollar counts. You may think your one measly dollar won’t help, but it adds up. We all need to contribute to the funding, the research and the understanding of this disease. It affects everyone, but maybe together we can make it affect no one.

The “Windows of Love” campaign ended with the month of October, but the disease continues to be a fight women make every day. You can still donate to help these women by contributing directly to the Breast Cancer Research Fund

And even though you can no longer post your story at the store, please feel free to post it here. Offer support and understanding to others who are going through this same trying experience that you are. If you’re a survivor, let other women know that they too can battle this. You’re not alone and we’re all in this together. Let’s work together to save our mothers, sisters, friends, and neighbors.

Add a comment November 6, 2009

An Open Letter to Men

To all the dads/brothers/sons/friends out there,

Breast cancer awareness often times is perceived only to benefit women, but men you are also at risk. Men also have breast tissue that can develop cancer. We want you to be just as informed about this deadly cancer that can affect you as well. We want you to be safe.

What are the types of breast cancer in men?
Here’s what the American Cancer Society has to say:

1 in 10 cases of breast cancer in men are Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)
Cancer cells form in the breast ducts but do not invade through the walls of the ducts into the fatty tissue of the breast or spread outside the breast. It is almost always curable with surgery.

8 out of 10 cases are Infiltrating (or invasive) ductal carcinoma (IDC)
It breaks through the wall of the duct and invades the fatty tissue of the breast. At this point, it can spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body.

Infiltrating (or invasive) lobular carcinoma (ILC)
Starts in the breast lobules and invades the fatty tissue of the breast. ILC is very rare in men, accounting for only about 2% of breast cancers.

Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS)
Abnormal cells form in the lobules, but they do not invade into the fatty tissue of the breast or spread outside the breast. Although LCIS is sometimes classified as a type of non-invasive breast cancer, most breast specialists think it is a pre-cancerous condition rather than a true non-invasive cancer. It is very rare in men.

Paget disease of the nipple
Starts in the breast ducts and spreads to the nipple. It may also spread to the areola (the dark circle around the nipple). The skin of the nipple usually appears crusted, scaly, and red, with areas of itching, oozing, burning, or bleeding. It accounts for about 1% of female breast cancers and a higher percentage of male breast cancers.

For more information about breast cancer in men, check out the American Cancer Society’s page on key statistics.

http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_1X_What_are_the_key_statistics_for_male_breast_cancer_28.asp?rnav=cri

Add a comment November 6, 2009