Friday, October 26, 2012
73-year-old Wisconsin man fields phone calls from around the country from men diagnosed with breast cancer.
William Woodfill's habit of not using a wash cloth in the shower may have saved his life. "I felt this lump one day ... underneath my left breast," he said. "I knew it shouldn't have been there." For the next month, he checked the lump, monitoring its progression as it grew from the size of a pea to the size of a lima bean. "He couldn't stick anything in it, so he said that we had to take it out," he said of the surgeon who attempted to biopsy the growth with a syringe. It was breast cancer. "I went back fully expecting not to have cancer," said Woodfill, who noted that about 1,500 men a year are diagnosed with breast cancer in the United States. "And that was the big stunner … it flipped the switch from things are normal to things …
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Resources for women fighting breast cancer that your doctor doesn't offer.
By the nature of its side effects, cancer treatment can make a private battle a very public affair. For a woman with cancer, having a bald head, pale skin or a missing breast can make her feel like she's being targeted by a bright spotlight and a banner that says, "Cancer patient." But now more than ever, there are resources for women that will put the spotlight back on their work, their accomplishments and their life—and change that banner to simply read, "Woman." Locally, one wig salon that works with those fighting breast cancer is Carolyn's Place at 32 Pleasant Street in Wakefield. Elsewhere, Girl on the Go provides private or in-home wig consultations for women with cancer, with locations in 12 states, including Connecticut, Florida, …
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Breast cancer isn't age specific. Here's how to cope with treatments and augmentations if you are diagnosed earlier in life.
Generally speaking, a woman in Massachusetts has a 133 out of 100,000 chance of getting breast cancer, according to this breast cancer statistics chart from komen.org. An American woman in her 30s has a one in 232 chance of getting the disease, and a woman 20 years her senior has a one in 42 probability, according to the website. “Although we aren’t certain, the cause of breast cancer in younger women is likely caused by a genetic predisposition,” says Ann H. Partridge, M.D., M.P.H., the medical oncologist director of the Adult Survivorship Program at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Locally, mammography appointments can be arranged with Melrose Wakefield Hospital at this link. Lahey Clinic North in Peabody …
Monday, October 22, 2012
Gov. Deval Patrick signed a bill proclaiming the third week in October as Male Breast Cancer Awareness Week.
Breast cancer: Guys get it too. That's the message of The Blue Wave, a group created to spread awareness about breast cancer in men, and the message that will be sent the week of Oct. 21-27 in Massachusetts after Governor Deval Patrick signed a bill proclaiming the third week in October as Male Breast Cancer Awareness Week. Last month, Patrick signed the bill that says the week aims "to raise awareness of the occurrence of breast cancer in men and to encourage regular testing for breast cancer amongst all citizens of the Commonwealth." According to the Susan G. Komen Foundation for the Cure, one of the most well-known breast cancer awareness groups, breast cancer in men is rare but still happens: The overall ratio of female to male breast …
Monday, October 15, 2012
"Uplift: Secrets from the Sisterhood of Breast Cancer Survivors" shares the wisdom of breast cancer survivors with the newly diagnosed. What's your story?
- BREAST CANCER AWARENESS
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Monday, October 15, 2012
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. One of the greatest challenges for those who are newly diagnosed is finding sources of support. Patients are eager for information on everything from enduring surgery and chemotherapy to how to deal with hair loss. Best selling author and breast cancer survivor Barbara Delinsky has gathered the wisdom of hundreds of breast cancer survivors who are eager to inspire those who are new to the “breast cancer sisterhood.” She shares all of the stories and tidbits she found in her book "Uplift: Secrets from the Sisterhood of Breast Cancer Survivors." First published in 2001, the book was updated for a 10th anniversary edition published last year. Delinsky donates all the profits from the book to …
Friday, October 5, 2012
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which means a variety of pink products will be hitting the shelves. But, do your pink purchases always go towards the cause?
A wave of pink is flooding stores everywhere, as retailers participate in Breast Cancer Awareness Month. For the savvy shopper, it's an opportunity to donate to a good cause while snagging unique, pink-hued items. But before you plunk down your green for some pink, the nonprofits behind Breast Cancer Awareness Month want you to check the label. Jenna Glazer, director of development for Young Survival Coalition (YSC), a global organization dedicated to helping young women who are diagnosed with breast cancer, said that buyers should be on the lookout for a label or tag that tells where the money from the purchase goes. "If you walk into Bed Bath & Beyond and see something with a pink ribbon and no information about where the money is going…
Monday, October 1, 2012
Research shows good nutrition and exercise can help prevent breast cancer. Here are some resources around Lynnfield to help you stay healthy.
- BREAST CANCER AWARENESS
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Monday, October 1, 2012
You might be able to find help fighting breast cancer and other types of cancers at your local grocery store and fitness centers, according to the research findings of Dr. Marian Neuhouser, Ph.D, RD. Dr. Neuhouser is a nutritional epidemiologist with a background in nutritional sciences. She is an investigator at Seattle’s Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Her research is focused on lifestyle factors such as nutrition and physical activity. Some factors may prevent breast and prostate cancer and improve survivorship in those diagnosed with cancer. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, each year, more than 200,000 American women are diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 40,000 American women will die …
