Heart ofthe City - Catholic Health Partners

WomensServices
HealthPartners
Breast Cancer
Awareness
What you need to know...
Each year, nearly 200,000 women
in the United States are diagnosed
with breast cancer. In recent years,
testing for breast cancer has improved
significantly, which has allowed
for many cases to be caught
earlier—increasing a patient’s
chances of recovery. While no one
knows exactly what causes breast
cancer, we do know that certain
risk factors are linked to the disease.
These risk factors include:
Age
As with many other diseases, your risk of
breast cancer increases with age. About
two out of three invasive breast cancers
are found in women 55 or older.
Family History
Women who have a mother, sister or
daughter with breast cancer have a nearly
twice the risk of developing the disease.
Smoking
Smoking is linked to a higher risk of breast
cancer in premenopausal women. There
may also be a link between heavy secondhand
smoke exposure and breast cancer
risk in postmenopausal women.
Alcohol Use
Research consistently shows that drinking
alcoholic beverages – beer, wine,
and liquor – increases a woman’s risk of
hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer.
Being Overweight
Overweight and obese women have a
higher risk of being diagnosed with breast
cancer compared to women who maintain
a healthy weight, especially after
menopause.
Lack of Exercise
Research shows a link between exercising
regularly at a moderate or intense level for
4 to 7 hours per week and a lower risk of
breast cancer.
But risk factors don’t tell us everything.
Having a risk factor, or even several,
doesn’t mean that a woman will get breast
cancer. Some women who have one or
more risk factors never get the disease.
And most women who do get breast cancer
don’t have any risk factors (other than
being a woman and growing older). Some
risk factors have a greater impact than
other ones, and your risk for breast cancer
can change over time, thanks to factors
like as aging or lifestyle.
Here to Help
Breast Cancer is a life-changing diagnosis,
and CMHP is with our patients every
step of the way—from diagnosis through
treatment. Mammography, the best way
to detect breast cancer in its earliest, most
treatable stage, is available at Springfield
Regional Imaging Center. Equipped with
the most advanced imaging technology
including digital mammography, breast
ultrasound, breast MRI and computer
aided detection, the Imaging Center
detects health issues before they become
problems.
Pink Ribbon Society
This group, facilitated by breast cancer survivors, provides a
caring atmosphere in which women in all stages of survival can
reach out to each other, offer help in coping, and have the opportunity
to openly discuss their experience with breast cancer.
Meetings are the 1 st Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. at the
Cancer Center, 148 West North Street in Springfield. For more
information contact Ann Hembree at 323-5001, ext. 5567.
Look Good…Feel Better
Offered by the American Cancer Society, this program teaches
women how to cope with skin and hair changes that can occur
during cancer treatments. Patients receive a free kit of skin care
and make-up products. Evening sessions are the 4 th Tuesday of
each month at 5:30 p.m. (No meeting in December). Morning
meetings are also available on a quarterly basis. Both are at the
Cancer Center. Pre-registration is requested. Call the
American Cancer Society at 1-800-227-2345.
Breast cancer requires far more than just
clinical care. Springfield Regional Cancer
Center and Springfield Regional Imaging
Center have partnered to offer a Breast
Health Specialist program that offers expertise
and support to a newly diagnosed
breast cancer patient.
The breast health specialist assists patients
by offering a comprehensive and personal
approach to the diagnosis, management
and treatment of breast cancer and provides
breast cancer patients with support
they and their families need throughout
and beyond their cancer care.
Caring Friends
Caring Friends provides information and support to anyone who
has a present or past diagnosis of cancer, as well as their loved
ones. Meetings are the 3 rd Tuesday of the month at 12 p.m. at
the Cancer Center. For more information contact Ann Hembree
at 323-5001, ext. 5567.
Our Breast Health Specialist, Valerie
Briner, RN, can help schedule and keep
medical appointments, arrange follow-up
care, coordinate and streamline insurance
paperwork, and identify local resources
and appropriate support.
“I see many women with a very high level
of anxiety. I try to decrease their anxiety
as soon as I meet them in the waiting
room,” says Valerie. I love teaching, which
is a huge part of what I do. It’s incredibly
rewarding to develop a relationship with
a patient that can affect his or her life in
such a positive way.”
Breast Cancer today is not what it was
20 years ago. Survival rates are climbing
thanks to greater awareness, more early
detection and advances in treatment. For
roughly 200,000 Americans who are diagnosed
with Breast Cancer each year, there
are many reasons to be hopeful.
You’re not alone in your fight against breast cancer.
In addition to state-of-the-art cancer care, Springfield Regional Cancer Center offers a variety of resources and groups.
MammaCare Breast Self Exam Training
Learn the recommended breast self exam method Mamma-
Care, from a MammaCare-trained Breast Health Specialist.
Call 342-5975 for information or to schedule a class.
Lymphedema Education Program
Learn about the causes, symptoms, and treatment of
lymphedema. This program is presented by a lymphedema
expert from Excel Rehabilitation. The next program is
scheduled for November 1 at 2:30 p.m. Call Ann Hembree
at 323-5001, ext. 5567 for additional dates and times.
4 HealthPartners • Fall 2012
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