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oi a. es Helen O'Reilly is the Scugog Convenor of the Canadian Cancer Society's Reach to Recovery program. The program enables those diagnosed with breast cancer to meet breast cancer survivors, who will give them encouragement and support. Mrs. O'Reilly was diagnosed with breast cancer more than 20 years ago, and is not afraid to tell other wom- en that they, too, can survive. BreastCancer FACTS eBreast cancer is a disease caused by uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells in breast tissue. oThe cause of breast cancer is not yet known. oThe incidence of breast cancer is 100 times more common in women than in men. eSome women may be at higher risk of developing breast cancer than others. One or more of the following factors may increase the risk of breast cancer: - Over 50 years of age - A family history of breast cancer - Never had any children - First childbirth after age 30 - First menstrual period before age 12 - Onset of menopause after age 50. - A diet which includes excess fats, especially animal fats. eMedical research offers no evidence that breast cancer can actually be prevented. However, breast cancer responds well to therapy when detected early. If treatment is started before the cancer cells spread, the chance of the disease not recurring within five years is 87 per cent. eApproximately one in 10 women will be a victim of breast cancer. The Canadian Cancer Society estimates that there will be 14,400 new cases of breast cancer in 1991 in Canada. eBreast cancer accounts for 28 per cent of all cancers diag- nosed in women. oIn spite of the fact that high cure rates are achievable through early diagnosis, breast cancer is the leading cause of death for women between the age of 35 and 54. (Source: Canadian Cancer Society) " Early det tho ection the key to eliminating breast cancer By Gillian Barfoot "Cancer used to be a dirty word," remembers Helen O'Reilly. "My mother would never admit that I had it. She used to say I had a sore arm." She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1968, and had a mastectomy. The lymph nodes under her left arm were also removed, which left her arm permanently puffy. She describes her attitude as being anxious and uptight, but says she was grateful when someone visited her in the hos- pital and told her what to ex- pect. People are worried about cancer whether they admit it or not, she says. "There are still many people who are afraid or ashamed of it." That's one reason why she became involved with the Ca- nadian Cancer Society's Reach to Recovery program. Now she is the convenor for the Scugog township branch, which reach- es as far north as Lake Simcoe and south to the Ridges. The doctors in Scugog are supportive of the program, she says, but finds that many in other areas are not aware that it exists. That represents a considera- ble hurdle for those who are volunteers with Reach to Re- covery, because the patient has to ask for them. The volunteers have all had breast cancer, and many of them have had mastectomies, so they can provide support to the patient. "It helps to see people who have survived," she says. "What doctor can tell the pa- tient that they know what it is like if they haven't been through it? " The patient's doctor has to sign a permission slip for a vol- unteer to visit in the hospital, when they will bring the pa- tient a kit containing tempo- rary prosthesis, suggestions for exercises and a rope and ball, and information for family members. 'It's not just walking in," Mrs. O'Reilly emphasizes. "We dont visit unless we're invit- ed. Through the Canadian Can- cer Society, the volunteers with the Reach to Recovery program also provide patients with transportation to a hospi- tal in Toronto or Oshawa for treatment, and they are also available to provide medica- tion and home care. Most of the time, the volun- teers can help just by encour- aging the patients to think pos- itively, she says. "There's no proven connec- tion, but I have always found that a positive attitude is es- sential," Mrs. O'Reilly ex- plains. "If you have the feeling that this is a death sentence, then it often gets to be that." She reminds patients that, although breast cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer, it also has one of the highest recovery rates. "I tell them, 'It's not a fatal thing that's happening,' she says. "I just tell them they'll get better." She says the greatest risk a woman can take is to discover a lump or some unusual change and not tell the doctor. "I've talked to women who've kept it to themselves for six months to a year, before they could get up the nerve to go to the doctor," she says, adding that those women aren't alive now. Since early detection is so crucial, women should perform breast self-examination (BSE) once a month, says Dr. Richard Hasselback, medical oncologist at Toronto's Princess Margaret Hospital and a founding mem- ber of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. The Canadian Breast Can- cer Foundation is a non-profit organization which raises mon- ey for breast cancer research, treatment and education. It's important to be aware of any changes in your breasts be- cause the majority of cancer patients discover the lump themselves, he explains. A periodic regular exam by a doctor is also important to help find any abnormalities in the breasts. Although 85 per cent of all breast lumps are not can- cer, only a doctor can say for sure. the seven breast cancer screen- ing centres in Ontario every two years, she explains. The centres try to encourage the woman's doctor to get in- volved, even though they don't require the doctor's referral. The staff will also call the doc- tor to ensure an appropriate follow-up is being done after the screening has taken place. "It's for the woman who wants to take charge of her own health," explains Valerie Bridge, co-ordinator of the Scarborough Breast Screening Centre. The two-part screening in- volves a physical examination by a specially trained nurse, and a mammography. "It's a doubly efficient early detection method," she says, "a more complete approach than Just going to a clinic for a mam- mography." She also points out that the usual waiting period to have a mammography at a hospital clinic is three weeks to a month, while at the breast screening centres they can make appointments - for the same day, or at least within a week. A letter with the results of the screening is sent both to the woman and her doctor within a week after the ap- pointment. "Women thank us for our thorough examination and quick response time," she says. They also like the home-like However, it is difficult to dis- cover a tumor less than one centimetre in diameter, he says. Mammography can help detect tumors that can't be felt. "About 50 per cent of breast cancer is picked up only by mammography, he says. A mammogram, which is an X-ray of the breasts, is only useful for women over the age of 35. He suggests that all women over the age of 50 should have a mammogram every two years. The Ontario Breast Cancer Screening Program was set up to provide equal access for women to mammography, says Christine Joe, the administra- tive co-ordinator of the Toronto Breast Screening Centre. The program, which is fund- ed by the Ontario Ministry of Health, provides an opportuni- ty for women over 50 to have a free mammography and physi- cal examination in a non- hospital atmosphere, she ex- plains. "The unique thing about this program is that you can be self- referred," she says. "You just have to call and book an ap- pointment." The program encourages healthy women to visit one of atmosphere and feminine deco- rations, she says, as well as the fact that the centres are locat- ed in shopping centres and oth- er high-traffic areas. Since the first centre opened in July 1990, women are grad- ually finding out about them, she says, but she hopes more who live in outlying areas will take advantage of the pro- gram. For women in Durham Re- gion, the closest breast screen- ing centres are in Kingston, Scarborough and North York. The Kingston centre is locat- ed at 786 Blackburn Mews on Taylor-Kidd Blvd., just off Gar- diner's Road, (613) 384-4284, or 1-800-465-8850. The Scarborough centre, lo- cated just off Highway 401 at Markham Road, is at 10 Mil- ner Business Court, Unit 103, (416) 298-2626. The centre in North York is located at 100 Shepherd Ave. East, at the corner of Yonge Street, (416) 512-0601. For more information on breast cancer or breast self- examination, contact your doc- tor or the Canadian Cancer So- ciety. The Oshawa Unit of the Canadian Cancer Society is lo- cated at 172 King St. East in - Oshawa, 725-1166. . . «.... ..