Join H3I in the fight against breast cancer!

October 1st, 2007

The Hilton Head Health Institute is a proud supporter of the fight against breast cancer.  In recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, this October H3I donated a one-week stay to the Women’s Club of Palmetto Hall Plantation’s annual Rally for the Cure to support the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

After skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer in American women and is the second leading cause of cancer death in women (lung cancer is the first).  According to the American Cancer Society(ACS), there are 2 million women in the US who have been treated for breast cancer.  The good news is, rates are declining, likely attributable to early diagnosis and improved treatment.

While there is no precise cause for breast cancer, there are several risk factors that increase the chances of getting the disease (many of which are uncontrollable).  Also, just because you’re at higher risk doesn’t mean you will contract breast cancer-it only increases the chances.  Uncontrollable risk factors are age, gender, family history, and race.  Risk factors you can influence include alcohol use, obesity, high-fat diets, and lack of exercise.

These ‘lifestyle’ factors may put you at an increased risk of breast cancer.  Use of alcohol is clearly related.  Women who have as little as one drink a day show an increased risk.  Being overweight is also linked, especially if the weight gain was in adulthood.  The risk is higher if the extra fat is around the waist.  Studies have shown that exercise can reduce the risk of breast cancer.  The ACS suggests exercising for at least 45 to 60 minutes, 5 or more days of the week. 

The current decline in breast cancer is possibly a result of advanced screening for the disease.  The earlier the cancer is found, the better the chances the treatment will work.  By following the screening guidelines from the ACS, thousands of lives can be saved through early detection:

• Women in their 20s should perform self breast exams (SBE)
• Women in their 20-30s should have a clinical breast exam (CBE) every 3 years, women age 40 or older should have a CBE every year
• Women age 40 or older should have a mammogram every year
• Women considered high risk should talk to their doctor about the best methods of screening (this may include starting mammograms early, having extra tests, or more frequent exams)

The Susan G. Komen Foundation is the largest global grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists.  They fight to save lives, empower people, ensure quality care, and energize scientists to find a cure for this devastating disease.  The Komen Foundation is dedicated to stopping breast cancer at every stage - from the causes to the cures, to the pain and anxiety of every moment in between.  Through events like Rally for the Cure, the Susan G. Komen Foundation has raised nearly $1 billion, strictly dedicated to the fight for breast cancer eradication and awareness.

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