Whidbey General Hospital is offerring “Daughters of Women with Breast Cancer: Defining the Odds.” This educational program on breast cancer and risk factors is set for Saturday, Nov. 17
When someone is said to be at risk for cancer, or have a risk factor, it means that she or he may have some degree of susceptibility to developing this disease. For example, age is a risk factor for breast cancer —- the older a person gets the higher your risk of developing breast cancer. Risk factors, however, are not definite predictors of cancer. Studies show that some people who have many risk factors live to old age without developing cancer. Other women who have no known breast cancer risk factors will develop the disease.
There is not a particular health hazard linked to breast cancer like smoking and lung cancer or like high cholesterol levels are to heart disease. But if a person knows they have some risk factors it may make that person more rigorous about following through on early detection and screening recommendations.
This symposium is inviting women to participate who have a family medical history of breast cancer. Vulnerability to breast cancer is heightened for any one who has a close blood relative diagnosed with the disease. Having one first-degree relative (mother, daughter, sister) with breast cancer approximately doubles a woman’s risk. Having two first-degree relatives with breast cancer increases her risk five-fold. Having a loved one who has experienced the journey of breast cancer can make people aware of how important it is to diagnosis it early.
Women who attend the symposium will learn about their personal risks and risk factors, how to go about decreasing some of them, and how to put them into perspective. There will be information and an update on how breast cancer is being treated. There will be information on early detection and screening and what is new and coming in diagnostic imaging. The pros and cons of hormone replacement therapy will be presented. There will be breakout sessions on nutrition and weight management, being active, stress reduction, checking out mammography equipment, and learning breast self exam (BSE) first hand.
The symposium will be held on Saturday, Nov. 17, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Services Alternatives building in Coupeville. The symposium is free, but pre-registration will be required. Call Whidbey General Hospital Community Relations. Call 678-7656 ext. 4005 to register.
