October - Breast Cancer Awareness Month in the Seniorhood

During the coming year around 211,000 women and around 1600 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer. Of those diagnosed with this type of cancer, approximately 43,000 women and 400 men will not survive their illness. Like so many illnesses today, early detection could reduce the mortality rate of this disease significantly.

According to the NationalBreastCancer.org site, the five-year survival rate for breast cancer patients with an early diagnosis exceeds 95%. Now, if my math is correct and you take, for example, the 211,000 women that will be diagnosed this year with cancer and apply a 95% survival rate to that number, the mortality rate, though still too high, should only be 10,550. Subtract this number from the approximate 43,000 women who are expected not to survive, and you have 22,450 mothers, sisters, wives, girlfriends, and daughters who have needlessly lost their battle with this dreaded disease.

The same mathematical formula would similarly apply to the men affected. With a 95% survival rate for the 400 men diagnosed, the number of those who would not survive even with the best available cancer treatment, again, though still too high, would be around 20. That leaves 380 fathers, brothers, husbands, boyfriends, and sons who also needlessly will have lost their battle against breast cancer. If you put faces with those numbers, it is easier to see that we will have lost needlessly way too large a section of our extended American family.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and a great time to remind ourselves and each other that this disease is still out there and still claiming lives. We need to reiterate the importance of our monthly self breast exams and to get on the phone and schedule our annual mammograms, and further our awareness of this type of cancer. Did you know: 1) One out of every eight women who live to the age of 85 will develop breast cancer in their lifetime? 2) Seventy percent of all breast cancers are found through breast self-exams, and that not all lumps are detectable by touch? 3) A mammogram is a low-dose X-ray exam that can detect breast cancer up to two years before it is able to be detected by touch? 4) 13 million women in the United States aged 40 and older have never before had a mammogram?

That 13 million U.S. women aged 40 and older have never had a mammogram is particularly troubling to me. Since I happen to really enjoy math, indulge me for a minute while I take this number and apply it to some of the other statistics. As stated at the nationalbreastcancer.org site, one in every eight women, or 12.5%, who live to the age of 85 will develop breast cancer in their lifetime. Since we are being told repeatedly that our lifespans are getting longer, let’s say that all 13 million of these women will live to the age of 85. That means that 445,000 of these women at some point will develop breast cancer. If we apply the 5% survival rate that was given earlier, with early detection, approximately 95% or 423,250 of these women would survive. Sadly, with current available treatment, 22,250 will not survive. But what is most tragic of all, is if none of these 445,000 women (12.5 % of 13 million) get annual mammograms and their cancer is not found until it is in the advanced stages, how astronomical the mortality rate would then be.

Since getting an annual mammogram is a medical procedure that can be expensive, especially if you are on a limited income or have no insurance, there is some aid available for those people that need assistance. At the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) site, there is a list of programs available to aid women between the ages of 40-64 for breast screening. After the age of 64, Medicare should take over the cost of having an annual mammogram performed. Currently, many women on Medicare are not aware that their annual mammogram is covered, though the numbers of those taking advantage of this benefit is rising.

Another site that provides excellent information about breast cancer is TheBreastCancer.com site. You can go to this site and click on the “Fund Free Mammograms” button, and a donation will be made for each time you visit and click on the button. Also, if you have heard of or are interested in the Avon Walks for Breast Cancer, you can find information about their programs at the Avon Foundation site.

Aside from the expense of mammograms, one of the reasons I hear from other women about putting off their annual mammograms, and I can even attest to it myself, is that mammograms are, well, to put it mildly, somewhat embarrassing and even a little to alot uncomfortable. So to close and to add a little comic relief to a not so humorous topic, I want to include a little poem that was sent to me by a friend. So enjoy, have a little chuckle, and then make the call to set up your annual mammogram.

MAMMOCRAMMED

For years and years they told me, Be careful of your breasts

Don’t ever squeeze or bruise them. And give them monthly tests.

So I heeded all their warnings. And protected them by law.

Guarded them very carefully, And I always wore my bra.

After 50 years of astute care, My gyno, Dr. Pruitt,

Said I should get a mammogram. “Okay,” I said, “Let’s do it.”

“Stand up here real close,” she said. (She got my boob in line.)

“And tell me when it hurts,” she said. “Ah, yes! Right there, that’s fine.”

She stepped upon a pedal. I could not believe my eyes!

A plastic plate came slamming down. My hooters in a vise!

My skin was stretched and mangled From underneath my chin.

My poor boob was being squashed To Swedish Pancake thin….

Excruciating pain I felt Within its viselike grip.

A prisoner in this vicious thing, My poor defenseless tit!

“Take a deep breath,” she says to me. “Who does she think she’s kidding?”

My chest is mashed in her machine. And woozy I am getting.

“There. That’s good.” I heard her say. (The room was slowly swaying.)

“Now, let’s have a go at the other one.” Have mercy, I was praying.

It squeezed me from both up and down, It squeezed me from both sides.

I’ll bet SHE’s never had this done before, To her tender little hide.

Next time that they make me do this. I will request a blindfold.

I have no wish to see again, My knockers get steam-rolled.

If I had no problem when I came in, I surely have one now.

If there had been a cyst in there, It would have gone Ker-Pow!

This machine was created by a man, Of this I have no doubt.

I’d like to stick his *@?# in there, And see how They come out!