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Breast Cancer Awareness

Sunday, February 24, 2013

'I Heart Boobies' Case Hits Appeals Court

Case of two Easton Area Middle School students disciplined in 2010 by the school district for wearing breast cancer awareness bracelets was heard in appeals court Wednesday.

The "I Heart Boobies" case has once again hit the courts. On Wednesday, the full U.S. 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia heard arguments in the case of two Easton Area Middle School students disciplined in 2010 by the school district for wearing breast cancer awareness bracelets, according to the Easton Express-Times. The American Civil Liberties Union initially sued the Easton school district in federal court in November 2010 on behalf of students Brianna Hawk and Kayla Martinez, who were suspended for wearing the bracelets from the Keep A Breast Foundation. The district argued the bracelets were inappropriate and could be disruptive. The students testified they only meant to raise awareness of breast cancer.  A federal District…

Saturday, October 27, 2012

Pa. Doctor Invents Shirt to Relieve Post-Mastectomy Pain

Dr. Deb Kimless-Garber has invented a shirt to help women after a mastectomy.

In March 2006, doctors gave their colleague Dr. Deb Kimless-Garber a clean bill of health. After a double mastectomy and the requisite rounds of treatment, Kimless-Garber was officially cured. But she still had to deal with two problems. “Pain and aesthetic,” said Kimless-Garber of West Chester. “A lot of women experience something similar to phantom limb pain after a mastectomy. There’s all of these nerves in the breast, so why wouldn’t they experience pain.” Then, there are the aesthetics. “A reconstructed breast looks very different after a mastectomy,” said Kimless-Garber. “Any type of breast reconstruction is a very different procedure than a breast augmentation.” She added, “What you get is what looks like flat plateaus or mounds …

Friday, October 26, 2012

SHARE: Sisterhood of Breast Cancer Survivors in the Lehigh Valley

"Uplift: Secrets from the Sisterhood of Breast Cancer Survivors" shares the wisdom of breast cancer survivors with the newly diagnosed. What's your story?

  October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. One of the greatest challenges for those who have been newly diagnosed is finding sources of support. Patients are eager for information on everything from enduring surgery and chemotherapy to how to deal with hair loss. While there are many local resources and support groups available in the Lehigh Valley, women can also find comfort in a sisterhood of survivors who have already been in their shoes. Best selling author and breast cancer survivor Barbara Delinsky has gathered the wisdom of hundreds of breast cancer survivors who are eager to inspire those who are new to the “breast cancer sisterhood.” She shares all of the stories and tidbits she found in her book "Uplift: Secrets from …

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Breast Cancer in Young Women: Resources and Statistics in the Lehigh Valley

Breast cancer isn't age specific. Here's how to cope with treatments and augmentations if you are diagnosed earlier in life.

  Generally speaking, a woman in Pennsylvania has a one in 800 chance of getting breast cancer, according to this breast cancer statistics chart from komen.org. An American woman in her 30s has a one in 232 chance of getting the disease, and a woman 20 years her senior has a one in 42 probability, according to the website. “Although we aren’t certain, the cause of breast cancer in younger women is likely caused by a genetic predisposition,” says Ann H. Partridge, M.D., M.P.H., the medical oncologist director of the Adult Survivorship Program at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. While breast cancer treatment in young women is often effective, the chance of recovery tends to be worse in women under 40. Breast …

Monday, October 22, 2012

Free Breast Health Services Available Through Pa. Health Dept.

The Pa. Department of Health offers a free breast cancer early detection program called HealthyWoman

  A free breast and cervical cancer early detection program called the HealthyWoman Program is available through the Pennsylvania Department of Health.   Free services for those meeting the eligibility standards include: To view a chart of Eligibility at a Glance click here or call 1-800-215-7494 to find out if you are eligible. If breast or cervical cancer is detected through the HWP, patients will be able to receive free treatment through the Department of Public Welfare’s Breast and Cervical Cancer Preventionand Treatment Program.  Why is the HealthyWoman Program Important? 

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Hallmark Breast Cancer Study Holds Hope for Patients

Breast cancer kills 12,000 women in Pennsylvania each year but a new study holds hope for patients and the doctors who treat them

Researchers have unveiled what they believe is a hallmark study for breast cancer patients and the doctors who treat them, according to the Pa. Breast Cancer Coalition. Their findings, recently published in the journal Nature and the New York Times, are expected to pave the way for new treatment options in the coming years. The project, funded by a large federal grant, focused on a genetic analysis of breast cancer, which kills more than 12,000 women in Pennsylvania each year.  The scientists monitored the tumors of 825 breast cancer patients in the US. As a result, they found four distinctive types of breast cancer. Within those types, researchers say they identified at least 40 genetic alterations that might be attacked by drugs. Many of…

Saturday, October 20, 2012

You Can Support Breast Cancer Research in Pa.

Pennsylvania taxpayers can donate all or part of their tax refund to cancer research in the Keystone State through a program called Refunds for Research

  The PA Breast Cancer Coalition (PBCC) has an annual program that allows Pennsylvania taxpayers to help support cancer research in the Keystone State. The program is called Refunds for Research. By checking YES on line 35 of the PA 40 tax form, any taxpayer can donate all or part of their state income tax refund to breast and cervical cancer research. Every penny contributed goes directly to PA breast and cervical cancer researchers as they work for a cure. By donating, the taxpayer will join the thousands of Pennsylvania tax filers who have contributed over $2.8 million for Pennsylvania-based cancer research. Recent recipients include doctors at the University of Pennsylvania, Thomas Jefferson University and Penn State. “Pennsylvania …

Jay Bell

8:48 am on Saturday, October 20, 2012

This is something well worth all of us making a contribution to. Hopefully, we can unite on principled charities such as this, and find success in reaching a national goal. www.firebrandcentral.com   more ›

Friday, October 19, 2012

Shine a Spotlight on Pa. Breast Cancer Survivors

Pennsylvania's breast cancer survivors are encouraged to share their stories as part of Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Each month, the Pa. Breast Cancer Coalition turns the spotlight on a breast cancer survivor living in Pennsylvania and tells her unique story. Throughout October - in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month - the group encourages all breast cancer survivors to share their experience with those around them. The coalition says, "Let the sharing of your story be a release for you; motivate others to get the mammogram they’ve been putting off;  reassure someone in the midst of their breast cancer journey. Add your story and your voice to the collective understanding of what life is like for women with breast cancer." If you’d like to share your story with the PBCC, please email Amy at Amy@PABreastCancer.org. If you are able to tell of your …

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Take a Free Online Course on Breast Cancer Prevention

The Pa. Breast Cancer Coalition offers a free online course about breast cancer prevention

  More than 800 people have taken the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition's free online course on Pennsylvania’s Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention and Treatment Program, which provides free treatment for uninsured and underinsured women battling breast cancer. The course is available for all who wish to take it, with free continuing education credits available for nurses and social workers.  Real case studies give practical examples of who is eligible for free treatment, how the program works, and the overall benefit to the women who are covered through the program. Those who take the course will have the knowledge necessary to direct women to the program so that they can get the care they need without worrying about how to pay for it.

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Where to Get a Breast Exam in Lehigh Valley

Regular exams help prevent thousands of cases of breast cancer each year

Studies have shown that early detection of breast cancer improves the chances of a cure. That in itself is the most important reason to make an appointment today for a breast exam or mammogram. Here is a list of some of the places where you can go for mammograms and breast exams in our area: Lehigh Valley Health Network Breast Services (various locations) St. Luke's Regional Breast Center - 5848 Old Bethlehem Pike, Second Floor, Center Valley, PA Planned Parenthood - Easton Medical Center, 2906 William Penn Highway, Easton, PA City of Bethlehem Health Bureau - 10 E. Church St., Bethlehem, PA Going for an exam can be nerve-wracking. To better understand the importance of exams, here's helpful information that explains the process, when you …

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