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“Mammography is the best weapon we have to detect
breast cancer early so we can fight it before it’s too late,”
says Allen Fuller, MD,
General Surgeon
and a member of
Halifax Regional Hospital’s medical staff. “I hope women
will take advantage of this opportunity because it can—
and has—saved lives.”
Some facts about early detection
According to the American Cancer Society, the goal of
screening exams for early detection of breast cancer is to
find cancers before they cause symptoms.
Screening
refers
to tests and exams used to find a disease in people who
do not have any symptoms.
Early detection
means using
an approach that lets your healthcare team diagnose
breast cancer earlier than otherwise might occur.
Breast cancers found during screening exams are
more likely to be smaller and still confined to the breast.
Breast cancers that are found because they are causing
symptoms tend to be larger and are more likely to have
already spread beyond the breast. Most doctors feel that
early detection tests for breast cancer save thousands of
lives each year and that many more lives could be saved
if even more women took advantage of these tests.
Tell a friend
“We hope that women—and men—will spread the
word that these funds are available,” Halsey says. “Breast
cancer deaths in the United States have decreased over
the years, and experts attribute this to early screening
mammograms.”
Your chance of being struck by lightning.
You could cut your risk even further by
heading indoors at the first sound of
thunder. And stay inside for 30 minutes
after you hear the last clap of thunder.
Source: Federal Emergency Management Agency
1
in
600
,
000
The total number of minutes the aver-
age person spends brushing his or her
teeth every day. Dentists recommend
brushing for three minutes twice a day.
Source: Academy of General Dentistry
The percent of total calories that added
sugars and solid fats contribute to the U.S.
diet. That’s about 800 calories a day from
foods that supply few or no nutrients.
Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture
2
q
life and health
news
Face the facts about sunscreen
Using sunscreen is a no-brainer, right? You rub some on your skin,
and you’re good to go.
Not quite. To guard against skin cancer, you need to apply
sunscreen correctly. That means using enough so that all of your
exposed skin is properly protected. Most people apply only about
half or a quarter of what they need. Don’t be one of them. Also:
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Rub sunscreen on about 15 to 30 minutes before going
outdoors.
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Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a sun protection factor
(SPF) of 30 or higher, and use it year-round, even on cloudy days.
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Reapply sunscreen about every two hours or after swimming
or sweating heavily. Even water-resistant sunscreen may lose its
effectiveness if you spend more than 40 minutes in water.
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Use a lip balm with an SPF of 30 or higher as well. Your lips can
get sunburned too.
Source: American Academy of Dermatology
HRHS and Komen
team up for women
—Continued from front page