The Breast Cancer Fund’s Focus is Prevention

I’m a big fan of the Breast Cancer Fund. It is not as well known as the bigger Breast Cancer organizations, but the Breast Cancer Fund’s focus is on identifying and eliminating the environmental causes of breast cancer. I love the idea of looking ahead to ways that we can prevent breast cancer. It is my hope that there will be a day (maybe even in my lifetime) where breast cancer, and other cancer cases will be a rarity, rather than epidemic.

I eat organic, I exercise (but not enough), and I have changed my life and career to minimize stress, I am an educated and dedicated green advocate – personally and professionally. But honestly, like 85% of women diagnosed with breast cancer, I have no family history of breast cancer,  and it is my belief that my personal efforts can only go so far toward minimizing my risk of cancer’s return.

I live in Connecticut. In Connecticut we have the second highest rate of breast cancer incidence in the country according to the latest data. I recently heard verification of what I had suspected: Connecticut is a downwind state – which means we get other states’ pollution. Gee, thanks.

I’ll address that in my next post.

Be well.

Exercise Reduces Lymphedema Risk by 70%

Wow! The importance of exercise – weightlifting in particular – has never been so clearly illustrated as in the results of this clinical trial conducted by the Abramson Cancer Center at University of Pennsylvania. The report from the trial was first published on December 8, 2010.

Called the PAL Trial (an acronym for Physical Activity and Lymphedema) the results provide:

• good advise to help Lymphedema Survivors keep Lymphedema in check,
• minimize its progression, and
• a way for cancer survivors to help prevent lymphedema from developing.

Click here to read about the PAL Trial.