Local community invited to make strides against breast cancer
- Michelle Wood: SWCD
- September 30, 2009
- 896
This year, area residents are encouraged to participate in the 10th annual American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk, which will held Sunday, Oct. 18, at Canton McKinley High School. Registration will begin promptly at The Repository registration area at 9 a.m., with the actual walk commencing at 10 a.m. The walking route runs through Canton and includes some of the scenic beauty of Monument and Bicentennial parks.
“This is a 3.1 mile, 5K non-competitive event,” explained Al Stabilito, area public relations director for the American Cancer Society. “The walk gives breast cancer survivors, friends, families and the community an opportunity to honor breast cancer survivors. It also raises funds so services to newly diagnosed patients are available. In addition to supporting these services, the funds raised are also earmarked for breast cancer research.”
According to Stabilito, last year’s Canton walk featured more than 5,000 participants, who raised approximately $235,000. Since 1993, nearly five million walkers nationally have raised more than $340 million through Making Strides and last year nearly 600,000 walkers across the country collected more than $60 million to help fight breast cancer.
“The success of Making Strides Against Breast Cancer depends on people,” Stabilito said. “Individuals who walk and raise funds are the key to helping in the mission to eliminate breast cancer. Our most recent estimates for breast cancer are: 192,370 new cases of invasive breast cancer in the United States in 2009, with 8,063 of those new cases being in Ohio. There were also 40,170 deaths from breast cancer in 2009 nationwide, with 1,900 of those deaths occurring in Ohio.”
Stabilito said there were 17 new cases of invasive breast cancer in Holmes County in 2009, which resulted in five deaths.
“Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the United States, other than skin cancer,” he added. “It is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, after lung cancer. The chance of a woman having invasive breast cancer sometime during her life is about one in eight and the chance of dying from breast cancer is about one in 35.”
On the positive side, breast cancer death rates are going down thanks to early detection and improved treatment. According to research, there are currently about two and a half million breast cancer survivors in the United States.
Some risk factors for breast cancer include:
Ÿ Gender (being a woman is the main risk for breast cancer). Although men also get the disease, it is about 100 times more common in women than in men.
Ÿ Age. The chance of getting breast cancer increases as you age.
Ÿ Genetic risk factors. About five percent to 10 percent of breast cancers are thought to be linked to inherited changes (mutations) in certain genes.
Ÿ Family history. Breast cancer risk is higher among women whose close blood relatives have this disease.
Ÿ A woman with cancer in one breast has a greater chance of developing a new cancer in the other breast.
Ÿ White women are more likely to get breast cancer than African-American women.
Ÿ Dense breast tissue. Dense breast tissue hinders diagnosis as well since it can make it harder for doctors to spot problems on mammograms.
“It is so important for women to perform monthly self-breast exams and make sure they have an annual mammogram,” Stabilito said. “Knowing your risk factors and being proactive may save your life when it comes to breast cancer.”
The Making Strides walk is an important event for the ACS and they greatly appreciate all volunteers and sponsors. Organizations or businesses may sponsor their own team of walkers. Volunteers are also needed to help at the event with registration, traffic, information and other functions. The 2009 flagship sponsors are Aultman Hospital, Diebold and Time Warner Cable. The media flagship sponsors are The Canton Repository, About Magazine, Radio stations Mix 94.1 and News – Talk 1480 WHBC-AM and Akron Life and Leisure Magazine.
For information about this year’s walk, call Helen Stager at the American Cancer Society at 888-227-6446, ext. 2208, or visit www.cancer.org/stridesonline.