CROSSVILLE —
As we move into October, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Chronicle will be sharing the stories of women who have survived breast cancer.
I've been honored over the past several years to tell the stories these women have to tell. It's not something I take lightly. The individuals featured in the survivor series are sharing some of their darkest and most terrifying experiences, and the Chronicle hopes to tell those stories with dignity and compassion and hopes that by sharing these stories of survival, others can take hope and comfort.
I say individuals because sometimes we forget that it's not just women that are affected. Men can also develop breast cancer, with about 2,140 cases diagnosed. That's about 1 percent of all breast cancers. And, it's not just those diagnosed with cancer that are affected. The diagnosis affects everyone who loves and cares about that person.
Time and again, experts tell us that early detection is the key to successful treatment. Diagnostic imaging continues to advance, allowing for better detection, and awareness campaigns educate women on the importance of yearly mammograms and regular self-breast exams.
That effort has brought results. About 50 years ago, only 25 percent of women with breast cancer survived at least 10 years. Now, 75 percent survived 10 years. When women are diagnosed with breast cancer before it has spread beyond the breast, that survival rate is as high as 85 percent.
That's great news. And it's yet another reason why annual preventative care should not be ignored. I don't know how many people have told me, as I enter my 30s, not to ignore my health and to take care of those annual events, regardless of how packed my schedule or how uncomfortable they may be.
Unfortunately, the cost of these life-saving screenings can be beyond the means of women, especially those who have lost jobs in recent years and no longer have medical insurance coverage.
I had the opportunity recently to talk with a breast cancer survivor who had put off her mammogram because she didn't have insurance. Luckily, she learned of the free mammogram days offered at Cumberland Medical Center and was able to have the screening.
What she learned was that she had breast cancer, and today, she is cancer free. She credits the free mammography program for saving her life, not only for her but for her husband and her children.
The free mammogram days are offered through a grant by Komen Upper Cumberland, the local affiliate for Susan G. Komen for the Cure, and since 2010, it has offered access to mammograms for the medically under-served and uninsured women of our community. The next day is scheduled for Dec. 11, and patients must be 40 years of age or older and not have had a mammogram within the past two years, and cannot have insurance. Call 459-7040 to learn more.
Opinion
TIDBITS: Early detection is key
- Opinion
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LION AND THE LAMB: More than meets the eye
It was a quiet Saturday afternoon, and my wife Sheral suggested I join her on a shopping trip. In Crossville Sheral went inside a store and I stayed outside looking at the bargain specials. My mind was in neutral, so I almost missed the little boy’s question. He was about seven or eight, evidently had just seen his first Amish family, and they had seemed very strange to him.
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WE THE PEOPLE: No time to govern
Bob Dole’s tribute to George McGovern at the time of his death last year was both beautiful and touching. Speaking of the friendship they shared and the work they did together during their time in the Senate and later in retirement, Dole said McGovern “was one of the finest public servants I ever had the privilege to know.” He went on to say that they knew what they had in common was far more important than their different political philosophies.
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TIDBITS: Be wary of home improvement shows
Sometimes I think home improvement stores need a screening tool of some sort, perhaps some kind of licensing or reference check. For example, before one can walk in and buy that handy dandy table saw, they need three people to vouch that they aren’t likely to cut off a bodily appendage.
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STUMPTALK: Obama’s Benghazi betrayal
“Betrayal” is an ugly word. “To fail or desert especially in a time of need.” Those who pay attention to the actions of Obama are justified in saying we have been betrayed. Think about the IRS and DOJ debacles. Clearly our ambassador and his staff at the Benghazi consulate were betrayed, deserted in their time of mortal need. Obama allowed them to be murdered.
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Lion and the Lamb: When schools go beyond the three Rs
The three Rs, reading, ‘riting and ‘rithmetic, have always been at the foundation of education in Cumberland County. Recently, however, a fourth R has been added — religion. In permission was granted representatives of The Gideons International to distribute Bibles to fifth-graders in the Brown Elementary School in Crossville, and this took place April 11.
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We the People: Your vote — use it or lose it
A powerful faction within the Republican Party is determined to downsize our federal government. They want to reshape programs that originated to protect common folks like us.
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Stumptalk: The elephant in the room
I recently saw video footage of the president surrounded by the heads of all the services; they had assembled to address the continuing and scandalous problem of sexual harassment in the armed forces. The elephant in the room, of course, was young women in the military serving in close quarters with young men.
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We the People: Reality check, anyone?
Harry Truman had a birthday anniversary in early May. Harry was proud of being from the “show me” state. Republicans who aspire to stop all progress and set the clock back should take a lesson from Truman. He did something besides complain and obstruct progress.
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The Lion and the Lamb: The devil and the IRS
National news these past several weeks has focused on a scandal in the Internal Revenue Service. IRS agents have been targeting Tea Party and other conservative groups for additional scrutiny when they applied for tax-exempt status. As this story developed over the past several weeks, however, it has become apparent that the IRS problem is much greater than the complaints raised by the Tea Party.
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Tidbits: What's in a name?
Being born in the time before routine ultrasounds, my parents thought I was going to be a boy. I'm not sure if mom was carrying high or low, or if the wedding ring on a string went one way or the other, or what other old wives tale was used to determine I would be a he rather than a she, but that's what they thought and that's how they prepared.
- More Opinion Headlines
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LION AND THE LAMB: More than meets the eye
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