As Breast Cancer Awareness Month gets closer, local media is firing up and our phones are ringing off the hook. While we always like to say, “breast cancer doesn’t only happen in October,” we certainly can’t turn away the opportunity to educate Long Islanders about breast health! Maurer Foundation Senior Program Director Susan Simon was interviewed and featured in Newsday’s breast cancer special advertising section.
Some key takeaways from the special section:
- The subtitle says it all and enforces our mission of prevention: “The Best Defense? Smart, Healthy Living”
- Long Island has the “unfortunate distinction of being a high-risk area for breast cancer”
- Almost 200,000 people will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year
- If detected early, the 5-year survival rate for breast cancer is 98%, but only 27% for later stages
- Nearly 40% of breast cancers could be prevented by a healthy diet, being physically active, maintain a healthy weight, drinking less alcohol and breast-feeding
- Obesity is one of the biggest breast cancer risk factors
- Recommended cancer-fighting foods include: broccoli, cauliflower, kale, brussel sprouts, bok choy; green tea; soy products; red grapes; tumeric powder; and magnesium-rich foods like walnuts, beans, legumes, and leafy green vegetables
- Detect breast cancer early with the Maurer Foundation three-pronged approach: clinical breast exam, breast self-exam, and mammogram
- Risk reduction for BRCA-positive carriers include: prophylactic mastectomy, preventative drugs, and an annual MRI
- Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, second only to lung cancer
- Women over 40 should begin getting annual mammograms
- Men get breast cancer
- Additional breast cancer resources
How many of these did you know? Is there anything you wished the Newsday section covered? What do you think of the media hype around breast cancer awareness month? We’d love to hear your thoughts.
