November 2, 2011
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Detecting Breast Cancer Early Dentist to Lead
Northwest Program
For Your Health
I notice the pink touches - the
pink bumper sticker on a neighbor’s
car, the pink lapel pin on the super
market clerk’s vest, or the pink patch
on my niece’s backpack. With ev Mammograms - an X-ray picture of
ery pink ribbon I see, I’m reminded the breast - can show cancer when
that each of those little ribbons could it’s too small for you or your doctor
represent one of more than 230,000 to feel. By helping to detect early-
women who are diagnosed with stage cancers, mammograms can
breast cancer each year - and that identify cancer when it is most treat
breast cancer is just as prevalent able.
today as ever.
According to the Centers for Dis
Most people know at least one ease Control and Prevention, women
person who has been directly af over 40 should have a screening
fected by breast cancer. It is the every one to two years. However, if
second most common cancer among you have a family history of breast
women in the U.S., and it’s the sec cancer, you may want to talk to your
ond leading cause of cancer-related doctor about beginning annual
deaths. According to the American screenings earlier. Additionally,
Cancer Society, the chance of a African-American women are more
woman being diagnosed with breast likely to contract the disease at an
cancer at some point in her life is early age - about one-third are un
close to 1 in 8.
der the age of 50 - making regular,
As with a variety of other can and early, mammograms all the more
cers, the African-American commu important.
nity is disproportionately affected
If a friend or loved one is diag
by breast cancer. The American nosed with breast cancer, there are
Cancer Society reports that, while many ways to provide support. Even
the overall incidence rate of breast little things, like showing up with a
cancer is 10 percent higher in white homemade meal or accompanying
women than African Americans, her to a doctor’s appointment, can
women in our community are 37 go a long way toward a patient’s
percent more likely to die from the recovery. In fact, studies show that
disease - often because they are support from formal and informal
less likely to get the care they need sources greatly improves the qual
to overcome the condition.
ity of life for patients battling the
Luckily, early detection can vastly disease.
improve a woman’s chances of sur
More than ever, medicines also
vival, and there are easy steps that have the power to provide hope to
can be taken to help catch breast cancer patients. A recent report by
cancer early on.
the Pharmaceutical Research and
While clinical and self-conducted Manufacturers of America revealed
breast exams are helpful tools for 900 medicines in development to
detection, getting a regular mammo treat cancer, including 91 for breast
gram is the best way to catch breast cancer.
c a n c e r b efo re it sp read s.
Patients who need help afford-
H ealth W atch
that address breathing techniques,
some gentle ancient African yoga
O steop orosis S creen in g — An ul
poses and mental balancing tech
trasound bone density screening
niques. People have left these
with personalized education; fee $30.
classes joyful and with a peaceful
To schedule an appointment, call
view of their lives. Call Dr. Marceline
503-261-6611.
Faillaat503-228-6140.
Fam ily C aregiver Support G roup -
T enderfoot C are — Treat your feet
- This topic-oriented group offers a
with a soak, nail trim, buffing and
safe place to discuss the stresses,
massage from a licensed nurse at
challenges and rewards of provid
one of six clinics or at your home.
ing care to an older relative or friend.
Call 503-251 -6303 for more informa
Meets the first Thursday of each
tion.
month at 3 p.m. at Legacy Good
Samaritan Hospital.
C an cer R esource C en ter - Provi
dence St. Vincent M edical Center
F ree B ody B asics — This physician
and the Am erican Red Cross have
recommended class is appropriate
for all ages and health conditions. joined forces to create the first in-
hospital resource center provid
Plan to attend this one-session class
ing books, printed m aterial, com
and learn the simple guidelines for
puter access and more for indi
safe exercises, including stretching.
viduals and fam ilies dealing with
Call 503-256-4000 to register.
cancer. The center is open M on
Em powerm ent through Relaxation day through Thursday, 9 a.m. to
- Free informal meditation classes 4p.m .
by
L arry
L ucas
ing their prescription medicines for
breast cancer and other conditions
can turn to the Partnership for Pre
scription A ssistance. Since its
launch in April 2005, the PPA has
helped connect more than 5 million
patients in need to programs that
provide either free or nearly free
medicines. For more information,
patients can call 1-888-4PPA-NOW
or visit pparx.org.
Larry Lucas is a retired vice
president fo r the Pharmaceutical
Research and M anufacturers o f
America.
Kaiser Permanente Northwest
has announced its hiring of den
tist Kenneth R. Wright as the ex
ecutive director of dental services.
Dr. Wright will lead clinical and
financial operations for the Dental
Care Program, which serves more
than 190,000 members in 17 facili
ties.
"Kaiser Permanente Northwest
has a unique opportunity to inte
grate dental care along with medi
cal and the other types of spe
cialty care it provides members,"
said Wright. "The evidence is
overwhelming that oral health is
connected to overall health, so it's
natural that dentists play an im
portant role in our members' health.
I look forward to leading the dental
program as we continue on our
Kenneth R. Wright
mission to fulfill this goal."
P rio r to jo in in g K aiser
Permanente, Wright served as the
chief of dental services for Veterans
Affairs Medical Center in Alexan
dria, La. He is a board-certified peri
odontist.
Dr. Billy R. Flowers (above center) and his skilled s ta ff are ready to help those in need
____________ THE____________
SPINA). COLUMN
An ongoing series of questions and answers about Americas natural healing profession
Part 7. CHILDREN & CHIROPRACTIC:
Start off early in life for a lifetime of health
: W/ien will my children be old
enough to benefit from seeing
Chiropractor?
: Children of Chiropractors of
ten receive their first spinal ad
justments the day they are bom.
Using special techniques for in
fants, Chiropractors are able to
correct spinal m isalignm ents
caused by the traumatic and turn
ing of childbirth. W hat’s more,
w e’re frequently able to alleviate
infant problems like colic that of
ten keeps both babies and parents
up all night.
Q; / have a frien d who takes her
children to a Chiropractor even
when they aren 't sick. Why would
she do this?
: Actually, there are more rea sons
for children to see a Chiropractor
regularly than there are for adults.
First of all, because of their activi
ties in school and out, children natu
rally take more spills than an aver
age adult. This is one of the most
common reasons people bring their
children to a Chiropractor. But the
best reason of all is so that with
regular Chiropractic care, ch il
dren can develop a nearly per
fect spine. Not only to help them
do better in school, but to gain
increased strength, health and
vitality throughout their adult
lives. To find out all the ways
C hiropractic can help your ch il
dren experience a lifetime of good
health, please call us at the num
ber below.
Flowers' Chiropractic Office
2124 NE Hancock, Portland Oregon97212
Phone: (5 0 3 ) 2 8 7 -5 5 0 4
Lf