Home > News > Article Display

Give a HOOT, Find a Cure (for Breast Cancer)!

By Capt. Darci Parker, 5th Medical Group / Published September 16, 2014

PRINT | E-MAIL
MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- Every October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. It is a time to remember those who have fought a hard fight against breast cancer and to celebrate those survivors who are still with us today. It is also a time to celebrate the great strides in research that are being made to find a cure.

The American Cancer Society estimates 232,670 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in 2014 with 40,000 deaths resulting from this disease. It is estimated that one in eight women in the United States will develop invasive breast cancer during their lifetime.

Depending on your risk of breast cancer, screening guidelines may vary. Follow up with your health care provider to discuss your personal risk of breast cancer, when to initiate screening and how often to perform screenings. Routine mammograms can be completed at either St Alexius Medical Center by calling 701-857-8081 or Trinity Medical Arts Clinic at 701-857-2640. You are not required to have a referral to make this appointment. It is now recommended that women ages 50-74 have a mammogram completed once every two years unless otherwise advised by their physician.

Monthly self-breast exams can be an important screening tool. Here are some things to look for when you are doing your breast exam:

· A hard lump or thickening in the breast

· Change in the size of your breast

· Itchy scales on your nipple

· Nipple discharge

· Breast skin changes to include swelling , warmth, redness or darkened skin

· Dimpling or puckering of the breast

· Pain in one area of the breast that doesn't go away.

Schedule an appointment with your health care provider if you have any of the above warning signs.

Although there are no definitive breast cancer prevention strategies, there are some things that increase your risk of breast cancer. About 5 to 10 percent of breast cancers are thought to be hereditary. Women and men who have a significant family history of breast cancer may carry a gene mutation that puts them at a greater risk for breast cancer. If you feel you have a significant family history of breast cancer, talk with your health care provider about whether you are eligible for genetic testing.

There are several other risk factors for breast cancer. Women have a 100 times greater chance of developing breast cancer than men. Not having children, not having children before the age of 35 years old, not breastfeeding, being obese and reaching menopause after the age of 55 can increase your risk. As you age your risk also increases. Two out of three breast cancers are in women over the age of 55.

The 5th Medical Group is hosting its annual Breast Cancer Awareness luncheon at the Jimmy Doolittle Center Oct. 7, 2014. A health and vendor fair, a free event for anyone who can access the base, will be held before and after the luncheon from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. The luncheon is from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Connie Busch, Lead Mammographer at Trinity, will speak on "Breast Imaging: from past to present and where we are heading." Additionally, Russell Gust, Certified Cancer Exercise Trainer, will speak on his experience working with cancer patients in a whole new way, assisting them in improving strength, energy and overall quality of life.

Last year, our luncheon raised $3,914 for the Combined Federal Campaign organization in support of breast cancer research. This year, we hope to match or exceed that amount. An auction of donated quilts from local guilds, as well as a silent auction of themed baskets, will take place during the luncheon.

If you would like to attend the luncheon, please RSVP by calling Toni Freeman at 723-5135 or Darla Helgeson at 723-5103 by Oct. 2, 2014. The prices are $10 for members and $12 for non-members. Choice of menu is Grilled Chicken Panini with Cheesy Tortilla Soup or Soho Salad.
USAF Comments Policy
If you wish to comment, use the text box below. AF reserves the right to modify this policy at any time.

This is a moderated forum. That means all comments will be reviewed before posting. In addition, we expect that participants will treat each other, as well as our agency and our employees, with respect. We will not post comments that contain abusive or vulgar language, spam, hate speech, personal attacks, violate EEO policy, are offensive to other or similar content. We will not post comments that are spam, are clearly "off topic", promote services or products, infringe copyright protected material, or contain any links that don't contribute to the discussion. Comments that make unsupported accusations will also not be posted. The AF and the AF alone will make a determination as to which comments will be posted. Any references to commercial entities, products, services, or other non-governmental organizations or individuals that remain on the site are provided solely for the information of individuals using this page. These references are not intended to reflect the opinion of the AF, DoD, the United States, or its officers or employees concerning the significance, priority, or importance to be given the referenced entity, product, service, or organization. Such references are not an official or personal endorsement of any product, person, or service, and may not be quoted or reproduced for the purpose of stating or implying AF endorsement or approval of any product, person, or service.

Any comments that report criminal activity including: suicidal behaviour or sexual assault will be reported to appropriate authorities including OSI. This forum is not:

  • This forum is not to be used to report criminal activity. If you have information for law enforcement, please contact OSI or your local police agency.
  • Do not submit unsolicited proposals, or other business ideas or inquiries to this forum. This site is not to be used for contracting or commercial business.
  • This forum may not be used for the submission of any claim, demand, informal or formal complaint, or any other form of legal and/or administrative notice or process, or for the exhaustion of any legal and/or administrative remedy.

AF does not guarantee or warrant that any information posted by individuals on this forum is correct, and disclaims any liability for any loss or damage resulting from reliance on any such information. AF may not be able to verify, does not warrant or guarantee, and assumes no liability for anything posted on this website by any other person. AF does not endorse, support or otherwise promote any private or commercial entity or the information, products or services contained on those websites that may be reached through links on our website.

Members of the media are asked to send questions to the public affairs through their normal channels and to refrain from submitting questions here as comments. Reporter questions will not be posted. We recognize that the Web is a 24/7 medium, and your comments are welcome at any time. However, given the need to manage federal resources, moderating and posting of comments will occur during regular business hours Monday through Friday. Comments submitted after hours or on weekends will be read and posted as early as possible; in most cases, this means the next business day.

For the benefit of robust discussion, we ask that comments remain "on-topic." This means that comments will be posted only as it relates to the topic that is being discussed within the blog post. The views expressed on the site by non-federal commentators do not necessarily reflect the official views of the AF or the Federal Government.

To protect your own privacy and the privacy of others, please do not include personally identifiable information, such as name, Social Security number, DoD ID number, OSI Case number, phone numbers or email addresses in the body of your comment. If you do voluntarily include personally identifiable information in your comment, such as your name, that comment may or may not be posted on the page. If your comment is posted, your name will not be redacted or removed. In no circumstances will comments be posted that contain Social Security numbers, DoD ID numbers, OSI case numbers, addresses, email address or phone numbers. The default for the posting of comments is "anonymous", but if you opt not to, any information, including your login name, may be displayed on our site.

Thank you for taking the time to read this comment policy. We encourage your participation in our discussion and look forward to an active exchange of ideas.