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BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – The National Cancer Institute and Adventist physicians in Bakersfield said that one in eight women in the United States will develop breast cancer in her lifetime.
That's why this week professionals are spending time educating community women about their options in case this happens to them and showing them how to avoid a breast cancer diagnosis.
Melina Thorpe, Bakersfield Adventist Nurse and Director of Cancer Services, knows what it's like to tell women in Kern County that they have breast cancer. "For any woman, the diagnosis of breast cancer is quite shocking," Thorpe said.
However, after spending more than two decades supporting women in life-changing diagnoses, she still had not imagined that the tables would turn as they did in their own lives. "In 2009, I was diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer following a routine mammogram," Thorpe said. .
Once a doctor, now a patient after routine screening for breast cancer, she always said, "I've always been very diligent in passing my mammograms and I went there that year and they discovered breast cancer at a very early stage. "
Thorpe said many women were avoiding breast cancer screenings because this could be an uncomfortable and scary process, but she hopes that in October, during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, more women are choosing to be brave, as this can make the difference between life and the other. "Usually, women who are not going to have a mammogram or who are afraid to go for a mammogram that we know and find at a later stage are much more difficult to treat and heal," Thorpe said.
According to the California Cancer Registry in 2014, there were more than 25,000 new cases of cancer among women in California and more than 4,000 deaths associated with the disease. In Kern County alone, there were 444 new cases of breast cancer, registry data showed that the most common cancer in California is breast cancer. Thorpe said these results are still consistent today in Kern County: "Breast cancer is the number one cancer we diagnose and treat in this facility.
On Tuesday, Adventist Health breast surgeon Connie Lee showed women how breast surgery methods used to kill cancer cells have become increasingly sophisticated since the early 1960s: Now, we have things like this that are considered scar-free surgery. "Lee said in front of a room full of women.
Dr. Lee said scaring due to breast cancer surgery was now very minimal since doctors no longer had to perform such incisions. Even if you see scars, the treatment process is not as radical as many people think: "In general, it's all about removing that area from your chest," Lee said.
Lee said that she fuses cosmetic surgery techniques when performing cancer removal operations to help women feel more comfortable with the process. However, Thorpe said that each treatment option was different for every woman, including his wife. "I had a lumpectomy. My surgery took place in October. I have undergone genetic tests. I had radiation therapy six weeks after the operation and followed a drug treatment for nine years. "
Thorpe said that although she had been on medication for nine years to maintain her remission, she was grateful that she had not had chemotherapy because she was able to detect the disease at an early stage. She hopes that by raising awareness on Tuesdays and throughout the month of October, other people will do the same step as her. So that they can also avoid breast cancer.
In light of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Adventist Health will also be offering free clinical breast examinations in approximately two weeks starting Tuesday, October 24, 2018. The event will be held from 5 pm to 7 pm at the AIS Cancer Center located at 2620 Chester Avenue, Bakersfield CA 93301. Reservations are required. Reserve your place by calling 661-637-8321.
There will also be a girls' night at the AIS Cancer Center from 5:30 pm. at 8:30 pm where survivors and community members will have access to cosmetology providers, reduced 3D mammography screenings, a fashion show, food, etc. Make sure to confirm your presence by calling 661-637-8321.
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