Fix-It and Forget-It Pink Cookbook (10 page)

After several conversations with my surgeon, we decided I'd have a bi-lateral mastectomy with immediate reconstruction.

I am a poster child for early detection, and I am thankful every day.

But my story does not end there. Fast-forward two years. David and I received the news that our 12-week-old fetus was healthy and viable. We were overjoyed with happiness. Malia was 2½, and having a second child was a primary goal before, during, and after my cancer diagnosis.

One day shortly after getting the good news, David asked me if I'd felt any changes to my breasts due to the pregnancy. I decided to perform a breast self exam. As I was feeling about, I discovered a small, round thing, tucked right under my left armpit.

To say I panicked is an understatement. Days later, I was diagnosed with my second bout of breast cancer in two years. Not a metastasis, but a brand new occurrence and an aggressive one.

The question of what to do and when became critical. Unfortunately (but lucky for us) other women have been through chemo while pregnant, and I was put in contact with several of them. Through our talks, David and I both felt better about moving forward with keeping the baby and starting treatments.

Five months after my diagnosis, on my 39th birthday, our healthy baby boy, Ari Jonathan, arrived four weeks early, healthy, strong, and full of life.

After he was born, Ari accompanied me to most of my treatments. Not surprisingly, each person in the office claimed their share of the responsibility for his miraculous birth! He is a miracle baby.

“After many doctor visits—to the oncologist, the ob-gyn, the surgeon, and the peri-natal specialist—we decided I should have the tumor removed and start chemo. Yes, I was nervous, and yes, I was scared. However, I had faith that everything would work out, and it did.”

• Try to maintain a healthy weight for your body type. Avoid gaining weight as an adult.
  

  FACT:
  A weight gain of 20 or more pounds can increase an adult woman's breast cancer risk.
  

• Be physically active. Walk briskly or exercise for 30 ­minutes most days of the week.
  

  FACT:
  Exercise reduces risk of breast cancer and helps to maintain a healthy weight.
  

• Breastfeed your baby for as long as possible, ideally for a full year.
  

  FACT:
  Breastfeeding is healthy for babies. It may also reduce a mother's future breast cancer risk.
  

• Limit alcoholic beverages.
  

  FACT:
  One or more alcoholic drinks per day is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer.
  

• Eat leafy green vegetables and whole grains.
  

  FACT:
  Leafy greens and whole grains contain the vitamin B-9 (folate).
  

• Don't smoke tobacco, and don't let others smoke near you or your family at home or at work.
  

  FACT:
  Girls and young women exposed to second-hand smoke may have a higher risk of breast cancer.
  

• Use precaution with certain chemicals in cleaning agents and household products.
  

  FACT:
  Some chemicals may affect hormones in the body. Read labels and get more information at
  http://www.zerobreastcancer.org/research.html#factsheets
  .
  

• Avoid using hormone replacement therapy HRT (estrogen and progesterone combined).
  

  FACT:
  Hormone replacement therapy is associated with breast cancer. Discuss it with your doctor or nurse.
  

• Minimize radiation exposures, especially girls and younger women. Talk to your doctor about reducing your exposure to medical radiation.
  

  FACT:
  Girls repeatedly exposed to radiation before age 20 are at high risk for developing breast cancer.
  

– Adapted from Zero Breast Cancer

Great progress has been made in breast cancer research, early detection, diagnosis, and treatment in the last 20 years since the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade was launched.

• Five-year survival rates after a breast cancer diagnosis have improved from an average of 70% in 1992 to greater than 85% today for those with access to care. For breast cancers caught early, five-year survival odds can be greater than 95%.
  
• Advances in breast imaging—digital mammography, ultrasound, and MRI—enable doctors to find tumors before a palpable lump can be felt.
  
• Surgical procedures have become less invasive, and a mastectomy is not always needed. Instead, lumpectomy plus radiation has become the standard of care in most cases.
  
• Research conducted over the past 20 years has enabled scientists to better understand that there are different types of breast cancer, and to develop new diagnostic tests to enable more targeted and individualized breast cancer therapies.
  
• Despite these advances, there is still a new diagnosis every 3 minutes. Avon is
  IN IT TO END IT
  , and its commitment is stronger than ever to ensure that all women have access to high-quality care.
  
• The Avon Breast Cancer Crusade will persevere in its effort to improve access for all women, reduce or eliminate disparities in care, ­understand the causes of breast cancer, and develop new prevention approaches.
  

GOOD NEWS, BUT NOT EQUALLY FOR ALL

Survival is improving, surgery can be less invasive in most cases, targeted therapies with fewer side-effects are available, and not every breast cancer has to be treated with harsh chemotherapy. But one recent study,
*
funded by the Avon Foundation, suggests these advances are not being made available to all.

The study found that African American women in 21 of the 24 largest U.S. cities had higher mortality rates from breast cancer than white women. (Similar disparities have been reported for other illnesses.) The breast cancer mortality rate for African American women has remained the same for the last 20 years. However, the rate for white women has been cut in half since 1990, due largely to advances in diagnosis and treatment.

The size of disparity varies by city, indicating that it is primarily due to a woman's access to screening and treatment services. For example, in New York the public health system is decentralized, and public hospitals are located throughout the boroughs of the city. In Chicago, only two public hospitals exist, so care is not as accessible, and only one of them offers screening ­mammograms. Another part of the problem is that more cancers develop at younger ages in African American women, when mammography is not as effective and is not routinely recommended.

*
With the results of this new study, the Avon Foundation hopes to learn why some cities are doing better than others.

The Avon Foundation for Women has been working to improve the lives of women and their families since 1955. Today, it is the largest corporate-affiliated philanthropy dedicated solely to women's causes globally. Avon philanthropy focuses its current funding on breast cancer research and access to care through the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade, and on efforts to reduce domestic and gender violence through its Speak Out Against Domestic Violence program.

Avon philanthropy also responds generously in times of major disasters and emergencies. Combined, these funding programs touch the lives of millions of women across the United States and around the world.

Through 2011, Avon global philanthropy donated more than $860 million in more than 50 countries for causes most important to women.

While advances have been made, breast cancer remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women worldwide, and there is a new diagnosis every three minutes. Since the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade launched in 1992, Avon breast cancer programs in 58 countries have donated more than $740 million for research and advancing access to care, regardless of a person's ability to pay.

KEY AVON FOUNDATION ACHIEVEMENTS IN THE U.S. INCLUDE:

• Awarded $138 million since 2000 to support eight Avon Foundation Breast ­Cancer Centers of Excellence nationwide that provide exceptional research and care.
  
• Awarded more than 1,430 grants to community-based nonprofit breast health organizations, including support for approximately 125 organizations annually.
  
• Since 2011, awarded 345 grants totaling $120 million to Avon “Safety Net” hospitals and community organizations to fund patient navigation, staff, and equipment upgrades to ensure quality care for the poor or uninsured.
  
• Invested more than $190 million in breast cancer research, including most recently more than $25 million for 41 research projects focused on primary prevention, understanding the origin and potential causes of breast cancer, and developing new blood- or saliva-based tests for early detection.
  
• Educated more than 100 million women globally about the importance of breast screenings and early detection and facilitated access to mammograms for 17 million women.
  
• In partnership with the Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation, launched the Love/Avon Army of Women to accelerate the pace of prevention research by enlisting record numbers of women in research efforts, including healthy women who have never been diagnosed, those at risk for breast cancer, and breast cancer survivors. Through 2011 the Army of Women has recruited more than 362,000 women, launched more than 54 research studies, and had more than 53,000 Army of Women members respond to requests for volunteers.
  

In addition to receiving generous support from Avon Products, Inc., including all net proceeds from its sale of Avon “Pink Ribbon” products, the Foundation raises funds through a variety of events, such as the U.S. Avon Walk for Breast Cancer series, which is the Foundation's largest fund-raising source.

To learn more about the Avon Foundation, an accredited 501(c)(3) public charity, go to
www.avonfoundation.org
.

1. Participate in the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer
   
   • Register, volunteer or donate! For more information, including cities and dates, or to donate, visit
     www.avonwalk.org
     or call 888-541-WALK.
     
2. Visit
   www.avonfoundation.org
   for information, tools and links to:
   
   • Host Your Own Fundraising Event
     
   • Create a Tribute Page to Honor Someone You Love
     
   • Shop for Breast Cancer Fundraising Products
     
   • Shop or sell on eBay to Support the Cause
     
3. Volunteer
   
   • Reach out to breast cancer organizations in your community to learn about volunteer opportunities. Many organizations could benefit from the gift of your time and talents.
     
4. Encourage Your Friends and Family to Buy This Book!