Brooke Kelly
Managing Editor
Breast cancer screenings and early detection were urged at the Fifth Annual Breast Cancer Awareness Conference held On Oct. 18-19 at the Mississippi e-Center.
The conference, sponsored by the College of Education and Human Development, featured board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Stephen F. Davidson and board certified surgeon, Dr. Sharla Gayle Patterson.
Other speakers included medical experts, a lineup of breast cancer survivors and support specialists.
Cris Winter, an outreach coordinator for the American Cancer Society, informed those in attendance about programs AMC offers breast cancer patients such as the Reach for Recovery Program and the Look Good, Feel Beautiful program which offer various support services for volunteers and the public ranging from wigs to mastectomy products.
Winter who is also a breast cancer survivor urged the audience to get educated and talk to senators and representatives to make treatment more affordable. While she said she counts herself fortunate for having good insurance, Winter said she knows everyone cannot say the same.
According to her medical bills, Winter said the eight chemotherapy treatments she received cost $4,500 each for medicine alone, and the shots she received after each chemo treatment were $4,800 a piece.
“People die when treatment is available,” said Winter. “This is a national tragedy, [and] it’s obscene that the most powerful country in the world allows people to die when treatment is available,” she continued.
“Just listening to other’s testimonies, I found it to be supportive….I thoroughly enjoyed it,” said Mary Causey, a 61 year old breast cancer survivor and retired teacher and Bellsouth employee, who is also currently battling liver cancer.
Associate Dean of the College of Education and Human Development, Ingrad Smith, discussed her battle with breast cancer.
Smith told the audience members even after an ultrasound of a lump rules out cancer, a second opinion can be useful.
“The ultrasound said it was just a lump,” said Smith of her first diagnosis. “[I was told] don’t worry about it,” she continued. After asking to be referred to a specialist, Smith said she then found out that in actuality, she did have breast cancer, and it was malignant.
Interim Chair and Associate Professor of Special Education Ruby Wiggins, a 10 and a half year breast cancer survivor had the idea to start the breast cancer awareness conference five years ago.
“Each year we have different speakers, and each speaker brings along with them a different perspective in terms of diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer. And, each one also gives us information we’ve never heard before,” said Wiggins.
Conference attendees also had the opportunity to ask panelists questions, win door prizes, including a 22’ flat screen television, and eat a complementary lunch.
Sophomore business administration major from Leland, Miss., Jasmine Addison, said: “I really enjoyed it. It was touching. It made me want to go to the doctor and get screened for breast cancer.”
According to breastcancer.org, about 1 in 8 U.S. women will develop invasive breast cancer during her lifetime. One in 1,000 men are expected to be diagnosed with breast cancer, and the most significant risk factors for the disease are being female and aging.
Also according to breastcancer.org, since 1990, breast cancer death rates have been decreasing, possibly due to advancements in treatment and early detection. Still however, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer for U.S. women, making it the cancer with the highest amount of U.S. female death rates behind lung cancer.
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