After battling breast cancer and finishing her third round of chemotherapy a mere 6 months ago, breast cancer survivor Sherry Miller felt like she could do almost anything – even climb a mountain! July 23, 2003 marked the end of a 3-day trek up Washington State’s Mount Rainier, for breast cancer survivors like Miller, their loved ones and those that have lost someone special to breast cancer. Many didn’t make the entire 14,411-foot arduous climb, but Miller raised $13,510 for her own climb of 12,600-feet. The Mount Rainier climb was organized by the Breast Cancer Fund. The non-profit organization has undertaken 6 mountain treks up Washington states peaks - including Mount Adams and Mount Baker - to raise awareness and money for breast cancer.

Read the full article here: http://www.breastcancerfund.org/site/apps/nl/content.asp?c=kwKXLdPaE&b=86071&ct=1218101

Posted on July 23, 2005

A recent study has found that obesity can heighten a postmenopausal women’s risk of contracting breast cancer. Although is commonly known that fat tissue produces estrogen; overweight women (by 20 pounds or more) ovulate less often than women within healthy weight ranges. The lack of estrogen in their bloodstreams puts obese women at higher risk for developing certain types of breast cancer. A study published by the Archives of Internal Medicine illustrates that approximately 60% of medical doctors are administering inadequate chemotherapy doses to obese patients with breast cancer. For this reason, overweight women also have a higher risk of the breast cancer re-emerging than do thinner women.

Read the full article here - http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/news_updates/index.html

This from my friend Liz Armstrong.

This weekend, about 150 stalwart folks - from ages 2 to 82 - will be off and (mostly!) running in the Second Annual Run, Walk & Roll for Cancer Prevention held in conjunction with Ottawa’s National Capital Race Weekend. While there are many runs for 'the cure', this is the only event of its kind anywhere in Canada focused on PREVENTION - stopping cancer before it starts.

I’m thrilled to be part of this event again in 2005. And along with my 10K race, I’m also aiming to raise 10K – yes, $10,000! – for cancer prevention. Whatever financial contribution you can make to help me reach this lofty goal will be enthusiastically and most gratefully received. All donations over $10. will be issued a charitable receipt from the Run, Walk & Roll’s official sponsor, the Women’s Healthy Environments Network (WHEN). More information follows about the crucial importance of cancer prevention, but if you’re ready to contribute now with a credit card, it’s (all too) simple :)

Go to hit the ‘Donate Now’ button, and follow the step-by-step instructions. (In the box that asks who you’re supporting, it's Liz #7 - that's me, Lucky 7!). Within minutes you will receive an official receipt for income tax purposes.

Or, if you prefer, you can mail a cheque payable to WHEN, c/o Liz Armstrong, Box 430, Erin ON N0B 1T0, and I will see it gets to the campaign office ASAP. Thanks!

So, why PREVENTION? Simply because it’s our best single opportunity to beat cancer, now at epidemic levels in Canada. In April, the Canadian Cancer Society released its 2005 statistics stating that close to one in two men and over a third of all Canadian women will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lives. Cancer is by far Canada’s leading cause of ‘potential years of life lost’ – premature death. The tragedy is that so much of this loss is preventable. One of my personal reasons for running this year is to honour to Kathryn Manzer, my cousin Ron's wife, who died last October just two days before their daughter Jenny's wedding. This year's Run, Walk & Roll is dedicated to Kathryn – you can read a brief tribute to her on the WHEN home page.

Several decades ago, the World Health Organization concluded that between 80 and 90 per cent of cancers are caused by factors other than the genes we inherit from our parents. In other words, cancer results from modifiable factors – things we can change. Of course these changes include personal habits such as not smoking, eating healthy, fresh foods and getting regular exercise. But they also include eliminating scores of cancer-causing substances in everyday products, materials and practices in our homes, schools, workplaces - and the environment at large. The good news is we already know how to make nearly all of these changes – to replace this toxicity with healthy alternatives. But there is much to do to reach this ambitious goal - most Canadians, the businesses that provide our goods and services, and the governments representing us are only beginning to go down this road, if at all.

Right now, less than 5% of our annual cancer budgets are targeted for primary prevention, simply an inadequate amount for such a huge opportunity. Of course researchers need to keep pursuing better treatments and, ultimately, cures for cancer, but if we neglect prevention, we're missing a huge chance to reduce Canada's record high levels of cancer incidence.

Funds raised in the Second Annual Run, Walk & Roll will be targeted to educating all Canadians – including our political leaders – about the benefits of cancer prevention, then highlighting ways to take effective action to stop cancer before it starts.

A 2006 New Society Publishers’ book on this subject – Cancer: 101 Solutions to a Preventable Epidemic – and a national conference featuring cancer prevention experts from around the world in 2006 – will be just two beneficiaries of funds from this Second Annual Run, Walk & Roll. A third major project will be the building of a Canada-wide coalition to ensure this cancer prevention work carries on as long as necessary to end the epidemic.

For more information on cancer prevention, please go to WHEN.

Thanks Liz

This is my last post on this website. Sue Richards

CIBC Wood Gundy Climb for the Cure(TM) Raises $295,000 for The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation

Conquering challenges including harsh weather, extreme conditions and injuries, the 27 participants in the second annual CIBC Wood Gundy Climb for the Cure(TM) triumphantly returned home to Canada. The climbers successfully battled the elements to scale Africa's tallest peak, Mt. Kilimanjaro, raising $295,000(x) in support of The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation.

"We are thrilled to have surpassed this year's goal by $45,000," said Tom Monahan, Head of CIBC Wood Gundy. "Building on last year's contribution of $250,000, we are able to support important work undertaken by The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. My congratulations to each of the climbers on their outstanding efforts to help create a future without breast cancer. It is wonderful to see the work we began in 2004 continue."

"Participating in the CIBC Wood Gundy Climb for the Cure was truly one of the most rewarding, and challenging experiences of my life," said Kevin Barnes, climb leader and First Vice President, Ontario Regional Director, CIBC Wood Gundy. "Not only did we experience the incredible challenge of scaling Mt. Kilimanjaro, we were able to raise much needed funds to help Canadians in their battle with breast cancer."

Source: CIBC Wood Gundy Media Release

Running, wallking, paddleing, yard saleing, shaving your head bald....and now climbing...all for the cure. I wish as much energy went into the PREVENTION.

SR

Minogue's cancer surgery a success

MELBOURNE, Australia -- Doctors have successfully removed a cancerous lump from Australian pop star Kylie Minogue's breast and are confident they caught the disease early enough to prevent it spreading, a surgeon announced Saturday.

Dr. Jenny Senior said the Australian pop star underwent surgery Friday afternoon at the St. Frances Xavier Cabrini Hospital in her home town of Melbourne.

The operation removed "an early breast cancer," Senior said, describing the procedure as "best practice around the world for a girl with an early breast cancer."

For the full Canada Press story, please click on the link above.

SR

Canadian Breast Cancer Network (CBCN) Teleconference and WebCast:

“Breast Cancer Update: Latest Data As Presented At ASCO 2005”

Tuesday, May 24, 2005. 7-8:30pm EST

Presentation by Dr Clemons will include information about:

--Herceptin

--The Arimidex™, Tamoxifen Alone or in Combination (ATAC) Trial

--BIG 1-98

--Extended Adjuvant Treatment in Breast Cancer and the ABCSG-6a Trial

--Skeletal health in postmenopausal survivors of EBC

--ZoladexTM and ArimidexTM in premenopausal women with hormone receptor positive breast cancer

The American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) is hosting their annual meeting from May 13-17, 2005. This is the largest oncology meeting in the world and is considered to be the premier educational and scientific event in the oncology community. As a result, a great deal of significant data relating to breast cancer research and treatment is released annually at ASCO.

As a service to our members, the Canadian Breast Cancer Network (CBCN) is hosting a teleconference and webcast on Tuesday, May 24, 2005, from 7:00–8:30 pm EST, entitled “Breast Cancer Update: Latest data as presented at ASCO 2005”. During this teleconference and webcast, a leading Canadian medical oncologist will walk through the latest data to help our members better understand the findings from ASCO 2005.

This teleconference and webcast is free of charge, sponsored through an unrestricted educational grant from AstraZeneca Canada. To register, please call 1-866-590-0914 or email rsvp@cbcn.ca. After you have registered, you will be informed about how to take part and how to submit your questions – if you have any specific to ASCO - in advance of the call. Registration is limited to those residing in Canada and is by invitation only.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at rsvp@cbcn.ca or call 1-416-815-9100

Source: CBCN

Sue Richards

Headlines on the Health Section of the Globe and Mail included the following statistics.

145,500

This many Canadians will be diagnosed with cancer this year.

(that's more than the population of my city.)

68,300

This many Canadians will die of cancer this year.

(that's over half the population of my city.)

1 in 4

This many of us will get cancer in our lifetime.

420,000

This many more lives could be saved over 30 years with a national cancer plan.

My question boils down to your level. What are you....yes you....doing to contribute to these numbers? Are you helping them go up? Or are you helping them come down?

Sue Richards