Although you might know that October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, do you know why you should make a point to raise awareness for this important month? We are here to answer that question and more questions that surround breast cancer awareness and Women’s Health in our community.
We talked to our Women’s Health Nurse Practitioners, Jan Davis and Julie Langston, to give you answers to questions you might have had – or not even known you should ask.
Why is raising breast cancer awareness important?
Since 1989, the death rate from breast cancer has been decreasing and since 2000 the incidence of breast cancer has been decreasing. These decreases are thought to be the result of treatment advances and earlier detection.
For instance, “lifestyle interventions” such as avoiding or reducing alcohol consumption, weight control, and regular exercise seem linked to preventing breast cancer, and appropriate screening such as clinical breast exams and mammography can help detect breast cancer at an earlier stage that allow for better treatment.
By raising awareness around breast cancer, we can drive change in women’s lives that might help them to seek information about healthier lifestyles and appropriate screening.
What are some things women should know about their breast health?
There are things women can do to try to prevent breast cancer such as:
- Not drinking alcohol or limiting alcohol to no more than 1 drink per day (1 ounce of alcohol)
- Maintaining a health weight via diet
- Exercising four times a week for at least thirty minutes (walking does the trick)
Knowing your risk factors for developing breast cancer is also important. You can ask family members if there are any relatives with breast cancer and find out their age at diagnosis. At the Family Health Clinic, we offer referrals for genetic counseling for those with a strong family history of breast cancer and based on the genetic counseling we may be able to offer testing to determine if you are genetically predisposed to developing breast cancer. Depending on the results, we can offer different strategies to start screening for breast cancer earlier in life or take steps towards offering preventative surgery to avoid breast cancer.
In general, should also have a clinical breast exam and mammogram every two years after the age of 40 and contact a medical professional if you notice a breast change. If you have questions about this information, consider making an appointment with us to learn more about our options so we can figure out a screening plan that’s best for you.
What should the community know about breast cancer or women’s health?
At the Family Health Clinic, we offer convenient access to preventative breast cancer/gynecological screening exams, and we have office hours that range from 7:00am – 7:00 pm.
Clinical breast exams only take a few minutes and mammograms, while perhaps a little physically awkward, really don’t hurt, and mammograms take less than 30 minutes once you get to the facility.
Why did you specialize in Women’s Health?
“40 years ago there were not Nurse Practitioners and few Nurse Midwives. Patients had to rely on physicians. Physicians, particularly Obstetricians and Gynecologists, were experts at the problems of Women’s Health but not always experts at normal.
So much of women’s health is health education of normal: e.g. The normal menstrual cycle, what do you do for normal cramps, what do you do for common infections and how do you prevent them. What are my options for birth control? What does normal pregnancy and birth look like, and how is normal supported?
I did not have the personal education and support that I wanted as a young women and determined that was the care I wanted to provide. So I went to school and became a Nurse Midwife, to be “with women” at all points throughout the lifespan to educate and support,” Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner Jan Davis.
“I became interested in Women’ Health while working as an OB nurse. I realized that pregnancy, for some women, was the only time they received health care. During pregnancy other non OB health issues had to be addressed. I wanted to be a resource to women who needed wellness screening, counseling/education and treatment for gynecological issues outside of pregnancy,”Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner Julie Langston.
Our practitioners are ready to answer the questions you might have.
Do you have questions about your own health you’d like to have answered? Consider making an appointment by calling us at (800) 321-5043.
