Breast Cancer Awareness THE LEADER. Page 1B • October 4, 2012 • www.theleadernews.com
FROM THE EDITOR
Every life is touched in efforts to beat this terrible disease S o much pink, so much positivity about a deadly disease. Is the annualO ctoberBreastC ancerAwareness month in danger of becoming an overworn pitch, a cliche? We at The Leader hope not. Because beneath the ribbons and the commercialization, there dwells a deep human connection to thissadly common affl iction that transcendstrivialization.Who among us doesn’t have a loved one, a friend, a co-worker or teacher who has
faced the diagnosis of breast cancer? With this section, we’re not trying to break any new ground.We are providing
basic information about susceptibility, prevention, symptoms, screening and treatment and a nice listing of businesses and medical sources who are observing this month with special programs in our neighborhoods – but there are doctors,researchers,organizationsand the Internet to help you with a detailed quest for knowledge. W hat we are offering are profoundly human stories about your neighbors – from all walks of life – who are living
with or have (hopefully) conquered this frightening disease. From Ellen C ohen, whose battle as a young mother more than 40 years ago was fought in the shadows without modern resources, to your neighbors today who fi nd medical advances and emotional support readily available,we believe you’ll fi nd their journeys compelling and inspirational. The Leader is donating 10 percent of itsadvertising revenue from thisspecial
Ready, set, Race for the Cure Komen race already has 33,000 participants ready to run this year The Houston Affi liate of Susan G .Komen for the C ure will kickoff NationalBreastC ancerAwarenessMonth by hosting the largest footrace in the city,the 22nd AnnualKomen Houston Raceforthe C ure®, O ct. 6 downtown. Last year’s event welcomed over 33,000 participants,including more than 2,400 breast cancer survivors,and raised more than $4 million for breast cancer research education,screening and treatment programs. Thisyear’sRace,sponsored locally by M arathon O il C orporation,hopes to raise more than $4 million to be used right here in SoutheastTexasforresearch,education,screening and treatment. The Komen H ouston Race for the C ure is a certifi ed U SATF 5K course with running and walking events that include a 5K timed competitive run;a 5K non-competitive run; a 5K walk and a family walk / Kidsone-K –about ahalf-milesponsored byNational O ilwell Varco.Participants who are not able to attend the main Race can choose to register for Sleep in for the C ure to show their support without having to wake up early on Race day. A Survivor C elebration,sponsored by Baker HughesIncorporated, will be held after the Race for all participants and their families.In addition,breast cancersurvivors,top fundraisersand Race sponsorscan enjoy an invitation only post-Racebreakfastat the Pink Ribbon C afe sponsored by C afe Express. O ther Race events include the Kids for the C ure C orral, a postrace for children participating in the Race, an area with bounce houses, face painting and other fun family entertainment and a team area,sponsored by Randalls Food M arkets,that gives teams a place to congregate and take team pictures on Race day.
ABOUT RACE FOR THE CURE WHAT: 22nd Annual Komen Houston Race for the Cure®, presented by Marathon Oil WHO: More than 35,000 Race participants, including 2,400 breast cancer survivors WHERE: Downtown Houston WHEN: Oct. 6, 2012 7:45 a.m. - Race Opening Ceremonies 8 a.m. - Family Walk and Kids one-K 9:15 a.m. - Runners Award Ceremony 10 a.m. - Survivor Celebration, sponsored by Baker Hughes Corporation
A fun kick-off to Race day will be the 11th annual “Pink in the C ity”Pasta Party where everyone throughout the H ouston area is invited to carb-up and get ready for the big day. Race participants will gather and indulge in a carb-loading pasta dinner and bid on unique silentauction packageson Thursday, O ct. 4 at 6 p.m. at the Royal Sonesta H otel. Entry fees are $35 for adults, $20 for children (17 and under),
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Martial arts expert beats cancer not once, but twice by Barbara Dickens For The Leader
$30 for survivors and $40 for competitiverunners.Registration for Sleep in for the C ure is$50 and includes a Race T-shirt,a snooze bib and an extra“Sleep In” treat. About the Houston Affiliate The affi liate was established in 1990 to provide breast cancer education, screening and treatment projects for the medically under-served and uninsured in Southeast Texas.In the affi liate’s
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section to The Rose,one of a number of admirablelocalorganizationsproviding services to women, both those covered by insurance and those who aren’t. We share The Rose’s overriding message,asvoiced by co-founder and medical director D r.D ixie M ellilo:“Women should not be afraid of fi nding breast cancer,but they should be very afraid of fi nding it too late.” Charlotte Aguilar, Editor charlotte@theleadernews.com
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More than 33,000 runners and walkers from tots to seniors, including more than 2,400 breast cancer survivors, participated in various segments of the Susan B. Komen Race for the Cure® through downtown Houston last year. Organizers are expecting more than 35,000 participants Saturday.
22-year history, it has granted more than $9 million for research nationally and over $28 million forcommunitygrantsto qualifi ed 501(c)(3) organizationsin seven H ouston-area counties.It boasts more than 1,500 volunteers.
My name isBarbara D ickens.I am a 24-year Breast C ancer Survivor.I’m here to tell you cancer was one of best gifts I have ever gotten. Being diagnosed in 1988 was the changing point in my life. I was completely devastated. It was the last thing I thought I would hear. There was no family history of cancer. W hy me? I didn’t drink or smoke.Why me? I went through all the stagesfrom hating G od to “I’m going to die and I’m way too young to die.” This lasted for about a week. I realized I had three powerful cancer fi ghters already at my disposal and I began to realize I had all along what it would take to beat this disease – the things “cancer C AN N O T take away.” 1. I had G od. G od carried me every step of the way, especially when I couldn’t walk. 2. I had my family. They were always there to love me, to support me when I felt weak,and to wipe away the tears when they came. 3. I had martial arts and my students who gave me strength and energy. I won the battle. I got a clean bill of health. It was over, and I could go on with life.I passed the big fi ve-year mark that says you won’t get it again. Wrong. C ancer has a mind of itsown;I wasdiagnosed again in 1994,in the same breast.I know that’s supposed to be rare, but “Lucky M e.”After six rounds of chemo and sixweeksof radiation, being tired all the time,horrible mouth sores,losing my hair and the biggest pain of all – gaining 50 pounds! – I was back at life. I won again! (D id you know obe-
Dickens has shown her strength as a 7th Dan Black Belt and as a twotime cancer survivor of 24 years. (Submitted photos) sity two-fold increasesthe death rate? Yet I found out that 96 percent of chemo patients gained from 5 to 50 lbs! W hy is it that all the people I knew who went through chemo lost weight?) I won the battle again! W hat does all this mean? 1. It means to me cancer was a gift –the best gift I ever got. 2. I am a far better person now. 3.I want to spend my life educating people about cancer and its prevention. 4. I want to fundraise for research. I want an end to this awful disease 5. I want to be there for the person that just heard the words “you have cancer.” 6. I want for no one to have to through what I did. 7. I want to help people through Reach to Recovery and Road to Recovery. I have had a slogan in martial arts that I have always lived by and it became my mantra for cancer also:seven timesto battle, eight times up. Dickens is a 7th Dan Black Belt Universal Way and owns the White Horse Academy of Martial Arts in the Heights, www.whama. com.