October 2015

OCTOBER 2015

31 truths

ABOUT BREAST CANCER

local business matters NEW BREAST IMAGING CENTER AT FF THOMPSON

snap out of it!

WHY YES, I DO LOVE MY BREASTS

special feature

A TEACHABLE MOMENT

healthy woman

PREPARING FOR BREAST CANCER SURGERY

Diane O’Connor

LIVING TO PAY IT FORWARD ROCHESTERWOMANMAG.COM :: OCTOBER 2015

FOR ALL THINGS THAT ARE...ROCHESTER WOMAN! FORTHE ALL THE THINGS THATYOU YOU ARE...ROCHESTER WOMAN

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PAM TEACHES ENGLISH. WE TAUGHT HER ABOUT SURVIVAL. Pam takes care of the young minds at Brockport High School. When she was diagnosed with breast cancer, we took care of her — transforming a nervous patient into a confident survivor.

Pamela Lashbrook Brockport

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OUT & ABOUT 7 PLATTER CHATTER: Grappa 8 FASHION FORWARD 10 SPECIAL FEATURE: Mammogram Myths

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RW INSPIRES 14 HEALTHY WOMAN 22

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SPECIAL FEATURE: Finding the New Normal

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QUEEN OF ARTS: Shero

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SPECIAL FEATURE: 31 Breast Cancer Truths

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COVER STORY: Diane O’Connor

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THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW

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NEW IN THE ROC: HBOT

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SNAP OUT OF IIT! 44 SPECIAL FEATURE : Survivors Wisdom

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IN HER OWN WORDS

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FITNESS 54

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SPECIAL FEATURE: A Teachable Moment

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MENOPAUSE MOMENT 60 LOCAL BUSINESS MATTERS: FF Thompson Hospital 64

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MODERN DAY WONDERWOMAN

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Letter from the

OUR TEAM...

PUBLISHERS

attractive. Read Margaret’s unique take on the subject on page [44].

How many of us can say we are still close friends with someone we met in the fourth grade? Meredith Doyle and Shanna Baccari met in the fourth grade and have been fast friends and soulmates ever since.

Now they are teaming up to fulfill their dreams as the new singing duo SHERO. The duo just released their first single Geisha, and had a breakout performance at last month’s Fringe Fest. Read about this incredible local singing team on page [28].

“Once I overcame breast cancer, I wasn’t afraid of anything anymore.”

-Melissa Etheridge Every year, for the past six years, our October issue is has been our “Think Pink” edition focusing on Breast Cancer Awareness. Last year our cover featured an amazing mother, daughter, friend, and fighter, Sheri Delmonte. Sheri was fighting stage IV breast cancer and preparing to leave for Germany for an experimental treatment when we had the pleasure of meeting her.

Shortly after what seemed to be a successful trip, and with the community, family and friends rallying behind her, Sheri became very ill. Sadly, Sheri lost her battle with cancer on February 4th of this year, but not before she touched our hearts and our lives with her kindness, her strength and the love and devotion she had for her family, friends and especially her children. Tragically breast cancer claims thousands of lives every day.

It just hurts more when it hits so close to home.

This year’s cover story features 16-year breast cancer survivor, Diane O’Conner.

Since her diagnosis in 1999, Diane has been an active participant in the American Cancer Society’s Making Strides Walk. This year she is currently the #1 fundraiser for the walk with over $3,600 and still going.

Read Diane’s inspiring story on page [34].

The month of October has 31 days, so we asked the Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester to put together a list of 31 important “truths” about breast cancer for our readers. We encourage you to read through it on page [30].

It’s filled with lots of great information, some facts you may be aware of, but chances are you will learn something new.

Do our breasts define us as women? In this month’s Snap Out of It column, our associate editor Margaret Madigan talks about breasts, and how in today’s society they are often seen as a focal point of being

October is also Domestic Violence Awareness month, which sometimes goes unnoticed with all of the publicity surrounding breast cancer. Jaime Saunders, Executive Director of the Willow Center for Domestic Violence, shares with us how a simple question from her daughter became a teaching moment about domestic violence. Read her article on page [56].

As one of the leaders in the country in breast cancer research and imaging, URMC and FF Thompson Hospital are launching a new Breast Imaging center in Canandaigua. The center features 3D imaging and offers same-day results, as well as a Breast Health Patient Navigation Team, breast ultrasounds, biopsies and bone density screening. Read about their new technology, the new center, and even classes offered on page [64].

Be sure to join us for our Think Pink October Launch Party, Thursday, October 15th at the Strathallan Rooftop from 5:308:30pm. The event will benefit the Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester. Your $5 donation at the door will get you a free goodie bag, and a ticket toward one of our many door prize items. Plus you can enjoy drink specials from Hattie’s, appetizers from Blu, DJ Keyyo playing all the latest hits, over 15 local vendors, and more! Bring all of your friends for a GREAT night and help raise money for breast cancer support.

And don’t forget to save the date of Thursday, November 19th for the Ultimate Ladies Night Out. With over 200+ vendors, the Burgundy Basin will open its doors for thousands of guests from 5:00-9:00pm. Bring your friends, family, and neighbors for a night of tastings, shopping, free services, live demonstrations and MORE! Plus, come out and meet our incredible sponsors and November coverstory, Animal Planet’s very own “Pitbulls & Parolees” stars, Tia and Lizzy! Your $5 donation at the door will go directly to benefit their rescue center, Villalobos. For more information visit www. ultimatewomensexpos.com

OUR TEAM...

PUBLISHERS Kelly Breuer Barbara McSpadden EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Barbara McSpadden

ASSOCIATE EDITOR Margaret Madigan CREATIVE DIRECTOR/DESIGNER Kelly Breuer

PHOTOGRAPHY Todd Elliott Jeff Gerew Gilmore Hayle Brandon Vick

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Jill Burress Vanessa Cheeks Stephen Comello, MD Cindy Dykes Rebecca Ferguson Jessica Gaspar Cassandra Kubit Sandy Leary Joan E. Lincoln Margaret Madigan Lori Medeiros, MD Sofia Tokar Elizabeth Van Der Horst James Woods, MD Marisa Zeppieri-Caruana

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O&A

::OUT &

about

F OA

BLACK BUTTON DISTILLING LAUNCHES FOUR GRAIN BOURBON Last month, Black Button Distilling, Rochester’s first and finest grain to glass craft distillery, launched it’s highly anticipated signature product, Four Grain Bourbon.

A true “grain to glass” product, Black Button Distilling is involved in the production from the field all the way to the bottling of the product. One farm in Groveland, NY grows all Black Button’s grains, and varieties are picked out to ensure maximum flavor -- which is sometimes much more expensive. “But good whiskey is grown and great grains is the place to start,” said Jason Barrett, Owner/Head Distiller.

MOVIES

Bridge of Spies – 10/16

A dramatic thriller set against the backdrop of a series of historic events, Bridge of Spies tells the story of James Donovan (Hanks), a Brooklyn lawyer who finds himself thrust into the center of the Cold War when the CIA sends him on the near-impossible task to negotiate the release of a captured American U-2 pilot.

Burnt – 10/23 Chef Adam Jones had it all – and lost it. A two-star Michelin rockstar with the bad habits to match, did everything different every time out, and only ever cared about the thrill of creating explosions of taste. BURNT is a remarkably funny and emotional story about the love of food, the love between two people, and the power of second chances.

Rock the Kasbah – 10/23 The story of Richie Lanz, a rock manager with a golden ear and a taste for talent, who has seen better times. When he takes his last client on a USO tour of Afghanistan, she leaves him penniless and without his passport in Kabul.

Richie befriends a band of misfits and discovers a young girl with an extraordinary voice. Against all odds, Richie will take his last shot at creating an unlikely superstar.

Aged in American White Oak, Four Grain Bourbon is 60% corn, 20% wheat, 9% rye, 11% barley and is 100% New York State grown grain.

Once the grains are ground they are brought to Black Button’s silos in the heart of Rochester, where they are mashed, fermented, distilled and aged in barrels “for as long as necessary to make great tasting bourbon,” said Barrett.

Smaller barrels are ready in a year, some of the largest not for four or five years. “So we are constantly tasting and working the barrels to develop optimal flavor. And when that flavor is just right, when each barrel is ready, we find the right blend to call our own. And that’s how we get Black Button Four Grain Bourbon,” said Barrett. Bourbon is what led Barrett to open Black Button Distilling in the first place.

From Jason Barrett, Owner/Head Distiller: “Bourbon Manhattans were my grandfather’s drink. Every family dinner I would watch him pop the ice in the glass, measure two pours of bourbon and a portion of sweet vermouth into the glass. A quick stir, the color would change and it was back to the table to sit and sip, to relax and enjoy the company of our family. His glass was at hand for toasts at birthdays, Christmas and the Fourth of July.

I’ve taken up my grandfather’s ritual and it’s evolved as I’ve aged. My interest in distilled spirits grew over the years and when the chance to learn to distill came along, I jumped at it.

When it came time to sell my house, leave my job and move back to my hometown to start Rochester’s first grain to glass distillery since prohibition, it seemed like destiny. How could I not take this chance, start this journey, follow this path that I had spent years crafting? “

HOCHSTEIN ANNOUNCES LIVE FROM HOCHSTEIN CONCERT & BROADCAST FALL 2015 SERIES Now celebrating 95 years of fostering the creative spirit through music and dance, Hochstein is proud to announce the fall Live from Hochstein concert series. Hochstein’s commitment to the Rochester community not only encompasses a generous tuition assistance program but also includes free or low-cost concerts throughout the year. Hosted by Classical 91.5’s Mona Seghatoleslami, Live from Hochstein is the longest running live broadcast concert series in Western New York. Broadcast live on WXXI Classical 91.5/ 90.3 FM from the Hochstein Performance Hall (50 North Plymouth Ave. in Rochester), the series presents free “brown bag” concerts from 12:10-12:50 p.m., giving downtown business people, teachers, families, students and friends an opportunity to enjoy classical music together during their lunch hour.

Plan your mid-day getaways this fall with these outstanding musicians, including duets, trios, chamber ensembles, and the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra.

October 14, 12:10pm

Neave Trio,

The Peanuts Movie – 11/6

October 21, 12:10pm

Amenda Quartet: A Beethoven Sampler

In Peanuts, a 3D, CGI animated comedic adventure, Snoopy, the world’s most lovable beagle – and flying ace!

– embarks upon his greatest mission as he and his team take to the skies to pursue their arch-nemesis, while his best pal Charlie Brown begins his own epic quest back home.

October 28, 12:10pm

Gossamer Edge: Colors of Autumn

November 4, 12:10pm Music of Hakim, Clarke, Gubaidulina, Gieseking, and Tsybin November 11, 12:10pm

Music from Roberts Wesleyan

November 18, 12:10pm

Yi-Wen Chang, piano: Romantic Music: Then and Now

November 25, 12:10pm

No concert today – Happy Thanksgiving!

December 2, 12:10pm

Eastman Horn Choir

December 9, 12:10pm Madrigalia: A Cup of Good Cheer

chatter ::PLATTER

Grappa

Nostalgia meets nouveau at

::PLATTER

chatter

PC

BY SOFIA TOKAR | PHOTOS BY BRANDON VICK Located at the intersection of Mt. Hope and Elmwood Avenues, College Town is thriving. One of its most notable additions is Grappa, a restaurant with a modern approach to classic Italian cuisine.

“We’re so happy to be part of College Town and this new, vibrant, up-and-coming area,” says Erica Standish, Grappa’s director of food and beverage. “The location is great for us.

Our restaurant is unique to the area but complements everything else here.”

Rochester indeed has its share of Italian restaurants. But Grappa offers an upscale, sophisticated experience at an appropriate price point for the neighborhood, which includes everyone from hospital staff and visitors to college students and their families.

Grappa opened on June 30 as part of the new Hilton Garden Inn Hotel. But rest assured this is no cookie-cutter hotel restaurant. Both are owned and managed by DelMonte Hotel Group, which also runs the Spa at the Del Monte and Erie Grill, among numerous additional properties.

Before Grappa, Standish and executive chef Ryan Wilcox worked for other DelMonte establishments. They agree that creativity and collaboration abound—in the kitchen and behind the bar. For that, they credit CEO Ernest Del Monte Jr. (known as John), his wife Elaine, and their son Alexander, president of DelMonte Hotel Group.

From the menu to the décor, thoughtfulness characterizes everything at Grappa. “It’s really been a team effort,” reflects Wilcox. They experimented with drinks and tastetested dishes for about a year, all in an attempt to find the best combinations.

The effort was not in vain. See, for example, the pizza, a staple of Italian cooking. Grappa takes America’s favorite topping—pepperoni—and makes what Wilcox calls a “grownup pepperoni pizza.” This version triples the deliciousness by featuring three varieties of said topping. Meanwhile, the Mediterranean pizza includes a generous medley of artichokes, roasted red peppers, cured olives, feta cheese, and garlic pesto sauce, all beneath a glorious mound of fresh arugula.

“We try to stay as local and in-season as we can,” explains Wilcox. While most menu items will be present year-round, seasonal variations are likely—butternut squash instead of summer squash, for example.

As for the pasta, the orecchiette bolognese does not disappoint. The rich and hearty flavors of braised beef, veal, and pork infuse the sauce and make for a supremely fulfilling dish that might give nonna a run for her money.

If you’re in the mood for an autumnal indulgence, go with the apple crisp crostata for dessert. This tart is stuffed with apples then topped with vanilla gelato and caramel sauce. It’s also big enough to leave four people’s sweet teeth satisfied.

The most pleasant surprise at Grappa is the beverage selection, especially of the eponymous alcoholic beverage. A grape-based brandy of Italian origin, grappa is made by distilling the skins, pulp, seeds, and stems left over from winemaking after pressing the grapes.

Sipped straight or mixed in a cocktail, grappa has a depth and complexity that makes it a joy to imbibe. Need an introduction? Try the Grappa di Gavi made with Grappa Gavi di Gavi, Green Chartreuse, Luxardo, fresh lime juice, chocolate bitters, club soda, and a brandied cherry. Wilcox has even incorporated grappa into his recipes on occasion (he recently created a grappa compound butter to melt on steak).

On the other end of the cocktail spectrum is the Vintage Violetta—a lighter, yet still complex mix of Hangar One Mandarin Blossom Vodka, St. Germain, fresh lime juice, agave nectar, and crème de violette. Can something taste beautiful? Because this cocktail definitely does. It’s also one of the most aesthetically pleasing drinks in Rochester.

Speaking of our fair city, toast her with the Roc City Skyline, a layered cocktail featuring Templeton Rye whiskey, red wine, simple syrup, fresh lemon juice, and egg white, the last of which gives the drink a lovely, silky texture. Bonus: The restaurant offers on-thehouse happy hour (“buy one and the next one is on us”) seven days a week.

Plus, at Grappa you can sit inside or outside, at the bar or on banquette seating, next to a window or near one of the outdoor fire pits. In short, says Standish, “There is something for everybody here.”

Welcome to Flavor… I mean College Town.

30 Celebration Drive, Rochester, NY 14620. 585-445-5770. www.grapparoc.com

ROCHESTERWOMANMAG.COM :: OCTOBER 2015

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Gray

:FASHION

forward

EMBRACE YOUR

BY JOAN E. LINCOLN Hello October!

This year has brought each and every one of us some highs and lows. The Breast Cancer Awareness Issue allows me time to reflect on those close to my family and me that have been affected by this annoying disease.

My immediate family touched by breast cancer continues to adjust to a new normal and another, celebrating a five-year clean bill of health!

Others close to us are in a maintenance program and bouncing back from the battle. Two of these women were my children’s elementary school secretary and their phys ed teacher. Both strong individuals and a family foundation stronger than strong!

My Fashion Forward topic is how beautiful these women have been throughout their treatment and even more beautiful now that their “new” hair has started to regrow. Pat and Paula are beautiful human beings. They were part of my daily life when I was raising my children throughout my kids elementary years. Paula wore her uncolored hair parted down the middle, straight, kissing her small frame hip line. Very Long! Pat, a much taller woman, wore her sometimes colored hair above the shoulders and a bit more conservative. I recall seeing on Facebook that they ended up serendipitously sitting next to one another in chemo treatment one day and I thought “I want to be there” because these two women could light up a room with their smiles, stories, and humor! Recently I saw Pat while dining at a local restaurant and she looked amazing! Her hair had begun growing back and yes, it was soft, fuzzy and the most beautiful hue of silver. Paula, a regular on Facebook, is at the same stage of growth with her new “do”.

I say “embrace your gray” but it isn’t for everyone! Benn Lobol, master stylist and owner of Ape & Canary Style Apothecary in Rochester has a myriad of suggestions for women cancer survivors on how to embrace and work with post cancer treatment curly, gray hair. One of the fastest and simplest solutions is trying a colored extension, which can be ordered and placed in the hair by a professional stylist at most salons in the area.

There are plenty of styles available in these modern times especially with the plethora of celebrity styles that have made their way into our daily society. A colored extension will add spice without damaging the texture of the hair. Celebrities have paved the way for bold colored hair extensions by using clip-ins or microbeads; again Benn recommends finding a professional hair stylist for proper placement as well as application. Your stylist will be able to trim the extension which adds style and pizzazz.

If the fashion route isn’t your cup of tea, hair product and coloring technologies have changed greatly by offering ammonia-free color as well as maintenance products that allow for blending and coverage of gray hair.

These colors and maintenance products will give the hair strength and smoothness. Color can be healthy for hair and can help improve the texture and condition because the colors are now ammonia free while fortified with proteins. Keep in mind color can be used for full coverage or for blending.

Based on your gray coverage percentage properly placed colors will help make the color pop and maintain its healthy shine. Benn recommends for gray maintenance any type of moisturizing shampoos or color maintenance shampoos which will enhance and maintain a certain color, keeping frizz under control and adding volume where needed.

Gray hair has a tendency of turning yellow over time, in order to combat the yellowing Benn recommends a “purple shampoo” to help neutralize unwanted brassy or yellowing color. An example of a purple shampoo would be “Keune’s Silver Reflex Shampoo”, other labels may say for “platinum blonde” or “silver gray shampoo”, typically the shampoo itself has a purple color or hue. Always consult your salon professional with regard to maintenance products to help control the brassy, yellowing effect.

Precaution: Too much brightening shampoo can turn the gray hair blue so start the process with twice a week applications to brighten those strands to a beautiful hue of gray!

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OCTOBER 2015 :: ROCHESTERWOMANMAG.COM

As the month of Breast Cancer Awareness continues, we will be constantly reminded of the many challenges that our family, friends, and neighbors are battling. Whether they are victim to the disease or on their “support team”. I realize the color and texture of their new hair growth is probably the least important adjustment they are confronted with but until we go through the treatment, we need to encourage them to embrace their “new normal” their “new look” as they look in the mirror and absorb the image in the reflection.

Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester

Lives Touched, Lives Celebrated

Candlelight walk, prose, poetry, music, celebration

10.28.15

1048 University Avenue For more information, e-mail laura@bccr.org or call (585) 473-8177. www.bccr.org

MARVEL, SAVOR & INDULGE Unwind with handcrafted cocktails, artful sushi and fine Japanese-inspired cuisine atop the Strathallan Hotel.

Hattie’s offers a world-class dining experience and unmatched, 360-degree views of the city skyline.

strathallan.com/hatties (585) 461-5010 | 550 East Ave. | Rochester, NY 14607

Mon –Thurs 4pm to 12am Fri – Sat 4pm to 2am Sun 4pm to 11pm

feature :SPECIAL

Myths About Mammograms

BY AVICE O’CONNELL, M.D., FACR

Mammograms are the gold standard for detecting breast cancer, and they have been instrumental in the 30 percent reduction in breast cancer mortality since the 1980s. Women should begin getting them annually starting at age 40, unless they have risk factors that indicate starting sooner.

But mammograms can be uncomfortable, and women may avoid them out of fear of what they may reveal. Discomfort and fear should not keep you from being screened, and neither should misconceptions about this important cancer screening.

HERE ARE A FEW MYTHS ABOUT MAMMOGRAMS DEBUNKED: Myth: No one in my family has ever had breast cancer, so I don’t need to have a mammogram until I’m 50.

Fact: Three-quarters of women who develop breast cancer have no family history of the disease, and about 1 in 5 of the breast cancers we see are in women who are in their 40s. Unless she has other risk factors, every woman should have a mammogram starting at age 40. We want to find breast cancer as early as possible to ensure the best possible outcome. You can’t think, “It won’t happen to me.”

Myth: I breastfed my children, so I don’t have to worry about breast cancer.

Fact: Breastfeeding is important, and we know it may likely be protective, but it is not enough. You still need to have a mammogram starting at age 40.

Myth: I don’t need to go every year for a mammogram.

Fact: Some cancers are faster-growing than others. You need to be screened every year to have the best chance of getting an early diagnosis to ensure the most options for treatment and the best chances of a cure.

Myth: I’m 70. Annual mammograms aren’t worth doing anymore.

Fact: Women who are 70 can live another 20 or more years with good health, and older women are more likely to develop breast cancer. Screening mammograms are still worthwhile, especially because treating a smaller cancer is less of a problem than treating a larger, invasive cancer.

Myth: The harms of mammograms outweigh the benefits of having them done every year.

Fact: People point to potential harms like radiation exposure and anxiety

for women, but those factors do not outweigh the advantages that come with diagnosing a cancer early. First, the amount of radiation conveyed by a mammogram is very small — about 0.5 millisieverts. In the United States, we are exposed to natural background radiation of 3 millisieverts. The benefit of finding a cancer early outweighs the very small risk that radiation presents.

Second, to say that women can’t tolerate the anxiety associated with cancer screening doesn’t give women enough credit. We are perfectly capable of handling the anxiety that comes with other cancer screenings such as Pap smears and colonoscopies. Why should we not be able to handle the anxiety of a mammogram? It’s natural to have anxiety with any cancer screening, but it is short-lived and the outcome in most cases is good.

Myth: If I get called back after my mammogram, I must have breast cancer.

Fact: Not necessarily. About 1 in 10 women who have a mammogram will be asked to come back to get additional images, and the likelihood is higher if it’s your first mammogram. Most of the time, we call women back because we need to clarify an area. With a mammogram, we’re compressing the breast to get a 2D image of a 3D breast, so we don’t always get a clear picture. Of those we call back for additional imaging, very few are diagnosed with breast cancer. For example, if 100 women are called back, only about 20 will require a needle biopsy and five will be diagnosed with cancer.

If you’re worried about being called back after your mammogram, you can schedule a longer appointment during which you wait while your images are read. If necessary, additional images can be taken on the same day.

Myth: A lump in my breast means I have cancer.

Fact: Not necessarily. A lot of women find that their breasts become lumpy during their period. Wait through your period to see if the lumps disappear.

If they don’t, schedule a mammogram.

Lumps in the breast can be due to benign conditions, such as cysts, but always have them checked. If a lump is found to be malignant, the sooner you can start treatment, the better.

Myth: I can’t afford a screening mammogram. I don’t have health insurance to cover it.

Fact: Insurance status is not a barrier to getting a screening mammogram. If you are uninsured or under-insured or have questions, contact UR Medicine Breast Imaging at (585) 487-3304.

Breast Imaging

Let’s make imaging clearer.

Imaging centers aren’t all the same.

At UR Medicine Breast Imaging, our mammograms are read by sub-specialists— doctors who specialize in breast imaging. And research shows that sub-specialists help provide a more accurate diagnosis.

We offer complete care for your breasts. So if you need further treatment, UR Medicine can provide every specialist you need.

Plus we offer mammograms at eight locations throughout the area—and convenient hours throughout the week.

Learn more at mammo.urmc.edu Or call 585.487.3300 to schedule an appointment.

Our founder’s vision:

IMAGINE THE INVESTMENT FIRM YOU’D CREATE FOR YOURSELF. Genesee Valley Trust is unique. By design. When our founder couldn’t find an investment firm that met his needs, he started one himself. One with all the principles he believed in—a sincere interest in the client, no proprietary funds, and a philanthropic focus on giving back to the community. Today, these principles are still the foundation of GVT. That’s why we offer a rare blend of highly personalized service, individualized investment management, and innovative strategies—along with genuine care and concern.

Our goal is not merely to be your advisor, but your partner. And just like our founder, we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Joy Ryen Plotnik Chief Executive Officer and President jp@geneseevalleytrust.com

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inspire :RW 14

OCTOBER OCTOBER 2015 2015 :::: ROCHESTERWOMANMAG.COM ROCHESTERWOMANMAG.COM

inspire

::RW

RI

AIMEE GASPARRE Breast Cancer Survivor

BY REBECCA L. FERGUSON | PHOTO BY GILMORE HAYLE My conversation with Aimee Gasparre was one filled with hope and determination. She shares her journey with breast cancer so she can be a voice in advocating for women (and men), to listen to their bodies, be vigilant with self- breast exams, and join together in the fight against breast cancer.

“It was December 23rd, 2003; just two days before Christmas,” Gasparre courageously began to recount the day her life completely changed.

She went on to say, “I was scheduled for a routine mammogram the morning my vacation started, as I would be celebrating my 47th birthday in just one week. I felt an area near the top of my breast during my routine self- exams, and it just felt different. But I wasn’t worried…”

Making mention of her findings on exam to the technicians and doctors at Elizabeth Wende Breast Care Clinic, Gasparre recalls, “the spot I found wasn’t hard, round, or pea-shaped; the way I had always imagined a lump would feel like.”

What was slated to be a short appointment, ended up being several hours long, with the mammogram looking clear, doctors decided to also do an ultrasound and core biopsy of the site on the breast in question.

“The next day I found out I had breast cancer,” Gasparre continued to say, “I completely fell apart and I had a lot of decisions to make,” Gasparre explained how she worked with a dynamic set of women, including her surgeon, oncologist, and incredible support systems.

Doing a lot of her own research and taking control of her health care, Gasparre radically changed her diet, including a holistic approach to fuel her body for what lied ahead. Keeping with an almost strict vegetarian diet, Gasparre had never felt better.

In April of 2004, Gasparre underwent a lumpectomy, followed by chemotherapy and then finishing with radiation in October of 2004, “you think you are going to proceed one way, doing this and not doing that, but I found I had to shift my thinking and work closely with my doctors to make the necessary changes as needed.”

It was also in October of 2004 that Gasparre was handed over the reins to Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk from a fellow Pink Sister.

Having participated in this event several times before her diagnoses and treatment, she was excited to be a part of the walk in a larger capacity.

Humbly, Gasparre shared, “this was my first walk I attended since my diagnoses. It is so clear in my mind; I remember beginning to cross the street toward Frontier Field with my daughter and husband – the reality of it all just stopped me in my tracks… I couldn’t believe I was one of them; one of the women who would be wearing a pink survivor shirt.” The tone of the conversation was filled with a lot of emotion as

she continued to say, “I burst into tears with my head buried in my husband’s chest. The feeling was so overwhelming.”

With treatment behind her, Gasparre was still indeed living with the reality of the side effects from chemotherapy. Hair loss, poor appetite and feeling a loss of identity, she signed up for a Look Good, Feel Better class where she was able to connect with other women while they learned how to fill in eyebrows, fake having eyelashes and support one another.

“It is easy to lose yourself under the wigs and scarves, all while trying to live a somewhat “normal” life.”

Passionately, Gasparre began to talk about the importance of reaching out to the American Cancer Society. The resources are invaluable for both the patient and their family. Together everyone can work jointly in finding their new normal, how to support one another with all of the changes, find classes geared specifically to reduce stress and have fun. Information can also be obtained on where you can buy wigs and prosthetics, how to find clinical trials and things to expect during treatment. It is also very important to note, The American Cancer Society has connections and resources to help women obtain their prosthetics and wig even if a patient can’t afford to obtain them on their own.

Now celebrating ten years cancer free, Gasparre continues to challenge herself and the community to rally together in raising awareness, the importance of monthly self-breast exams and her goal of preventing breast cancer.

“There are so many different types of breast cancer.

A cure would be wonderful, however, I am focused on how we can prevent breast cancer altogether; possibly an effective vaccine.”

And this is why her work with Making Strides Against Breast Cancer is so important. According to the American Cancer Society Cancer Facts & Figures 2015, an estimated 231,840 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer and an estimated 40,290 will die from the disease this year!

Get involved! This year on Sunday, October 18th at Frontier Field, the streets will come alive in a sea of pink as fighters, survivors and supporters take foot to stomping out breast cancer. Uniting as a community, the greater Rochester area will raise money to fund groundbreaking breast cancer research; support those effected by the disease and provide free information.

There are very few that have not been effected by breast cancer either directly or indirectly. The American Cancer Society invites us all to finish the fight. Gasparre believes we really are just one step away.

To learn more about the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer event and how you can become involved, please visit MakingStridesWalk.org/ Rochester or RochesterNYStrides@cancer.org.

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OCTOBER 2015 :: ROCHESTERWOMANMAG.COM

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MIRIAM STEINBERG

Parent and Community Engagement Coordinator at Urban Choice Charter School

BY MARGARET MADIGAN | PHOTO BY GILMORE HAYLE Every survivor’s story is different. Every diagnosis, reaction and journey are different. And they all lead to different places. Miriam Steinberg’s story of her battle with breast cancer is just that, her own and it lead to a surprisingly fulfilling place.

It was August of 2011 and Steinberg’s primary care doctor strongly suggested she get a baseline mammogram since at the age of 48 she had never had one. She hadn’t gotten a mammogram before that simply because in the years prior there had been confusion as to when a woman should get her first mammogram, some doctors said 40 years old, some said 50. Having found nothing during breast exams, she was expecting it to be purely routine.

The initial check of the images seemed normal, but on further inspection she received a call ten days later saying there appeared to be some calcifications and she was asked to come back for more images to be taken. After the second set of images, she waited an excruciating couple of weeks to get the results. The results?

“They didn’t like what they saw”, she said. At that point, a biopsy was recommended and completed shortly thereafter. Two days later, the results were back: the diagnosis was lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS). Steinberg had never heard the term before, so she called her primary care doctor who she trusted implicitly for an explanation. “I was very confused. They said it wasn’t cancer yet they used the word carcinoma”, she stated.

Lobular carcinomas occur in the milk-producing lobules deep within the breast. The term “in situ” means that the cancerous cells are contained within the tissue where they originated and have not emerged through the wall of cells lining the lobules to invade healthy surrounding tissue…yet. However, eventually they can. Because of the non-invasive nature of this situation, some consider LCIS to be a precancerous condition. But it now puts the patient at extremely high risk for cancer. However she still says, “It could have been worse.”

Steinberg’s primary care physician gave her the phone number for the Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester and strongly suggested she call to get information and support. She made the call and attended a BC101 (Breast Cancer 101) session. She first sat down with Holly Anderson, Coalition Director, and BC101 Facilitator and told her the story from start to finish. As luck would have it the beginning of their session started with “Where do I know you from?” Deciding they knew each other from their children’s sports teams in the past, this helped Steinberg feel a little more at ease. The talk helped her get some clarity on her situation and empowered her to face the decisions and uncertainties ahead. “Best thing to do is talk to another woman who’s been through it and just have her listen,” said Steinberg.

The pathology results showed clean margins; the entire area in question

had been removed. But tough issues remained. Steinberg’s medical oncologist explained to her that a diagnosis of LCIS means an increased lifetime risk for developing invasive disease. And now she had to decide how she was going to deal with a known risk factor for breast cancer.

Steinberg opted to start on a regimen of Tamoxifen. She spent eleven months on the hormonal medication before side effects became too much to bear and, with her oncologist’s approval, she stopped taking it. Although Tamoxifen is an excellent, time-tested medication for the prevention of breast cancer that’s usually well tolerated, each individual’s tolerance varies widely.

Steinberg has opted for lifestyle changes and must get a re-check every six months, but that is very unnerving. “It’s the same anxiety every six months”, she said. Also, add to it her father is a breast cancer survivor which increases her chances. She is reviewing further options.

However, some good has come from her experience. She has found kindred spirits at the Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester. A natural activist she decided to get involved after her involvement in BCCR’s PALS Program – Peer Advocacy Lending Support, which matches up the newly diagnosed with someone who has a similar diagnosis yet is a little further down the path. “It helps to see there is light at the end of the tunnel”, she says.

After that, she was invited to Advocacy Committee, which deals with legislation and other issues surrounding breast cancer. “Love doing advocacy work”, she exclaimed. Soon after she was asked to join the Board of Directors.

When asked what is on the horizon for the Advocacy Committee of BCCR she replied, “We have been very active in getting medical marijuana bill passed. And now we are making sure those in need are getting reached. Other things like safe food labeling, GMO’s, and studying different environmental issues.” She stated they are always on the lookout for issues. She was also excited about the great attendance at their 12th Annual Legislative Reception at the beginning of August, where many lawmakers and prominent figures come to get an update on the latest issues surrounding breast cancer. She is hopeful the Advocacy Committee will be even more effective in the future.

Steinberg was born and raised outside of Detroit and moved to Rochester, NY in 1987. She has been married to her husband Lou Spezio for 25 years and they have two children Jacob 24 and Rachel 21. She and her husband are long-time South Wedge residents and love the outdoors, biking, kayaking, and hiking. Steinberg received a BFA from University of Michigan and a MFA from Bennington College in Vermont. She currently holds the position of Parent and Community Engagement Coordinator at Urban Choice Charter School, Rochester’s oldest charter school.

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PREPARING FOR

::HEALTHY

woman

breast ca

BY STEVEN COMELLA, MD

As you all know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This gives me the opportunity to talk about surgical procedures having to do with breast cancer and breast cancer-related diseases. It can be an extremely anxiety-provoking topic when it comes to gathering information concerning surgical intervention, so hopefully I can help shed some light on the subject and reduce some of the anxiety that comes with preparing for surgery.

Along with owning a medical aesthetic center, I have been a boardcertified anesthesiologist for the last 11 years. In those 11 years, I have performed tens of thousands of anesthetics, many of which related to breast cancer. It truly is a disease that touches all of us in one way or another, and when the diagnosis is given, it suddenly becomes a part of your life seemingly out of nowhere. The entire process becomes a whirlwind of unexpected, life-altering changes. Within the course of a couple weeks families go from routine physician visits, to talking about an abnormal exam finding, to scheduling biopsies and procedures, to taking time off from work for surgery; all the while dealing with the reality of living with a disease that will change the course of their families’ lives forever.

In contrast, the typical progression of most other surgical processes is that there is a period of discomfort or pain all leading up to a necessary surgery to fix the problem. Whether it’s a broken finger or a bum appendix, most people just want the offending pain to go away and the time to deal with the fact that even though it is not something they were wishing for, surgery will help make the pain stop. Breast

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OCTOBER 2015 :: ROCHESTERWOMANMAG.COM

cancer, in contrast, oftentimes does not present this way. In many instances, lumps or masses are painless and found on routine physical exams. And very often the progression from diagnosis to surgical intervention is quick. Patients are overwhelmed with news of an unexpected diagnosis and then flooded with the experience of finding a surgeon, management options, and potential scary outcomes. On top of that, they now may face a surgical procedure and all of the unknown that goes along with having to undergo surgery. Having to manage all of this is the reason why I thought it might be beneficial to go over some of the basics of what to expect when it comes to breast cancer surgery. What better time to talk about it than Breast Cancer Awareness month.

The bottom line is that it is perfectly normal to be nervous about an upcoming surgery, especially if you have never had surgery before or had to deal with a diagnosis like breast cancer. So here are a couple of things to think about when it comes to breast cancer-related procedures and surgical intervention.

First, don’t be afraid to “have a conversation” with your anesthesiologist.

The more you can tell him/her about what frightens you, the easier it will be for your anesthesiologist to quell your fears. Knowing the specifics about what makes you anxious makes it a lot easier for the team to help you through the experience of surgery. Much of what I hear when it comes to anxiety about surgery has to do with the fear of feeling something while under anesthesia and what exactly it means to “be asleep.” There can be a tremendous amount of confusion when it comes to the different types of anesthetic options that exist and the

::HEALTHY

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ancer surgery type of anesthesia you may need for your procedure. For the most part, anesthesiologists take great pride in being able to make people feel very comfortable about having to go through a procedure that they’re not looking forward to having done. I, personally, consider it a great honor to make someone smile or hear them say that they feel a little better about what’s going to happen next after speaking with me.

Second, many breast biopsy and lumpectomy related procedures can be done in an outpatient setting, meaning you have your surgery and then go home the same day. Our anesthetic options, today, allow us to get you off to sleep quickly and wake you up quickly so that your time at the hospital or surgery center is minimized. This is definitely a good thing as I don’t think anyone is interested in spending one minute longer in a hospital than they have to. Most people find it comforting to know that they will be awake, alert and comfortable fairly quickly after their surgery. On the other hand, more extensive procedures like total mastectomies and breast reconstructions will most likely necessitate one to three days of recovery in the hospital before being discharged home. All of this should be made clear to you prior to the day of your surgery, but if you have a question about what to expect, don’t be afraid to ask your anesthesiologist or your nursing team when you meet them on the day of your procedure.

Last but not least, always remember that you are your own best advocate. Things can move quickly from the time you are diagnosed to surgical intervention. Your anesthesiologist can be a valuable resource for you to ask questions about what to expect from a surgery

and the recovery that will follow. So if you have a question, ask it.

None of us ever wants you to feel like you don’t have time to ask a question or feel comfortable with what is about to happen. Take the time to make a quick list of questions and/or concerns that you have when it comes to your procedure so that you know what to expect. Your surgical team, which includes your surgeon, nurses and especially your anesthesiologist, will be happy to talk to you about any concerns you may have. Remember, making you comfortable both physically AND emotionally is what we do as anesthesiologists, so take advantage by speaking up and asking questions.

“Knowing the specifics about what makes you anxious makes it a lot easier for the team to help you through the experience of surgery.”

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::TIPS FOR

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new normal FINDING THE

Supporting the Person You Love Through a Breast Cancer Diagnosis

BY LORI MEDEIROS, MD

A breast cancer diagnosis is inherently frightening and life-changing for the person who actually has the condition. But it can be almost as life-altering for those who love them.

From the moment that news is delivered, everything we thought we knew goes out the window: Cancer robs us of our sense of certainty about life and puts us on a journey that no one ever wants to take.

How do you help the person you love through this difficult time, and beyond? How do you get back to normal?

First and foremost, recognize that goal may not be realistic. Most people consider breast cancer to be an acute problem, one that is treated and then goes away. But psychologically, it more closely resembles a chronic disease. People affected by cancer may never be the same after traveling down a path of treatment and recovery. That includes you.

It’s probably more appropriate to think about finding a “new normal.”

Here are some helpful hints to help balance yourself and be the best support you can be.

TRY TO MAINTAIN A HOME ROUTINE. Diet and

exercise changes are a common goal immediately following a diagnosis, and encouraging light exercise such as a nightly walk can be beneficial. But don’t overload on nutrition and diet tips. Major lifestyle changes can be significant stressors while offering only longterm benefits at best. During treatment and recovery, that stress can actually worsen feelings of inadequacy and depression. So make small positive changes if you can, but deal with one big change at a time.

UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF EATING, SLEEPING AND LAUGHING. Depression can make an already difficult situation seem impossible to manage. A clear mind is essential to understand what is happening. If you feel depression interfering with your daily thoughts and actions, remember that you’re not alone – and talk to your doctor for help.

DON’T TRY TO “TAKE THE WHEEL” AND ASSERT CONTROL. There is no shortcut around this journey. Take deep breaths and give yourself time to figure out where this new road will take you both.

BE CAREFUL WITH ONLINE RESEARCH. The

knowledge base in breast cancer is broad and rapidly changing, and it is impossible to become an expert in a few months. Give yourself a break and realize that it’s not necessary to completely grasp everything on your own. Your clinical team can bring those varied perspectives together into the best possible solution for your loved one.

DON’T TRY TO SHOULDER ALL THE BURDENS ALONE. Though often overlooked, caregiver anxiety is very real.

You are her traveling companion on her journey, and it’s important

to understand that there will be changes for everyone as your “new normal” is found. Many wonderful resources exist in the Rochester area to offer one-on-one support. Also, find out what resources may be available at your workplace: Can you work from home? Are flexible hours an option? Look into the process for leave and disability and help her do the same.

OFFER

ADVICE,

IDEAS

AND

EMPATHY.

Accompanying your loved one to appointments will help her process the information she receives while helping her clinical team develop the best possible understanding of her background, family history, and personal goals. A personalized approach to breast cancer treatment tries to be very specific to the patient’s whole picture, not just the disease. You can help.

You are a vital part of your loved one’s care team and a key partner in helping her find a “new normal.” With your help and strength added to her own – and supported by a community of clinical and non-clinical caregivers – the journey through breast cancer can lead to a happy and fulfilling life.

Lori Medeiros, MD, is Medical Director of the Rochester Regional Breast Center.

A LEADER IN BREAST CANCER CARE The Rochester General Breast Center is a leader in breast cancer care and treatment; is backed by the Lipson Cancer Center, a nationally recognized cancer center; and consists of experts on all aspects of breast cancer including: ● Breast cancer screening and diagnosis, including high risk breast cancer screening and genetic counseling ● Medical oncology ● Radiation oncology ● Breast surgery ● Breast reconstruction (plastic) surgery Nearly 250,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer in the United States each year.

These women are mothers, daughters, sisters, grandmothers, friends and loved ones - both young women and older women. Learning that you have breast cancer can be terrifying.

However, breast cancer is not the threat that it used to be due to the latest treatment options, cutting-edge research, and skill of breast cancer specialists like those at the Rochester General Breast Center.

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arts ::QUEEN OF

BY VANESSA CHEEKS GEREW

|

PHOTO BY JEFF

The search for your soul mate is something that many people can relate to. That one person who understands you, pushes you and complements your style. For Shanna Baccari and Meredith Doyle, they found that special someone in their best friend, one another. Harnessing that dynamic energy, the two created pop duo, Shero.

Meeting in fourth grade, Baccari and Doyle each showed a passion for the arts. Participating in chorus, musicals, cheerleading and talent shows they watched one another grow as artists.

“We both did musicals all through high school and all that jazz…literally and jazz, “said Baccari on how both women were involved in all outlets that let them use their voices.

The two remained close friends while pursuing individual careers with very different focuses in music. Doyle traveled to New York City where she continued studying opera at the University of Rochester while Baccari attended Pointe Park University, a dance school before transferring to Syracuse to major in communication.

Like many young adults from the Flour city, the two boomeranged back to Rochester with the desire to create something of their own.

“We both kept coming back…we were being creative, but we weren’t doing our own stuff,” explained Doyle who said while she loved opera, but it was simply her singing someone else’s songs and it just wasn’t enough.

Baccari had felt the same regarding her auditions for Broadway stating they were good experiences but ultimately not what she wanted.

That’s when Tony Gross, Baccari’s manager suggested she invite her longtime friend to a recording session for her demo. “He asked if I thought featuring a female rapper would be a cool addition to my songs… so we brought her in,” explained Baccari who beamed when referring to Doyle’s hidden talent. “She’s an amazing rapper!” After listening to Doyle

and Baccari’s harmonization, it was clear to Gross that the two were meant to work together.

“He said yeah…so you guys are a duo,” explained Baccari and just like that a friendship became a partnership and Shero was born. Each left behind their pursuit of individual notoriety in their fields of theater and Opera for pop music.

Since then Baccari and Doyle have recorded singles, made a music video and performed at this year’s Fringe Festival. “Fringe allows us to be theatrical,” said Doyle who along with Baccari use theatrical costumes during their shows which are high energy events with music that appeals to a large demographic.

“It’s pretty amazing when we let people listen to our music for the first time” explained Baccari. People are surprised.” Doyle says the appeal comes from being true to the idea they don’t need to be overtly sexy, vulgar or insincere to make their way. But, using their creativity and stage presence Shero delivers a memorable performance.

Speaking with both women it is clear that being friends is something that comes easily, it’s the music that requires work. “It all seems so effortless but in reality it is the culmination of a lot of hard work,” said Doyle. “We didn’t expect the process to be so long.”

Even with their well received Fringe Festival debut these ladies aren’t taking a break. They dropped a single shortly after on iTunes with 4 more expected to be released, all while keeping their eye on what is next.

“We were thinking about doing a Fringe tour, getting on the radio and potentially landing a record label,” said Baccari regarding what Shero’s next move will be. The women even discussed their desire for an international tour, giving in to the suspicion they don’t plan on slowing down anytime soon.

“Dreams do come true,” wrote Dena Kropman, Baccari’s mother, to the official Shero Facebook page. And what better dream than to work with your best friend doing what you both love.

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31 truths

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TRUTHS ABOUT BREAST CANCER

COMPILED BY THE BREAST CANCER COALITION OF ROCHESTER

breast cancer will be diagnosed in men in 2015. For males, the lifetime risk of getting breast cancer is about 1 in 1,000.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Since there are 31 days in October, the Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester (BCCR) wants to share “31 Truths About Breast Cancer”. For breast cancer survivors, awareness is only the first step. Right now, almost 3 million women in the United States are living with breast cancer.

9. The overwhelming majority (approximately 85%) of

1. Nearly 3 million women in our country are now living in the aftermath of a breast cancer diagnosis. According to the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program, in 2012 there were approximately 2,975,314 women alive who had a history of cancer of the breast in the United States.

2. Excluding skin cancer, breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women in the United States. Breast cancer represents 14% of all new cancer cases in our country.

3. The biggest risk factors for breast cancer are being a woman and growing older. The median age of diagnosis is 61.

4. A woman in the United States has a 1 in 8 chance of

developing breast cancer during her lifetime. It is estimated that a woman age 30 has about a 1 in 227 risk of developing breast cancer in the next 10 years; for a woman age 40, it is about 1 in 68; for a woman age 50, it is about 1 in 42; and for a woman age 60, it is about 1 in 28.

5. Breast cancer awareness campaigns have helped move the disease from behind closed doors but have not had a significant impact on the incidence of Stage IV disease or on mortality.

The incidence of Stage IV breast cancer disease has not changed since 1975. In 2015, an estimated 40,290 women in our country alone will die as a result of breast cancer.

women diagnosed with breast cancer have no relatives with the disease. A family history is only one risk factor. Other risk factors include getting older, benign breast problems, early exposure to ionizing radiation, having children later in life or not at all, longer exposure to estrogen and progesterone, lack of exercise, and drinking alcohol.

10. An estimated 155,000 Americans are currently living with

metastatic breast cancer, which occurs when cancer in the breast spreads to other parts of the body, most often the lungs, liver, bones, and brain. Approximately 20% to 30% of people first diagnosed with early stage disease will later develop advanced or metastatic breast cancer.

11. Complementary therapies are often used in addition to

medical treatments such as surgery, radiation, chemotherapy and hormonal therapy. These may include nutrition and exercise, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda, homeopathy, mindfulness meditation, yoga, massage, Feldenkrais, Reiki, Qi Gong, Tai Chi and support networking groups. Before using any complementary therapy, patients should talk with their care team to make sure all aspects of their cancer care work together.

12. White women are more likely to receive a diagnosis of breast cancer, but African-American women have a higher mortality rate. The mortality rate for breast cancer for AfricanAmerican women is about 31 per 100,000 women compared to 22 per 100,000 white women. Comparatively speaking, Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander, and American Indian/Alaska Native women have lower mortality rates compared to white women.

All breast cancers are not the same, just as breast tumors do 6. True prevention means stopping breast cancer before it 13. not all grow at the same rate or spread in the same way. It is not develops. As a result of early detection awareness campaigns, which do not prevent breast cancer, there has been an increase in over-diagnosis and over-treatment for many women, involving surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy to treat nonlife-threatening cancers.

7. It is estimated that 231,840 new cases of invasive breast

cancer (cancer that has spread from where it started in the breast into surrounding, healthy tissue) will be diagnosed among women in the U.S. in 2015. In addition to invasive cancers, more than 60,000 cases of non-invasive (in situ) breast cancer will be diagnosed.

8. Men do get breast cancer. While less than 1% of new breast

cancer diagnoses occur among men, it is possible for men to develop the disease. It’s estimated that about 2,350 new cases of

the size of a tumor that determines the aggressiveness of breast cancer, but rather the tumor biology and microenvironment (the normal cells and molecules that surround cancer cells). Some breast cancers are small, found early, and yet are deadly. Some are fast-growing. Some grow slowly, are found by mammograms and are treated, but would never have been life-threatening.

14. We know that there are several types of breast cancer

based on the biology of the tumors. These subtypes respond to different treatments and have different prognoses.

Breast tumors are currently classified using three primary immunohistochemical (IHC) tumor markers: Estrogen Receptor (ER), Progesterone Receptor (PR), and Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 (HER-2/Neu). The term “Triple Negative” indicates none of these markers are prevalent.

cont) ::SPECIAL FEATURE (

15. There is a possibility that environmental estrogens play a role in diseases such as cancers of the breast, uterus, and ovaries.

Environmental estrogens are a variety of synthetic chemicals and natural plant compounds thought to mimic estrogen in the body.

They may behave like estrogen in the body or may block the natural hormone. These include pesticides such as the now-banned DDT, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), Bisphenol-A (BPA), natural plant products in our diet, and a host of other chemicals.

16. When it comes to decreasing the risk of breast cancer, become an

informed consumer. Look around your environment. Read product labels and don’t purchase a product that may be harmful to you or your family.

17. When it comes to breast cancer, help lower your risk by making responsible health choices: Eat a healthy diet, learn how to cope with increasing stress, integrate exercise into your life, identify and eliminate your exposure to environmental risk factors as much as possible, and advocate for evidence-based change.

18. At least 900 synthetic compounds in industrial and commercial products have been identified as Endocrine disruptors (EDCs) compounds that mimic or interfere with natural hormones. Many have been specifically shown to make estrogen-dependent human breast cancer cells grow in lab tests. EDCs that mimic estrogen cause concern because of their potential links to women’s health.

These compounds are found in everyday products: some pesticides, detergents, and plastics.

19. Epigenetics studies the processes regulating how and when certain genes are turned on and turned off. Cancer affects these processes. Nutrigenomics looks at how foods and nutritional supplements influence gene expression. Different foods may interact with specific genes to increase or decrease risks of common diseases such as Type II Diabetes, obesity, heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers by modifying gene expression.

20. Breast cancer is ultimately a disease of

malfunctioning genes. Lifestyle factors can generate growth-promoting signals to cells already primed to become cancerous because of changes in these genes. Most people are born with normal genes but during the course of a lifetime, genes can become damaged (mutated) in various cells and lead to cancer.

21. A growing body of evidence links synthetic chemicals to the rising incidence of breast cancer. Parabens, phthalates and other hormone disrupting chemicals are found in cosmetics, beauty products, and in women’s bodies. You have a right to know if the products you use contain compounds that may increase your risk of disease, including breast cancer.

22. To end breast cancer, we need more focus on preventing its

development to begin with. We need a greater understanding of how to stop the aggressive cancers that are not detected with mammography, how to stop breast cancer from recurring, and how to prevent it from metastasizing to other parts of the body and becoming lethal.

23. Most women who find their own breast cancer do so as part

of normal routines (showering, getting dressed, etc.) and not during systematic monthly breast self-exams. About 80% of breast cancers not discovered by mammography are discovered by women themselves. Knowing the landscape of your body and noticing slight changes is always wise. Becoming familiar with one’s breasts can help detect breast cancers that mammograms may miss.

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OCTOBER 2015 :: ROCHESTERWOMANMAG.COM

24. If you are diagnosed with breast cancer, ask questions. Ask about all treatment options for your specific tumor type. Ask about costs and side effects of treatments. Ask how and why a particular treatment option has been recommended for YOU.

25. Women in their 20s and 30s should have a clinical breast exam by a health care provider every three years, especially if they are from a high-risk family. After age 40, women should have a clinical breast exam every year, or more frequently if there is a strong family history of breast cancer.

26. Detection is not prevention. If you have a personal history

of breast cancer, never rely on technology as your sole method of surveillance. Knowing what is normal for you is important. Have clinical breast exams. Early detection of a recurrence can almost double survival outcomes.

27. The current infrastructure and focus in breast cancer has not led

to significant progress in ending the disease or in preventing deaths from the disease. This is true for research and health care and also advocacy: more of the same will not produce different results.

28. Five-year breast cancer survival rates do not give an accurate picture of progress against breast cancer. Because breast cancer takes many years, sometimes even decades, to develop and spread throughout the body, breast cancer survival statistics, particularly five-year survival data, do not accurately portray the impact of breast cancer, or the progress or lack of progress over time.

29. Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) may

increase your risk of breast cancer. The Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) clinical trials, launched in 1991, studied a group of 161,808 generally healthy postmenopausal women for the effects of HRT, diet modification and calcium and vitamin D supplement use on heart disease, fractures, and breast and colorectal cancer.

Results from the trial on HRT, published in 2002 found that, while the estrogen-only replacement therapy did not increase breast cancer risk, the risks far outweighed the benefits in the estrogen-plus-progestin arm. Overall, there was a 24% increase in the risk for breast cancer due to estrogen-plus-progestin.

30. In many cases, more treatment is not necessarily better treatment.

Many of the advances in recent years have not been discoveries of new treatments, but rather discoveries that less invasive treatments are as effective as more invasive and/or more toxic standard of care. There is a growing recognition that more treatment is not necessarily better treatment. And, in fact, less is often better because of the reduction in long-term side effects, which are sometimes severe and occasionally fatal.

31. No one needs to go through breast cancer alone. If you or a

loved one receives a diagnosis of breast cancer, the Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester is here to help. The Coalition offers education and support programs, as well as advocacy for those uninsured or underinsured. The Coalition is a full-scope, grass-roots breast cancer organization serving survivors and families throughout the Finger Lakes Region of Central and Western New York. We can help you find resources in your own community.

If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with a breast cancer or gynecologic cancer, please call the Coalition at 585-473-8177. You can also visit their website at bccr.org for more information.

story ::COVER

Diane O’Con

LIVING TO PAY IT FOR

BY JESSICA GASPAR | PHOTOS BY TODD ELLIOTT Women have a one in eight chance of developing invasive breast cancer at some point in their lives. One in 37 of those women will not survive. There are 3.1 million breast cancer survivors in the United States.

After her diagnosis in the summer of 1999, Diane underwent two lumpectomies, then three months of chemotherapy. She eventually had a double mastectomy with reconstructive breast surgery and then three additional months of chemotherapy. Afterward, she was on Tamoxifen, a drug which helps reduce the risk of breast cancer reoccurrence, for five years.

Those numbers didn’t mean much to Diane O’Connor until she went in for a routine annual mammogram, which came back with abnormalities. The end result? Stage 1 breast cancer.

“There are many things that change when you’ve been diagnosed with breast cancer,” Diane said. “For example, you end up learning more about a topic you never wanted to know anything about.”

“My first thoughts were of disbelief: How could this happen to me?,” she said. “However, I quickly moved to thoughts of thanks – thankful that I was diligent in getting my annual mammograms, and that the cancer was found in an early stage and treatable.”

With a team of physicians overseeing her care, Diane felt confident she would beat her prognosis. She admitted, however, she was apprehensive about telling her mother.

According to the University of Rochester Medical Center, mammograms are the most effective way to detect breast cancer in its early stages. A mammogram is an x-ray of the breasts which can show any abnormalities in the breast tissue. The American Cancer Society recommends annual screening mammograms for women beginning at age 40.

“The hardest person to tell was my mother, who was 87 at the time.

My two sisters and I explained the diagnosis and the treatment plan.

She handled it extremely well – the strongest of us all,” Diane said.

Sixteen years ago, Diane knew very few people, if anyone at all, who had been affected by breast cancer. Now, through her own diagnosis

nnor

RWARD

is and her work as a volunteer at the American Cancer Society, she knows quite a few.

The National Cancer Institute released figures which report there will be an estimated 231,840 Americans diagnosed with breast cancer this year. About 40,000 of those folks will not survive. The institute also reports that the number of new cases has risen since 1975, but the number of fatalities related to the illness have steadily declined, mostly due to advancements in medicine and cancer treatment.

That’s where the American Cancer Society(ACS) steps in. The ACS is the powerhouse behind cancer research and awareness. One of the largest fundraisers is the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk; the Rochester walk takes place every October at Frontier Field. This year’s is scheduled for 10 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 18. As of Monday, Sept.

21, the walk had raised nearly $56,000 and had more than 300 teams with 1,270 participants.

Diane has been involved with the Making Strides walk since October 1999, just three short months after her initial diagnosis. She has been a pacesetter – someone who raises more than $2,500 – since 2012.

Right now, she is the number one fundraiser for this year’s walk having raised $3,600, and her team Xerox Employees has netted $4,127.

Diane has worked for Xerox for nearly 39 years.

Diane admitted she no idea there was a Making Strides walk that first year. It was one of her coworkers at Xerox who encouraged her to walk.

Diane and a group of friends, family, and coworkers completed Diane’s first walk as a survivor. The experience was unreal for Diane, who only describes the walk as powerful and positive.

“You just need to have that feeling that what you’re doing is a positive influence in other people’s lives,” she said. “The walk is more than gaining money. It’s all those people. If that helps just one person, it’s all worth it.”

Her family and coworkers remained a supportive group while she was going through her treatment and surgeries. Her coworkers were especially helpful.

“Early on, I had decided if I lost my hair during treatment, I’d wear

story ::COVER

“I’m going to make it to 100. That’s my plan.”

::COVER

a hat rather than a wig,” she said. “The day came when I made the decision to get my hair cut off since I began losing it so rapidly. The folks at work got wind of it and put together a hat party. They each showed up wearing a unique hat. I ended up with all of the hats when the party was over.”

It’s Diane’s nature to give back, to leave things better than the way she found it. So after she completed her treatment, her only question was, “How can I help?”

Since then, Diane has volunteered with the ACS in several capacities.

After that first walk, one of the first things she did was volunteer in the Reach-to-Recovery program, which pairs a breast cancer survivor up with someone who was newly diagnosed to offer support and guidance during their fight. Survivors can provide those patients with their own knowledge and share personal experiences with them to help them cope, Diane said.

“It’s making sure the folks who are newly diagnosed realize that they can survive,” she added.

As she reflected on her own battle with cancer, she recalled words one of her sisters said shortly after Diane was diagnosed: “She said, ‘Diane, I know you.

I don’t know why, but I know … you’re going to do something great that’s going to make (a positive impact) for someone else.’ I want to live up to my sister’s expectations.”

Diane has not volunteered for the Reach-to-Recovery program in a few years but keeps her hand involved with ACS Finger Lakes Region. She was recently appointed to the board of advisers.

“I really am thrilled to be on it,” she said, adding that she loves to help. “I feel I’m honoring all those who helped me.”

In addition to the Reach-to-Recovery program, ACS also offers help toward free cancer screening services, like mammograms, for those who can’t afford them.

There is also the ACS Hope Lodge where cancer patients and the families can stay free of charge if they are receiving treatment at a hospital that may be a great distance from home. The lodge also offers support services. There are 31 lodges across the United States, one of which is located at the Finger Lakes Regional office at 1120 S. Goodman St. in Rochester at the Colgate Divinity Campus across from Highland Park.

In the past, Diane has also been a part of the Buffalo Bills “Billieve” Breast Cancer Awareness event which usually happens every year at an October home game. She was unsure if she would be attending this year’s event but has been involved every year from

story

CS

1999 to 2014. Each survivor receives a Buffalo Bills pink themed jersey with the word SURVIVOR across the back with numbers denoting how many years the woman has been a breast cancer survivor.

This year’s Bills “Billieve” breast cancer event is set for the weekend of Oct. 2 with a free concert by Country music singer Craig Morgan scheduled for Friday night. The Buffalo Bills will pay tribute to breast cancer survivors when they take on the New York Giants at 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 4.

From the Xerox complex in Webster, Diane is the vice president of global environment, health, safety, and sustainability, which also provides her with another way to pay it forward.

“We work to ensure that in everything we do, whether its products or services the buildings that we work in, the neighbors…that they’re safe and we’re keeping the environment the way we found it if not better,” she said.

As a result of her department’s efforts as well as other initiatives, Xerox was listed as number four on the Corporate Responsibility magazine’s list of 100 Best Corporate Citizens in 2015.

“I’m very proud of what we’ve been able to do,” she said.

Diane earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemistry from Syracuse University as well as an MBA from the University of Rochester’s Simon School of Business.

At 63 years old, Diane aspires to outlive her mother, who died at 94, “I’m going to make it to 100. That’s my plan.”

When she isn’t working or volunteering, Diane enjoys the view of Honeoye Lake from her home.

She enjoys outdoor activities, such as kayaking, walking, and golfing. She recently purchased an RV, and she plans to travel across the United States.

On her to-do list is to visit the graves of all of the deceased American presidents. So far, she has been to 10 or 15 grave sites, including those of Franklin D. Roosevelt in Hyde Park, N.Y., John Adams and John Quincy Adams in Quincy, Mass., and James Garfield in Cleveland, Ohio.

“I enjoy American history, and I find it very fascinating to see how we’ve honored some presidents and not necessarily some others,” she said.

Diane also enjoys reading mystery-thriller books including those of Patricia Cornwell, Janet Evanovich, James Patterson, and John Sanford. She also enjoys solving Sudoku puzzles.

ROCHESTERWOMANMAG.COM :: OCTOBER 2015

37

Walk together.

And we’ll

never walk alone.

October 18 is only the beginning.

Making Strides Against Breast Cancer of Rochester Frontier Field | 8:30am registration; 10am walk begins MakingStridesWalk.org/Rochester | 800.227.2345 Š2015 American Cancer Society, Inc.

know ::THINGS YOU SHOULD

40

OCTOBER 2015 :: ROCHESTERWOMANMAG.COM

know

::THINGS YOU SHOULD

BY CASSONDRA KUBIT Breast cancer is the most common non-skin cancer in America for women. One in eight women will develop an invasive breast cancer during her life. Statistics say that there will be close to 300,000 new cases of non –invasive and invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed by the end of 2015. There are many types and stages of breast cancer that have been diagnosed over the past 60 years and many different treatments. Women and men have to deal with chemo, radiation, mastectomies, lumpectomies, and reconstructive surgeries that can take months to complete.

There are many articles out there on all of the listed above treatments.

But that is not what we have come to talk about. What we are going to be discussing is a much less talked about side effect of the above treatments; Lymphedema. Lymphedema is a condition of localized fluid retention and tissue swelling caused by a compromised lymphatic system.

Lymphedema is divided into two categories primary (idiopathic) and secondary (acquired). Primary Lymphedema is a pathology that a person is born with and develops at different times of a person’s life. Secondary Lymphedema can be acquired in many different ways including surgery of any kind. Secondary Lymphedema does not just affect breast cancer patients and survivors, but many breast cancer patients and survivors have been affected by it. What isn’t well known about lymphedema is that it can take up to 20 years to become noticeable.

Lymphedema progresses in stages. Stage 0, or the latent stage, is where there is no sign of swelling, but the lymphatic system has been compromised at some point. Stage 1, also known as the reversible stage, the signs are pitting edema and reduces with elevation, with proper intervention this stage can be reversed. Stage 2, also known as spontaneously irreversible, the tissue consistency is hard and leaves no indentation and elevation of the limb no longer has any effect. Stage 3, also known as Elephantiasis in this stage the tissues are hard and skin pigmentation is a dark brown. These are very basic definitions and there are many books and websites that can give you more detail on each stage.

Now do not be alarmed there are things that can be done and there are treatments out there that can help. Manual Lymph Drainage(MLD) is the number one treatment for lymphedema. This is a light massage that works with the flow of the lymphatic system. There are a few different styles out there depending on which school the therapist went to. I personally went to Norton School of Lymphatic Therapy. They strictly teach the Vodder Method.

Dr. Vodder was German doctor who spent many years mapping out the lymphatic system and creating a system to treat lymphedema. He figured out that the lymphatic system is split into “watersheds”. Each limb of the body, the torso, the head, each breast, the back, the abdomen and the glutes all have their own lymphatic system that interconnects with each other in specific areas. This is why we only see specific areas swell and not the whole body. When the lymphatic system is disturbed, by the removal of a lymph nodes or pieces of the system itself, we see only that one watershed being affected.

Let’s back up a few steps and talk about what the purpose of the lymphatic system is. The lymph system is a part of the immune system.

It detects and combats against pathogens, exogenous (foreign) cells or proteins as well as malignant, degenerative cells. The lymph nodes are

TK

the filters of the whole system. They collect all of the bad cells in the body. This is why oncologists check the lymph nodes to see if the cancer cells have started to travel. There are 600-700 lymph nodes throughout the body. Lymph nodes are found in clusters throughout the body, most notably in the axilla, inguinal, elbow joints, knee joints, wrists, and the neck.

Now knowing all of that information we can start talking about what MLD is. MLD is a light massage that follows the lymphatic system, but when we have a compromised system like when a mastectomy is involved the therapist will have to reroute the system towards the areas where the watershed connects to another watershed. With a mastectomy, the patient will find that the arm and sometimes the chest and upper back will swell. The breast and the arm all drain towards the axilla (armpit). They are two separate systems but because they drain towards the same area the arm ends up getting backed up because it has only one drainage route. The breast area can drain towards the neck, abdomen and to the other side of the body. So knowing all of this the therapist will need to drain the chest towards all of those areas and then drain the arm towards the back and down the sides.

As a patient, you may find that MLD isn’t fast enough because it does take eight or more sessions for the body to get the hang of the rerouting. Some patients respond quicker than that depending on what stage of lymphedema they are at. When we start getting into stage 2 and 3 we have to become a bit more aggressive with treatment. This is when we start talking about compression therapy. Depending on what stage and what shape the area is in decides on which kind of compression therapy. Some patients will need to actually be bandaged with lymphedema bandages. Other patients may be able to go straight to compression garments.

Each of these methods makes sure that the fluid is being pushed up towards the heart.

The lymph system has no pump, unlike the circulatory system that has the heart to make sure everything moves. The lymph system relies on the muscles of the body to pump the lymph system.

Because of this it is very important to be active, but you have to be careful with what kind of exercise you are doing. Doing too much will actually cause the area to swell more because the lymph system collects all the waste of the body and exercising creates waste that has to be filtered. So being proactive will be one of your best friends. I suggest working with a physical therapist who is a Certified Lymphedema Therapist to get you on the right track.

There are a few other types of treatments that have been starting to see some promising results. There are home manual lymph drainage pumps that have been getting better at helping patients control the swelling. They are unfortunately very expensive. Another method that has been showing a lot of promise is kinesia taping for lymph drainage.

The only downfall of this method is people tend to get sensitive to the tape over time.

When searching for a therapist for lymphedema you want to find someone who is a Certified Lymphedema Therapist (CLT) or a Complete Decongestive Therapist (CDT). There are therapists who practice MLD who are not trained in managing lymphedema.

Manual Lymph Drainage is a great style of massage for a full body detoxification, for tired legs after flying, for sinus headaches, and many other alignments, but when dealing with lymphedema you need a therapist who understands the pathology.

ROCHESTERWOMANMAG.COM :: OCTOBER 2015

41

flavorable roc ::FIT & IN THE ::NEW

HBOT

of cancer Can Aid in the Treatment

WHAT IS MILD HYPERBARIC OXYGEN THERAPY?

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy(HBOT) is a safe method of delivering more oxygen to the body at the cellular level. The hyperbaric chamber utilizes filtered pressurized ambient air to dissolve oxygen directly into the plasma, cerebral and spinal fluids, flooding tissues and vital organs with oxygen.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

The mild hyperbaric chamber is filled with compressed ambient air from 2 to 4.5 pounds per square inch. (1.3 ATA max) This is the equivalent of 11 feet below sea level. The increased pressure allows the blood plasma and other liquids of the body to absorb additional oxygen thus greatly increasing oxygen uptake by the cells, tissues, glands, organs, brain, and fluids of the body.

The resulting uptake of oxygen allows for increased circulation to areas with swelling or inflammation. At the same time, the increased pressure decreases swelling and inflammation.

Oxygen is then utilized by the body for vital cell functions, healthier cells equal healthier tissues, and organs. The human body is capable of healing itself when it has what it needs. There is nothing the human body needs more than oxygen.

WHY DOES IT WORK?

Henry’s Law of Physics: An increase in atmospheric pressure allows for more gas to be dissolved into any given liquid. The human body is composed almost completely of water. Gas … under pressure … dissolves in water

CANCER AND HBOT

Enhancing “conventional” cancer therapies and treatments with HBOT 42

OCTOBER 2015 :: ROCHESTERWOMANMAG.COM

does a number of things to help the body fight the disease including: • Increases Oxygen Levels in Tumors • Better Radiation Therapy Results • Improves Chemotherapy Outcome • Enhances Brain Treatment • Decreases Tumor Drug Resistance • Allows for Optimal Therapy Dosage to be Attained • Improves Surgical Results

HBOT also helps reduce the tumor’s aggressiveness by weakening hypoxic tumors and targeting metastatic tumors. It also increases natural killer cell activity and function bu increasing reactive oxygen species production amplifies cancer cell death and can help to regress tumor volume.

The use of HBOT has also been shown to reduce the side effects of conventional cancer therapies and treatments including radiation and chemotherapy side effects. HBT can also help to accelerate postoperative healing and prevent infection. It has also been shown to reduce chemobrain syndrome. HBOT can also increase the effect of intravenous vitamin C therapy in some patients.

Cancer prevention is just as important as treatment. HBOT can also play an important role in prevention by decreasing inflammatory markers, normalizing intracellular oxygen levels, stimulating cellular detoxification and reducing the risk of pathogenic inflammatory related tumors.

HBOT also supports cellular energy processes for optimal DNA repair.

It is important for this and all medical treatments to consult with your physician or oncologist before entering into any new form of medical treatments or procedures to ensure that it is compatible with your current treatment regimen.

For more information on HBOT, visit o2wny.com

Experience the Healing Power of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy “Hyperbaric oxygen therapy helps to heal the effects of stress, oxidative stress and chronic inflammatory response and hypomethylation. All the things that had conspired to cause my cancer.

Moreover, I knew hyperbaric therapy was not merely a cancer-prevention tool: hyperbaric oxygen therapy can help to heal cancer.”

Breast Cancer Survivor Julie A. Buckley, MD Author of Breast Cancer : start here.... Everything You Need to Know About Integrative Health for the Newly Diagnosed

“I am so grateful I was able to use the hyperbaric o2 chamber in my home throughout my 7 months of breast cancer treatment. It helped diminish the side effects and let me get on with living!"

Rochester breast cancer survivor Julie Doyle

Call today for a $30 introductory 60 minute session Clinic • Rental • Sales 16 N. Goodman Street • Rochester • 585.503.6057 • o2@o2wny.com • www.o2wny.com

Coffee With a !

Cause Enjoy the best coffee in town and help local women build an independent future.

Your support of the Coffee Connection keeps women with a history of substance abuse out of prison or jail. It reduces the reliance on social services and addiction treatment programs. Your support creates jobs—and taxpayers who increasingly have the ability to be selfsustaining and paying their own way.

Stop i a cup n for o f ou Pump kin S r pice!

681 South Ave. Coffee Connection

2271 E. Main Greenhouse Cafe

4437 Lake Ave. Cannonball Cafe

www.ourcoffeeconnection.org

::SNAP OUT OF

it!

it!

:SNAP OUT OF,

breasts

SI SF SIF

WHY YES, I DO LOVE

BY MARGARET MADIGAN

In keeping with the October issue’s Breast Cancer Awareness theme, I would like to discuss one very important item: breasts.

Now, in this day and age of clichés and platitudes about women not being represented by their bodies, but by their minds and hearts, most, in theory, will bristle at what I’m about to say. But it’s just food for thought.

As women, our breasts are much of our identity. Just as any body part would be, it’s yours, part of you. But breasts — just think about it. It starts when we are children. Little kids love to point out the fact that “girls have boobies and a vagina; boys have a penis.”

So, when we get to puberty, breasts seem to become a focus for everybody. Girls are worried about keeping up with other girls and “getting them,” while boys seem to be obsessed with girls who do have them and terribly cruel to girls who don’t. Oh yes, you remember all the “flat as a board” and “mosquito bites” and “itty bitty t***y committee?” Come on, every person on the planet past 11 years old has heard those sayings. The middle school population is obsessed with breasts.

It continues on through high school and college, into adulthood. We’re obsessed with breasts. Then, we become mothers and our breasts take on a different meaning. For those who decide to breastfeed, our breasts become a sort of sacred connection with our babies. We feed our babies with them.

They represent motherhood.

Then there’s society, which has made breasts a focal point in whether or not a female is considered “attractive.” Face it, all of us women at one time have thought, Ugh, I wish my breasts were … bigger, smaller, rounder, higher (just pick one). Yes, yes, in theory, we should not worry about our physical appearance and focus on what’s inside. But, alas, we are human. We like to be “attractive” to others and, well, ourselves, too. I like to look in the mirror and feel pleased, don’t you? My life doesn’t depend on it, though.

So, what happens when something happens to our breasts? Something that we have absolutely no control over? Having breast cancer affects women much differently than cancer of any other part of our bodies (except possibly ovaries). I remember when I was growing up in the 1970s. No one talked about breast cancer — until Betty Ford, wife of President Gerald Ford, announced she had breast cancer and had a double mastectomy. I remember hearing a collective gasp from society in thinking her womanly ways were somehow gone because she had no breasts. How sad. Her life is over, some thought. Wait, what? She’s a perfectly productive, intelligent woman! But, back then, gender roles

were still very traditional. Woman played the gatherer and nurturer who just sat there and looked pretty, while man acted as the hunter and provider. The end.

Yes, we’ve come a long way. Women are now not as tied to their gender and bodies for identity, and we have accepted the other gifts we have to become CEOs and world leaders. But some of those more primitive feelings are hard to shake. So maybe we should just acknowledge them.

It’s okay to feel a fond, womanly attachment to your breasts. Just like men do with their genitalia. We all know most men are overly attached to their own, going so far as to give them nicknames. I can honestly, 100 percent say I’ve never named my breasts. But yes, they are still my “trusty companions.” And that’s okay. You’re loving a part of you, and what’s wrong with that?

It’s similar to the feeling a woman gets when she goes through menopause or gets a hysterectomy; or when a man gets a vasectomy or a prostate removal. It is common to feel that your “reason for being,” your ability to mate is done. You’re washed up, you’re old news. We all know it’s not true. But, basically, for centuries, a person’s worth was based mostly on their ability to produce offspring. It’s just a fact. Yes, we have all evolved, but I’ll be honest: As I go through perimenopause myself, I feel a bit like I’m losing my worth or my youth. It’s silly, I know. Our heads know it’s not true. But, let’s be honest, we’ve all felt it. And that’s okay.

And this is how I’ve been told women with breast cancer sometimes feel. I have never had breast cancer, but I have had scares. I’ve gotten the phone call: “Ms. Madigan, the doctor would like to take some more images.” Turns out, so far, I just have lumpy, dense breasts. Great. But I actually remember physically grabbing my breasts and thinking, What would happen if I had to get these babies removed? They make me look better in a dress, they play a role in physical intimacy, they have fed my three children and, most importantly, they are a part of me and I love every part of me.

I’m glad we’ve evolved and it’s not taboo to talk about anymore. The age-old controversy of even uttering the word “breast” has definitely changed today. Today, with the increase in breast cancer awareness efforts especially, people even put bumper stickers on their cars and where bracelets that say, “Save the ta-tas” (which I don’t care for, by the way. I find it kind of un-dignifying, but that’s just me). I just wanted to take it a step further and explain that, yes, we women hold a special regard for our breasts, and that’s okay. It doesn’t make us any less or any more of a person. They don’t make us smarter or dumber or more or less useful. But we do love our breasts and that’s okay, so let’s try and show them that love by getting a mammogram, today. I wish you all good health. Remember: Take time to love yourself.

adventure ::RWM TRAVEL &

FALL MAGIC AT

BRISTOL MOUNTAIN Fall foliage colors at Bristol Mountain are expected to peak in mid-October just in time for the annual Bristol Mountain Fall Festival on Sunday, October 11th. “Enjoy the scenic beauty of the Bristol Hills with a Sky Ride to the Summit. The Flying Boxcars, a great local band, will be playing at the base area.

We will also have live entertainment at the top fop of the mountain”, states, Marketing Director, Drew Broderick.

New this year will be Bubble Ball Extreme (http://www. bubbleballextreme.com/www.bubbleballextreme.com). For $10 per person, guests can play human bumper cars. Our lineup of fun food vendors keeps growing each season, which includes Brick N Motor, The Meatball Truck, the Original

46

OCTOBER 2015 :: ROCHESTERWOMANMAG.COM

Mac and Cheese, and Effortlessly Healthy. Other food and beverage vendors include: The Brown Hound, Simply Crepes, Frozen Freeze Artisain Ice Cream, Smoothies Plus, I’ll Bring the Food Catering, Naked Dove, Nedloh’s Brewery, Black Button Distillery, Arbor Hill/Brew & Brats, Heron Hill, Raymor Estates Winery, Eagle Crest Vineyards, to name a few. We will even have Alpacas from Hemlock Hills Alpaca, activities for the kids and lots of great arts and crafts vendors.

Lake Ontario • Finger Lakes Region

New York’s

Great Lake

A TASTE OF WAYNE COUNTY

18TH ANNUAL

APPLE TASTING

getaway

TOUR

the Experiences abound in Wayne County Located between Rochester and Syracuse, Wayne County is a great destination for all tastes.

TOUR CHALLENGE October 1-31, 2015

® I LOVE NEW YORK logo is a registered trademark/service mark of the NYS Dept. of Economic Development, used with permission.

Thorpe Vineyard

TASTING WEEKEND October 9-12, 2015

Treat yourself with a glass of award-winning wine made from our homegrown grapes since 1988.

Catch the excitement of a working farm winery at harvest time with the breathtaking views of Lake Ontario and the foliage of the Chimney Bluffs. Like us on Facebook! Open: Fri-Sun from Noon – 6pm

Special Weekend Events in October!

Apples Baked Goods Mums Fresh Produce Pumpkins Wine & Spirits Gift Items Door Prizes Cider Crafts

Starry Starry Night’s: Aug 15, Sep 5 & 19, Oct 10

315-594-2502 • 8150 Chimney Heights Boulevard • Wolcott • thorpevineyard.com

One Location, Twice the Fun!

Farm Market Ice Cream Shop Jumping Pillow & More Gemstone Panning • Birthday Parties

Tasting Room Open Daily Grape & Fruit Wines Corporate Events • Private Tastings

315-986-4202 • Eddy Road, Macedon • longacrefarms.com

800-527-6510

www.waynecountytourism.com

FAN US TO WIN! Like Apple Tasting Tour on Facebook and enter our weekly fans-only contest. Every Thursday in September, we will post a question and select one fan who comments to win a $20 gift certificate! www.facebook.com/AppleTastingTour

800-527-6510

www.appletastingtour.com

the Experiences abound in Wayne County Located between Rochester and Syracuse, Wayne County is a great destination for all tastes.

feature ::SPECIAL

breast cancer

SURVIVORS’ WISDOM FOR THE NEWLY DIAGNOSED

feature

:SPECIAL,

BY MARISA ZEPPIERI-CARUANA Being diagnosed with any disease is life altering. It is normal to experience a flurry of emotions and thought processes as the news settles in. For the incredible women highlighted here, being diagnosed with breast cancer forever changed their lives. Many of the women I spoke with expressed the belief that the journey was a gift – one that helped change their life path, find their true passions and push them outside of their comfort zones to a place where they could help others. All of the women shared one common goal for the future -- to become a source of support and knowledge for those newly diagnosed.

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, these ladies share pearls of wisdom for anyone recently diagnosed: My “go-to” motto or quote during my breast cancer journey: “’Knowledge is power.’ The more you know about your diagnosis, treatment and resources, the sooner you can begin to heal. Once you have started the healing process, you can start to pay it forward by helping others.” -- Jewel, 52, survivor of stage II ductal breast cancer, estrogen positive, HER-2 negative.

“Mark Twain’s ‘The two most important days of your life are the day you were born and the day you found out why.’ Having a purpose in life, an overriding quest to make life better for someone other than yourself, is a gift like life itself. It guides our steps, encourages us in our pursuits, takes some of the sting out of our failures and makes our victories all the more sweet.

It also becomes a special blessing when you are in the midst of fighting for your own life.” -- Donna Hill, 64, two-times survivor of infiltrating ductile and carcinoma in situ.

FIVE THINGS I LEARNED ABOUT CANCER:

“1. I am a crybaby. 2. I look good bald! 3. I am stronger than I ever thought I was. 4. Wonton soup, vanilla ice cream and ginger ale all go great together.

5. It is okay to ask for help.” -- Jewel “1. Boobs are overrated; yes, they are nice, but not as nice as life. 2. Cancer treatment and diagnosis has changed considerably since I watched my grandmothers die of the disease in the 60s and 70s. 3. Patients need to be proactive about their care. 4. It’s nice to look back and see I did a good job of conducting myself with grace and dignity through the experience. 5.

It’s even nicer to know I have beaten it and that my vigilance of breast selfexamination and willingness to trust my husband’s instincts about going to a new doctor resulted in early detection.” -- Donna

MY TOP THREE PIECES OF ADVICE FOR SOMEONE NEWLY DIAGNOSED:

“Always get three opinions. Learn how to prioritize. And, take some time for yourself -- whether doing something relaxing every day or following your passions and dreams.” -- Diana Raab, Ph.D., survivor of DCIS -ductal carcinoma in situ.

“Develop a healing team. Take time to rest and reflect. Engage in something you are passionate about that will bring you positive energy.” -- Paulette “Educate yourself as much as you can (treatment options, medications, etc.), partner with your doctors and do everything you need to in order to get through it.” -- Sonia Byrd, 40, survivor of invasive lobular breast cancer My thoughts regarding cancer and hair loss: “I lost all my hair and tried wigs but often they felt too hot. So, I wore pretty scarves and got a henna crown. I learned to feel beautiful no matter what because real beauty comes from within. I encourage you to view this as an opportunity to see yourself that way too.” -- Paulette “Society puts such an emphasis on hair. Every woman is beautiful -- because of her personality, the experiences she has lived through, the journey she has taken, and her compassion towards others. When/if Cancer takes your hair, smile for three reasons -- it’s one less thing to do in the morning, it will grow back, and you have more important things to worry about right now!” – Anonymous

F SI SF SF

MY ADVICE FOR THE FIRST 24 HOURS AFTER SOMEONE RECEIVES A BREAST CANCER DIAGNOSIS:

“Try to suspend your judgment about all of the bad things you think might happen and all of the bad things this means to your life. You’re not a fortune teller, and you need to remind yourself of that. How often have you thought you knew for sure what was going to happen, only to be totally wrong? So, when you find yourself thinking negative things, stop yourself and turn your thoughts to something else like getting information. Do deep breathing, take a bubble bath, go for a walk, do anything that makes you feel comforted in the moment.” -- Donna “Do what you have to do, whether that is to pray, yell, scream, etc. The spotlight is on you at this point. Just know that everything works out for good. I freaked out at first -- had my human emotions, but then it was time to take control. Remember, after the initial reaction, it is time to make a plan.” -- Sonia

HOW THE WORD “CANCER” HAS CHANGED FOR ME, FROM THE INITIAL DIAGNOSIS UNTIL NOW:

“Cancer was a scary word that could mean the end of life, but now I view it more as an unexpected path that has the potential to align you more with spirit and allow you to gain clarity.” -- Paulette “Before being diagnosed with cancer, I never thought about it much. Since my diagnosis, I think about it all the time. I feel it all the time. I find that pre-diagnosis I probably never mentioned the word Cancer, but today I proudly wear it on my sleeve and share my story with anyone that will listen. I want to help ease their fear and the uncertainty.” -- Jewel

MY ADVICE TO SOMEONE CONCERNED ABOUT WORK AND TAKING CARE OF THEMSELVES WHILE UNDERGOING TREATMENT:

“It’s really nice to have a little help sometimes, and I’d advise anyone with Cancer to use this as a time to reach out to your friends, family and community. You will be able to do some things, and you should try to keep a normal schedule in some ways -- not just to fulfill your obligations or to avoid being a burden, but because anything normal you can do helps you feel ... well, normal, and that can be a rare feeling during cancer treatment” -- Donna “Learn to let things go. I am very independent but I learned to let people do things for me even if it was not the way I would have done it; I had to ‘let it go’.” -- Jewel

MY THOUGHTS ON SUPPORT SYSTEMS/GROUPS:

“Solicit the support of those who love you and who you can count on.”

-- Diana “If it is truly an uplifting group, go. If it is a group where people wring their hands and constantly rehearse all of the negatives, run away as fast as you can!” -- Donna

EVEN THOUGH I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH BREAST CANCER...

“I never let the cancer have me. I took charge of me, my life, my goals and my desires for my future. I accepted the gift and embarked on the journey knowing that I would win, grow as a person and never let it beat me down.”

-- Audrey “I realize that life goes on and that with all bad comes good. Having survived Breast Cancer has helped me inspire others in their own journey.” -- Diana “Breast cancer does not define who I am. I am strength, inspiration and hope.” -- Jewel Marisa Zappieri-Caruana is a local author/writer and Mrs New York 2015.

This article originally ran on the HuffingtonPost.com, to view the original article visit http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marisa-zeppiericaruana/breastcancer-survivors-w_b_5997232.html

words ::IN HER OWN

A

Birthday to Remember!

BY SANDY LEARY

Tomorrow is February 2, 2014 (Ground Hog Day) and I’m mulling over how I will celebrate this year? The only thing on my calendar is a 10 AM mammography appointment to check a bump on my right breast I had found a few weeks prior. Since there is absolutely no history of breast cancer in my family, I am not even slightly worried; probably allergic to something is my guess, but . . . “Dr. Leary” is more wrong than she’s ever been in her life!

Morning arrives and as I sip my morning coffee in the car, I decide I will ask my Jim to go to dinner and possibly a movie later in the day. I arrive and check in at Elizabeth Wende Breast Center. Soon my name is called and off I go . . . the technician greets me and we chatted with lively banter. She seats me in the comfy waiting area, and I begin browsing a recent edition of Rochester Woman magazine. Several minutes later I am greeted by a beautiful Indian Dr. and asked to come to a larger room to chat. This time, as I disrobe and climb up on a scary-looking table an assistant arrives and the Dr. explains that we need an in-depth exam of my breast. When she is finished, she asks if she can do a biopsy, and of course, I ask, will this hurt? She replies no and it’s a relatively quick procedure. Worry begins its evil way of making my brain wake up in an instant! I begin to panic and ask if I should call my daughter or my Jim, and she says, be calm and we’ll be through in moments--meanwhile my heart begins to do jumping jacks. Prepped and ready to go, voila - she inserts the instrument - maybe a needle, not sure because I fly up to sit-up mode in a nano-second. Newsflash Dr. - if that’s your description of it won’t hurt, you need to become a mail carrier!!

I am left alone for what seemed hours and then the Dr. reappears and says, “I’m sorry to tell you it’s breast cancer.” My world collapses; my mind stops functioning for a moment, and my body seems to completely shut down. I am thinking OMG - this just can’t be happening again.

Ten years earlier I had been diagnosed with uterine cancer. I just don’t know if I can kick the “nasty C” out of my body yet another time, but I quickly decided YES I can, YES I can, YES I can. I had now spent the better part of my birthday at the Center and was relieved to return to the sanctity of my quiet little home. A call to my daughter Kristi and to my Jim would bring lots of tears and conversation. Little did I know what “rocks” (no, boulders) they would be for me. They attended every single doctor visit, waited patiently during my surgery, and motivated me every single day during my treatments at the Lipson Cancer Center.

I had to meet new doctor after new doctor, assistants, oncologists, technicians, and basically show my girls off to practically everyone on the East side of Rochester, NY. If ever there had been a shy bone in my body it jumped out the window. Everyone rallied around us as we ran through the course of each day - all a blurry look back now. The absolute funniest moment of the last year was when I went to Thelma’s to be fitted for new bras. As I’m sitting on the couch waiting to be seen/fitted, I looked around and burst out laughing. Someone appeared in short order and asked if I was o.k. I said absolutely, I’m just getting a chuckle out of being in a store where I had never in a million years thought I’d ever be.

Luckily I was diagnosed stage 1, and fortunately I suffered not one of the side effects mentioned last year; however, one year later I am beginning to feel the soreness and aches and pains associated with radiation.

Everyone marveled at how well I coped with this diagnosis and I realized all along that God had a plan in place for me. He gave me the tougher of the two “nasty C’s” first to deal with so that the second one would be a breeze - well almost. I am totally focused on my life mission now: Sisters hear me roar: I WILL do whatever is in my power to help find a cure in my lifetime!! p.s. I did get that birthday dinner/movie, JUST NOT ON MY BIRTHDAY!

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::FITNESS 54

OCTOBER 2015 :: ROCHESTERWOMANMAG.COM

:FITNESS

SIFF SF

Building Confidence Through

Martial Arts

BY ELIZABETH VAN DER HORST I PHOTO BY TODD ELLIOTT

Like most people, I have multiple roles: Life Coach, Model, Spouse, and the one that always garners second looks and big reactions, Mixed Martial Artist(MMA), or MMA fighter. At first, people don’t take me seriously.

They probably picture my tall blonde model-self hitting the bags at a kickboxing fitness class, but on the third time of reiterating that I actually cage fight, as in what they see on TV, their eyes begin to get wide and usually either a supportive or “but your face” response ensues. Naturally, the ones who respond with the latter usually have a look on their face that reads, “I’m smiling, but I really think you’re crazy”.

I remember quite well the first time I heard of Mixed Martial Arts. It was nine years ago and I was sitting in my brother’s living room, watching the UFC fights, thinking how amazing it was the fighters knew as much about martial arts as they did. I also thought how insane they were! Who gets in a cage to fight another person? They embodied fearlessness, focus, dedication and confidence like I had never seen before. They were, and are modern day gladiators, and I knew right then that someday I wanted to be one of them.

Fast-forward another five years to 2011, the day I walked into my first Brazilian Jiujitsu class at Bedroc Martial Arts here in Rochester, New York. My boyfriend at the time (now husband), being a professional MMA, convinced me to try a class. I remember him saying there was another girl who had just started, so I wouldn’t feel alone in the learning process.

Keep in mind at that time, just four years ago, there were no professional women in the UFC. Though women had been doing mixed martial arts for a while, it would be another two years before the first women would be signed to the UFC, the first being Ronda Rousey in 2013. I pictured a MMA class to be: a) all male, and b) not wanting to be bothered teaching someone (women) who had no idea what they were doing. (I had no background in any martial art.)

However, I was welcomed, supported, and not the only woman. As I started attending classes something drastic happened. Yes, I got in great shape (not just great shape, but the best shape of my life) and it was a great workout, but my life changed from the inside out. In the time before I started dating my husband and attending Martial Arts classes, I had been in more than one abusive relationship. All the memories of being thrown across the room and being someone’s punching bag came flooding back to me, and I realized never again would I feel like that. Every punch I threw in class took me back in time, and this time I was winning the

fight because now I knew what to do. Now I knew how to fight and defend myself. I felt safe. Now, when I walk to my car alone at night I don’t worry about something happening because I am confident I can handle it. That is what Martial Arts has given to me and countless others: confidence. It’s not just walking to my car at night that has changed, but how I walk in general. I carry myself with a sense of self-assurance that I never had before.

Last winter I decided to pursue my dream of competing in MMA. I set the goal to have one fight and diligently worked hard for it, making time every day to train. I ate healthier and went to bed earlier. It forced me to prioritize my health and my body’s needs. The day before Mother’s Day 2015, I stepped into the cage and won in one minute, one second. Needless to say, my mother and mother-in-law in the audience were quite relieved they did not have to watch it any longer! Besides feeling the rush of adrenaline, I experienced the surreal moment of watching the goal I had worked so hard for unfolding in front of me. All of my late night and early morning workouts, and the exhaustion, tears, and bruises, had paid off.

A few weeks later, I was asked to be in an MMA tournament through Fighters Source, which will determine a US Amateur MMA team, set to compete in Brazil in 2016. I accepted, and have since won again, (in 29 seconds of round one), and will advance to my next match in November here in WNY before going for the national title in San Diego early next year, then on the World Championships in Brazil.

It is crazy how one little spark of interest in something turns into a goal that then turns into reality and so much more than expected, in a beautiful way. Yes, part of me is crazy for getting in the cage, but I now know what fearless feels like, and I also know the inner peace that accompanies complete confidence. I think back to all the times someone responded with concern for my face when I told them I did MMA, and I am so glad I know I have much more to offer the world than what I look like. To participate and master this sport is to become empowered. What more could a woman want?

Elizabeth van der Horst, M.S. Bio: Elizabeth is a Life Coach with a Masters degree in Art Therapy. She lives with her husband and many animals here in Rochester, NY. Currently still undefeated in MMA, she continues to train where it all began for her at Bedroc Martial Arts.

ROCHESTERWOMANMAG.COM :: OCTOBER 2015

55

feature ::SPECIAL

MISSING

SWEATPANTS: a Teachable Moment

BY JAIME SAUNDERS

That concept is a hard one for many of us to understand. Our homes are supposed to be the place we can be safe, a place to be with family and friends, and a place to refresh, relax, and recharge for the challenges of the world outside.

“What’s the matter sweetheart?” I ask with as much positivity as I can muster.

Yet, we know that for one in three women their home is not safe. We know each year in Monroe County over 50,000 calls are made to 911 for domestic disputes.

Of the 6,000 domestic incidents officially reported annually (and most never are), 51% were in our suburbs and 49% were in the city of Rochester. Earlier this year, we all read about the four domestic violence related homicides in five weeks – two in the city, one in Gates and one in Pittsford.

My seven-year-old daughter is standing in our bedroom doorway with a look of extreme disappointment on her face.

“Where are my Hello Kitty sweat pants?” she demands.

“Hmm…” I say to buy myself some time to think about how to respond. The truth is, with the change of seasons, the new school year, and for my own sanity, I have been in a major purging mode at our house. Doesn’t fit – gone. Haven’t played with it in years – gone. I do this when no one is in the house. Otherwise nothing would go and we would have to swim over piles of stuff just to get out our front door.

My daughter apparently has figured out my secret.

We stare at each other – waiting for the other to speak first. Then she says, “Did you take them to the kids at your work?”

“Yes, I did.”

She guessed right, because she knows I often bring clothes and books to my work. She asks because ‘my work’ is at the Willow Domestic Violence Center, formerly Alternatives for Battered Women.

“Is there a six-year-old there today?” she asks.

“Yes, there is.”

“How many kids are there now?” she asks.

“23,” I answer.

We talk often about the families who stay at Willow and about the many who don’t stay, but come in to meet with a counselor while their children play in the playroom down the hall. There are over 20 kids in the shelter on any given day, and more than 300 children each year.

My daughter continues to ask questions about the 23 kids in our shelter that day. How do they get to school in the morning? Is it a new school for them or can they go to their same school? Do they bring snacks to school? Do they bring their favorite toy with them when they come to Willow?

I can answer all of those questions, but the hardest one she asks is, “Mom, why isn’t their home safe for them?”

The Center for Disease Control declares domestic violence a public health epidemic. Domestic violence impacts more women than breast cancer, cervical cancer, and diabetes. And unlike these diseases that impact so many of our loved ones, domestic violence is 100% preventable.

It’s hard to fathom that so much darkness is still hidden behind closed doors.

“Why isn’t their home safe?” is a hard question. I turn to my daughter and look her in the eye and say, “We all have the right to be safe. No one has the right to harm you with their words or with their hands – especially those who are supposed to love you the most. No one has the right to use their power to control another person. And we must do what we can to look out for each other and to help, especially those who are not safe at home.”

My daughter looks at me and I know that she’s halfway out the door already and only halfway listening to me. I am sorry about the sweatpants,” I add.

“It’s OK,” she says and she’s gone.

Our quick teachable moment sparked by missing sweatpants is over, yet I know we will be talking about dating and domestic violence again and again. It is only through talking about what is in the shadows that we can make impactful change – to prevent future violence and to create a safe space for friends, family and co-workers who need us. If only 10% of what I say to my daughter gets through, it’s worth saying.

I also learned a lesson that day: never underestimate the importance of Hello Kitty to a seven-year-old.

Jaime Saunders is President & CEO of Willow Domestic Violence Center (formerly Alternatives for Battered Women) which reaches over 7,000 survivors of domestic violence each year in the Greater Rochester area through its 24 hour Hotline, Counseling Center, emergency shelter, court accompaniment and prevention education programs.

September

TOWPATH BIKE BREAST CANCER RIDE/RUN

11

THINK PINK OCTOBER LAUNCH PARTY

15

STEP OUT WALK

17 MAKING STRIDES AGAINST BREAST CANCER

18 IT’S A PINK PARTY

29

2015

EVENTS CALENDAR

Organization: BCCR Where: Mendon Ponds Park When: 9:00am Website: www.towpathbike.com Organization: Rochester Woman Magazine Where: Strathallan Rooftop When: 5:30pm - 8:30pm Website: www.rochesterwomanmag.com Organization: American Diabetes Association Where: Genesee Valley Park When: 9:00am Website: www.diabetes.org/stepoutrochester

Organization: The American Cancer Society Where: Frontier Field When: 10:00am Website: www.cancer.org Organization: Rochester Woman Magazine & BCCR Where: Shear Ego Interbnational School When: 5:30pm Website: www.rochesterwomanmag.com

Please Join Rochester’s Women Making Wishes For the 4th Annual

Sip‘N Shop

Brought to you by

Sunday, November 1, 2015 2-5 p.m.

Woodcliff Hotel and Spa 199 Woodcliff Drive Fairport, NY 14450

Start your holiday shopping with an afternoon of sipping, shopping and socializing to support Make-A-Wish® and local businesses! $15 pre-sale tickets available or $20 at the door Complimentary food / beverage tastings and valet parking!

A cash bar will be available

To purchase advance tickets contact the Rochester Make-A-Wish® Of�ice: (585) 272-9474 Thank you to our sponsors!

For more information about Make-A-Wish please visit wny.wish.org.

$15 of every ticket sold will bene�it Make-A-Wish® Western New York.

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moment ::MENOPAUSE

Update on Timing of HRT in

Menopause

BY JAMES WOODS, MD AND ELIZABETH WARNER, MD In 1964, Dr. Robert Wilson, a gynecologist in New York City advocated in his book Feminine Forever that all menopausal women should receive hormone replacement therapy (HRT). The outrage of the feminist movement led the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to fund the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) in 1991 to determine if HRT could safely protect women’s cardiovascular and bone health.

In July 2002, the trial was prematurely canceled due to findings of a statistical increase in both breast cancer and stroke. Based on these findings and the resultant publicity, millions of women stopped their HRT and doctors stopped prescribing HRT. As a result of this precipitous change, the majority of menopausal women for greater than a decade have gone without HRT.

Since the WHI trial there have been significant improvements in hormone replacement. The WHI utilized only oral conjugated estrogen (Premarin) alone or combined with medroxyprogesterone acetate (Provera) as Prempro. Bioidentical estrogen in the form of estradiol and pure micronized progesterone have largely replaced these hormones now and they are more likely to be given in skin patch, cream, mist or suppository form as a much safer vehicle to lessen liver and blood clotting effects. The starting age for HRT is now the beginning of menopause (late forties to early 50’s) with the purpose to treat vasomotor symptoms (VMS) with the lowest estrogen dose. The WHI average starting age was 63.3 years which would generally not be condoned now.

Currently, duration of treatment of VMS with HRT is also undergoing reevaluation. Older teaching was that VMS for the majority of menopausal women only last one to three years. However, in keeping with the experience of most practitioners and their menopausal patients, the recently published Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN) provides a more protracted picture of VMS. Of 3,302 menopausal women from seven US sites followed from 1996 to 2013 of which 1,449 women had VMS, median duration of VMS was 7.4 years and those who experienced VMS as they entered menopause had 60

OCTOBER 2015 :: ROCHESTERWOMANMAG.COM

symptoms lasting longer than 11.8 years (median). Some women have VMS their whole postmenopausal life!

Does the treatment of VMS make a difference? VMS are associated with poorer quality of life, negative moods, and sleep disorders. From subjective symptoms to objective science, recent studies now link VMS to inflammatory and hematologic indicators of increased cardiovascular risks. Women with greater than six days of hot flashes in two weeks exhibit increases in procoagulant/antifibrinolytic hematologic markers, plasminogen activator antigen (tPA-ag) and Factor VII, both of which demonstrate a link between vascular endothelial factors and autonomic neurogenic activity (VMS). Moreover, women with VMS exhibit lower bone mineral density compared to those without VMS. Lower bone density with longer life span portends increased osteoporosis with all of its sequelae in later life. Based on these findings, it is not surprising that VMS have an impact on the economy. Data from over 500,000 Fortune 500 health insurance claims from 1999-2011 show that for menopausal women experiencing untreated VMS there were 57% more indirect productivity days lost (mostly absenteeism) compared to women treated for VMS at an incremental direct yearly cost of $339,599,459 or $770 per person per year.

Proper management of VMS has entered a new era. Based on compounds with improved safety, newer methods of hormone delivery and awareness of the negative impact and duration of untreated symptoms, HRT has improved the lives of many menopausal women who in the recent past were forced to endure the heat-searing effects of VMS. We can only expect further improvements in our understanding and management of this important women’s health issue in the future.

References available on request.

James Woods MD is a practicing gynecologist credentialed in Menopause Medicine and a regular contributor to Rochester Woman Magazine.

Elizabeth Warner, MD, is a retired gynecologist. For questions regarding menopausal issues, please call him at (585) 271-7800. These issues are discussed in our BLOG entitled www.obgyn.urmc.edu/menopause.

Obstetrics and Gynecology

Henry Hess, MD, PhD

Jim Woods, MD

We specialize in perimenopausal and menopausal care and welcome new patients.

To make an appointment, please call 585.271.7800.

Hess/Woods/Warshof Obstetrics and Gynecology 2255 South Clinton Avenue Rochester, NY14618 Kalin Warshof, MS, RN, FNP-BC

woman

::MODERN DAY WONDER

wonder woman

::MODERN DAY

&

MW

Provide Love Support to Those

battling cancer

BY JILL BURRESS

According to the American Cancer Society, at this time there are more than 2.8 million breast cancer survivors in the U.S. These ladies are not just statistics. These women have experienced the battle of cancer on the front lines. These are the women who have felt the lump in their breast, calmed the rush of terror at the need to do further testing, cried with family members at the thought of the appointments to come, prayed at night for healing and in the end…overcame.

Along with the survivors, there are those who have recently been or are soon to be diagnosed with breast cancer. We should be “thinking pink” as October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. So I did some digging which lead to my realization of how ignorant I am of this disease. If you are like me and didn’t already know this, let me enlighten you with a fact… 1 out of 8 women in the U.S. will develop breast cancer over the course of her lifetime? This is startling…just thinking of my neighborhood, statistically that could possibly mean there are 25 out of 200 women who will experience breast cancer. Ladies, these 1 out of 8 women are our modern day “Wonder Women” who are in the fight of their lives! Thankfully with the help of research and technology, we now diagnose cancer sooner than ever before and the chances of survival are at an all-time high. But still, that is a staggering number and I don’t know about you, but I sit here thinking I wish I could do something about it.

Has your heart, along with mine, been broken lately with so many friends and loved ones diagnosed with cancer? What is even more disheartening is the re-occurrence of the neoplasm following remission.

The Apostle Paul said, “God comforts us whenever we suffer. That is why whenever other people suffer, we are able to comfort them by using the same comfort we have received from God.” My family tries to live this truth. Recently, we walked to the neighbor’s house with a homemade treat, told her we loved her through this hard time and prayed with her. It was so precious…seeing my children huddled together praying for this woman we love and care for whom has made the tough decision to allow the disease to ravage her body. The thought of the out of control cancerous cells spreading inside a beautiful person without a sign on the outside seems invasive to me. I can’t understand how we can feel so good on the outside while something is tearing us apart on the inside. It makes me want to wage war on cancer. All the while I sit here strong and healthy with the potential to do something to try to make a difference. Just because we are physically not in the battle right now, doesn’t mean we should just be spectators. But the question is…what can we do?

Let me reassure you Wonder Women, we all have this stored up, kinetic energy that needs to be unleashed. Let’s fight alongside our loved ones by supporting, loving and praying for those who are hurting. All of us women need that same unconditional love and support sometimes

in this unpredictable, wild ride called “life.” Indeed, you may have experienced this love at some point in your lifetime. Let’s reminisce, think of a time when you were in pain or experienced sincere loss in life.

Now, recall the love of a family member, the embrace of a friend, the time someone called you out of concern, or even the thoughtful prayers of those you didn’t even know. They were there for you to comfort you. When you stop and think about it, doesn’t it make you feel good that someone cared enough to see through their busy schedule to meet a need in your life? Just as others have done this for us, we need to schedule and plan for those opportunities. It takes effort and time out of our busy schedules to love on others, so let’s vow to look for occasions to comfort others. This love requires intentionality- find that moment to check in on someone, make a meal or bake a pie, stop and pray with or for someone. God uses ordinary people like us to love, hug, care for and carry each other’s burdens?

While we care for others, we must not forget to care for ourselves.

Without all the known causes of cancer, we can’t walk through life avoiding everything that may cause us harm, but we can do for ourselves what others can’t do for us. That keeps ourselves physically fit and make healthy food choices. Now, be realistic, you can go on vacation and skip a week of workout or eat a piece of chocolate pie once in a while (Why is my weakness always associated with chocolate?) Anyway, make wise choices in life by setting healthy habits. Trust me, when you start making a habit of diet and exercise, it becomes part of your life. I figure, with this routine, if someday I am the woman fighting cancer, I can look back and say, “I have no regrets. I did everything in my power to live a healthy lifestyle.”

In closing, consider that the person who is on your heart and mind at this very moment is the one God wants you to reach out to. Now, write the letter, send a card, make a meal, chit-chat about topics unrelated to cancer, bake a dessert, give a hug, smile, and wave. Together, let’s vow to look for those who need our comfort and love when they are going through difficult times. All the while, keeping our body, soul, and spirit healthy and strong.

If you are looking for support and love for yourself or a family member with cancer, we welcome you to join our cancer support group at Victory Church. Like everything we do, it is free and open to anyone in the community regardless of your faith background. Please join us every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month at 6:30 pm.

Bio: Jill Burress is a full-time Speech-Language Pathologist at NTID/RIT along with another full-time schedule of “randomness”. She is passionate about inspiring women to be the best they can be! Find her on Facebook, www. inspiringwonderwomen.blogspot.com, and check out the free fitness classes and a calendar of events available at Victory Church at discovervictory.com.

matters :LOCAL BUSINESS 64

OCTOBER 2015 :: ROCHESTERWOMANMAG.COM

Breast Imaging NEW

Center Opens in Canandaigua The center features 3D imaging and offers sameday results, as well as a Breast Health Patient Navigation Team, breast ultrasounds, biopsies and bone density screening.

The UR Medicine Breast Imaging Center at Thompson Health, officially known as the Dr. Laurie Sands and Constellation Brands Breast Imaging Center, opened to patients on Aug. 31.

Located directly across from Thompson Hospital in the Lakeside Professional Park at 195 Parrish St., the 7,000-square-foot center features tomosynthesis technology, which Thompson first began offering in its mammography department in May of this year.

This state-of-the-art technology provides 3D imaging and is available in each room at the Breast Imaging Center, the only facility in the region where this is the standard of care for every patient.

“Everything we do in Rochester is now available in Canandaigua,” says Dr. Avice O’Connell, director of Women’s Imaging for the University of Rochester Medical Center and also the medical director for the new Breast Imaging Center.

Research indicates the combination of tomosynthesis and conventional 2-D mammography has the potential to: • Find tumors that may have otherwise remained hidden • Reduce the number of women called back for anxiety-producing extra testing due to false positives • Improve doctors’ ability to diagnose breast cancer earlier Following a celebratory “Bra-Vo for Breast Health” fashion show at Lord & Taylor in Victor in August, the new center hosted an open house for the community on Sept. 23.

“This fully-accredited, comprehensive center is a reality thanks to the generosity of donors who believe in Thompson Health’s ongoing commitment to providing advanced technology and compassionate care,” says Thompson Health President/CEO Michael F. Stapleton, Jr., FACHE. In addition to mammograms with tomosynthesis technology, the new Breast Imaging Center also provides bone density screening, breast ultrasounds, biopsies and a Breast Health Patient Navigation Team dedicated to giving patients immediate access to a variety of support services essential for treatment and overall well-being.

“We really want to support these women straight through their experience,”says Director of Diagnostic Imaging Wendy Mulholland.

“This team is there for them through their diagnosis, their treatment, their aftercare and their survivorship.”

Also available at the Breast Imaging Center are same-day results, which is something Carole Lillis is excited about. Lillis, of Canandaigua, was diagnosed with breast cancer at Thompson Hospital in 2010 and was so pleased with her care that she became an active supporter of the $2.5 million capital campaign for the Breast Imaging Center at the very beginning. She says same-day results are “wonderful.”

“You’re either going to walk home thinking, ‘OK, everything’s great’ or you’re going to walk home thinking, ‘OK, they found it and now we’re going to treat it,’” she says. “We’re so fortunate in a town the size of Canandaigua to have this at our disposal.”

For Mulholland, the hope is that the excitement surrounding the opening of the Breast Imaging Center will help draw attention to the benefits of early detection.

After all, she notes, the American Cancer Society recommends yearly mammograms for all women over age 40. These screening exams detect breast cancer before symptoms occur, meaning the cancer is more likely to be small and confined to the breast.

Mulholland says the size of a malignant breast tumor and how far it has spread are two of the most important factors in predicting the prognosis for a woman with this disease.

And yet according to research, only about half of U.S. women get an annual mammogram, even if they have insurance to cover the test.

It’s something that troubles Krista Jackson of Canandaigua, a breast cancer survivor who was diagnosed at the age of 41.

“The treatments and outcomes are so much better if we catch these things early on, so don’t delay in getting a mammogram,” she says. “We have a great facility and resources right at your fingertips, so there’s no excuse for not going.”

To schedule a mammogram at the Dr. Laurie Sands and Constellation Brands Breast Imaging Center in Canandaigua, call (585) 396-6651. For a mammogram at one of UR Medicine Breast Imaging’s other locations – in Rochester, Penfield or Brockport, call (585) 487-3300.

Breast Cancer Support Group Meets Monthly UR Medicine’s Thompson Health hosts a Breast Cancer Support Group on the third Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m. in the Dr. Laurie Sands and Constellation Brands Breast Imaging Center, 195 Parrish St. Facilitated by Jennifer Klein, a certified holistic stress management instructor, this group provides both support and education.

Support persons are welcome.

Call (585) 396-6111 for details.

The next level of

Mammography is here.

The Dr. Laurie Sands and Constellation Brands

Breast Imaging Center Located in a private, soothing environment, our new center offers:

NOW OPEN! ■■

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UR Imaging radiologists Leading-edge 3D imaging technology Same day results available MammoPad® breast cushions Breast health navigation nurses

Call (585) 396-6651 to schedule your annual screening mammogram, or visit ThompsonHealth/ BIC for more information.

Located across from Thompson Hospital at Lakeside Professional Park 195 Parrish Street, Suite 103 CANANDAIGUA

“You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face” —Eleanor Roosevelt

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