Page 1 - Breast Cancer

GO 6 SUNDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2016
BREAST CANCER
AMY HERZOG/THE MORNING CALL ANITA SERGENT FOR ST. LUKE’S HOSPITAL/CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Heidi Kelly of Kutztown has been breast cancer free for two years. While in treatment she Isabelle McMahon of Bartonville, Monroe County says volunteering helped her through
started making handbags from scratch to keep her mind off being sick. breast cancer.
The power of positive action
Two women found that staying busy and engaged with life
helped them during their battles with breast cancer.
By Jennifer Sheehan She mulled over whether she should lump.
have it looked at. “When I found out, I was in the waiting
Of The Morning Call
“I kinda put it off because I was too room waiting for my husband who was
Heidi Kelly found comfort in her sewing scared,” Kelly says. getting his teeth pulled,” Kelly says. “When
machine. I got the news, I burst into tears. My poor
She happened to be watching a reality husband was waking up out of laughing
“Whenever I was feeling good enough, I TV show with Giuliana Rancic, who had gas. It was a shock. I was scared and I knew
would sew and the sewing machine was been just diagnosed with breast cancer. at that point that radiation and chemo
my therapist,” the Kutztown woman says. Rancic is close in age to Kelly and both were in my future.”
women have no family history of the dis-
Isabelle McMahon of Bartonville, Mon- ease. Seeing what Rancic was going She went through four rounds of chemo
roe County, knew she had to keep volun- through, she realized she should go and and 35 days of radiation.
teering at the Pocono Pregnancy Resource have the bruise examined.
Center, despite her health struggles. Hair loss is inevitable with chemo. So
She went for her appointment at Lehigh she took control.
“I thought to myself I have to do it,” Valley Hospital-Cedar Crest. After her
McMahon says of volunteering. “Other initial mammogram, she was sent immedi- “A week after my first chemo, I shaved
people have problems and I have to try to ately for a more detailed mammogram and my head,” Kelly says.
help.” ultrasound.
She really enjoyed wearing wigs. “My
Kelly and McMahon battled breast can- She learned that she had stage 2 invasive favorite thing was the wigs,” Kelly says. “I
cer and each found that staying busy and ductal carcinoma. She made the decision to loved the wigs. I got real hair wigs and I
engaged in life helped them. As part of have a double mastectomy. dyed them all these creative colors.”
National Breast Cancer Awareness Month,
the women shared their stories of survival. “My husband and I were both on the When she was feeling up to it, she
same page,” Kelly says. “They [her breasts] turned to sewing. She had worked as a
‘My motto is: Live life now’ did this to me and I didn’t want them.” bartender but the creative side of her
pulled her toward making handbags.
Four and half years ago, Heidi Kelly That surgery was followed by four more
noticed what she describes as a dented- procedures for reconstruction. “That kept me going,” she says.
looking bruise on her breast. She was 38 at Through everything, standing by her
the time and hadn’t had a mammogram. Two years later, almost to the date, she side was her husband, Michael.
(Yearly mammograms typically begin at found a lump. It tested positive for cancer “He took me to every appointment,”
age 40.) but was considered a “local occurrence,”
meaning the cancer was limited to just the Please see CANCER GO 7 history of breast cancer.
BREAST CANCER RESOURCES
Sukamal Saha, M.D., FACS, FRCS(C), EVENTS
surgical oncologist, who trained as a
resident at Easton Hospital has returned to ■ Free Mammo Day
the Lehigh Valley to pracice. What: Free Mammo Day at Blue Mountain
Health System, open to people who are unin-
Today, he is a naional presence in cancer, sured or underinsured only. Includes a free
named by Newsweek in 2015 as a Top mammogram and CBE (Clinical Breast Exam)
Cancer Doctor and by U.S. News & World with a health care professional. A prescription
Report in 2011 as a Top Doctor. His research in seninel lymph for a screening mammogram will be supplied.
node mapping in colorectal and breast cancers is well documented, Appointments are limited and registration is
with over 200 abstracts, 84 manuscripts, 11 book chapters and required.
over 100 naional and internaional presentaions. When: 8-11 a.m. Tuesday
Where: Mammography Dept. PH, 135 Lafayette
A board ceriied surgeon, Dr. Saha completed a two-year Ave., Palmerton.
fellowship in surgical oncology at Tulane University in New Orleans, Registration: Mary Lou McGeehan, 610-377-
Louisiana, and a second fellowship in head and neck surgery at 7070; mmcgeehan@blmtn.org
Roswell Park Cancer Insitute in Bufalo, New York. He specializes in ■ Lehigh Valley Health Network Mam-
surgical oncology with a subspecialty in head and neck cancer. He mothon
also has a special interest in GYN/GU cancer, endocrine surgery, What: Walk-in mammograms. No appointment
breast cancer, hepato-biliary cancers, melanoma and roboic or prescription needed, though a woman must
surgery. He has praciced for the last 24 years in Michigan, be 40 years old or older and have not had a
performing over 13,000 cancer operaions, including more than mammogram within the past 12 months. Bring
12,000 breast cancer cases and more than 600 colorectal insurance card.
cancer cases. Where: 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday
Where: Health Center at Moselem Springs,
To schedule an appointment, call 844-998-8200. 14351 Kutztown Road, Fleetwood; and Health
Center at Bangor, 1337 Blue Valley Drive, Bangor
Easton Medical Group • 3101 Emrick Boulevard, Suite 310 Plaza shopping center, Pen Argyl
Bethlehem, PA 18020 • Oice 610-419-6525 Info: www.lvhn.org, 610-402-CARE
■ Pocono Medical Center’s Mammothon
Proudly Ailiated with Easton Hospital What: Walk-in mammograms, no appointment
or prescription needed.
Walk-In Screening 3D Mammograms When: 7 a.m.-2 p.m. Thursday
Where: Pocono Medical Center’s Bartonsville
7 a.m.-7 p.m. Healthcare Center, 600 Commerce Blvd., Bar-
Every Wednesday in October tonsville
Info: 570-420-4999
1800 Sullivan Trail • Park Plaza • Forks Township ■ Making Strides Again Breast Cancer of
the Lehigh Valley 5K
For more informaion, call 610-250-4292 What: 3.1-mile family-friendly walk in down-
town Bethlehem
When: 10 a.m. Oct. 22; registration, 8:30 a.m.
Where: Main and Lehigh streets, Bethlehem
Info: 610-921-2329; www.makingstrides-
walk.org.
■ I Pink I Can
What: Experts from LVHN and Memorial Sloan
Kettering Cancer Center discuss new clinical
trials for breast cancer on which they are col-
laborating, new methods for treating breast
cancer and the value and availability of genetic
counseling.
When: 5 p.m. Oct. 24
Where: Lehigh Valley Hospital – Cedar Crest,
Kasych Family Pavilion, Medical Imaging of
Lehigh Valley Educational Conference Center,
rooms 6, 7, and 8, 1200 S. Cedar Crest Blvd.,
Allentown
Info/register: Call 610-402-CARE
■ Bling Your Bra Auction and Health and
Wellness Expo
What: American Cancer Society’s Making
Strikes Against Breast Cancer Committee of
the Lehigh Valley host an evening of vendors,
bra auction, more. All proceeds from the auc-
tion go to The American Cancer Society’s
making Strides Against Breast Cancer Cam-
paign.
When: 6-9 p.m. Oct. 25
Where: Best Western Lehigh Valley, 300 Gate-
way Drive, Bethlehem
Info: www.thinkpinknights.com
THE MORNING CALL
BREAST CANCER STATS
■ About 1 in 8 American women will
develop invasive breast cancer sometime
in their lifetime.
■ In 2016, about 246,660 new cases of
invasive breast cancer are expected to be
diagnosed in women in the U.S., along with
61,000 new cases of non-invasive breast
cancer.
■ For women in the U.S., breast cancer
death rates are higher than those for any
other cancer, besides lung cancer.
■ In 2016, there are more than 2.8 million
women with a history of breast cancer in
the U.S. This includes women being
treated and women who have finished
treatment.
■ A woman’s risk of breast cancer nearly
doubles if she has a first-degree relative
(mother, sister, daughter) who has been
diagnosed with breast cancer.
■ About 85 percent of breast cancers
occur in women who have no family
— breastcancer.org
■ 100.7 WLEV’s 7th Annual Little Pink Dress
Party
What: 21-and-older event featuring music,
makeovers, food, more. Advance tickets: $20 at
www.artsquest.org.com. A $25 donation at
door.
When: 6:30-10 p.m. Oct. 27
Where: Musikfest Cafe, 101 Founders Way,
Bethlehem
Info: www.wlevradio.com.
■ Lehigh Valley Pink Heals 5K
What: 3.1-mile race to benefit the Pink Heals,
Lehigh Valley Chapter, a volunteer non-profit
providing support and comfort to area women
and their families during times of illness.
When: 9 a.m. Nov. 5; $25, registration
Where: Notre Dame High School, 3417 Church
Road, Bethlehem Twp.
Info: www.pinkhealslv.org.
RESOURCES
Susan G Komen Breast Cancer Foundation,
ww5.komen.org
■ American Cancer Society, www.cancer.org
■ National Breast Cancer Foundation,
www.nationalbreastcancer.org
■ Pa. Breast Cancer Coalition, www.pabreast-
cancer.org
SUPPORT SERVICES
■ American Cancer Society
What: “Reach to Recovery” provides free
one-on-one support and information from
breast-cancer survivors. All are trained and
certified. Seven days a week, 24 hours a day.
What: “Road to Recovery.” Open to cancer
patients. Patients must have a cancer
diagnosis and be traveling for a cancer-related
medical appointment. Patients must be able to
walk unassisted to and from the vehicle, or
have an accompanying caregiver to assist.
Patients under the age of 18 must be accompa-
nied by a legally responsible adult such as a
parent or caregiver. A four-business day ad-
vance notice is strongly encouraged.
What: “Look Good, Feel Better” programs offer
free, two-hour workshops for women under-
going cancer treatment. Helps improve the
self-image, appearance and quality of life of
patients by teaching beauty techniques to help
cope with the temporary appearance-related
side effects of treatment. At various locations,
including Lehigh Valley Health Network-Muh-
lenberg, Easton Hospital, St. Luke’s-Anderson
Campus, Pocono Medical Center and Cancer
Support Community Greater Lehigh Valley
Info: 800-224-2345
■ Blue Mountain Health System
What: Breast Cancer Support Group
When: 3:30 p.m., third Tuesday of every month
Where: Ground floor community room, Gnaden
Huetten campus, Blue Mountain Health Sys-
tem, 211 N. 12th St., Lehighton
Info: Liz, 610-377-7029
■ Cancer Support Community Greater
Lehigh Valley
What: Breast Cancer Networking Group; goal is
to help women with breast cancer understand
emotional reactions common to the diagnosis
of breast cancer.
Please see GO 7