Sharing

Beaumont Cancer Center3577 W. Thirteen Mile

Royal Oak, MI 48073-6710248-551-8585

Speaker’s Schedule248-551-8588

♥ Our Cover Story: Screening for All!♥ Lots of Special Breast Cancer Awareness Month Events!♥ Calendar of Events

In This Issue:

You can make a difference

Sharing & Caring is a non-profit

organization devoted to the education and support of

breast cancer survivors. Your donation will

support programs for others who follow in your footsteps. Please make your check payable to Sharing & Caring

at the above address.

Autumn 2012 A NEWSLETTER FOR BREAST CANCER SURVIVORS

with Friends

“A screening test tries to find a disease before there are any symptoms. With breast cancer, there’s a misconception that if you feel fine, don’t have a lump, and have no family history of breast cancer, you’re okay. The truth is that three-quarters of the women in whom we find breast cancer have no risk factors. So screening is important for everyone.” - Susan Greenstein Orel, MD

If you’ve never had breast cancer and want to increase your odds of early detection, you need to know what tests are available that will increase your chance of finding it earlyif you do develop breast cancer. Screening tests such as yearly mammograms are given routinely to people who appear to be healthy and are not suspected of having breast cancer. Their purpose is to find breast cancer early, before any symptoms can develop and the cancer usually is easier to treat. In addition to annual mammography, there are several other screening tests available that can help you or your doctor make an early diagnosis.

BREAST SELF EXAM• Try to get in the habit of doing a breast self-examination once a month to familiarize yourself with how your breasts normally look and feel. Examine yourself several days after your period ends, when your breasts are least likely to be swollen and tender. If you are no longer having periods, choose a day that’s easy to remember, such as the first or last day of the month. • Don’t panic if you think you feel a lump. In the United States, only 20% of women who have a suspicious lump biopsied turn out to have breast cancer. • What’s important is that you get to know the look and feel of YOUR breasts. Does something stand out as different from the rest? Has anything changed? Bring to the attention of your doctor any changes in your breasts that

last more than a full month’s cycle OR seem to get worse or more obvious over time.

BREAST PHYSICAL EXAMSThis exam, given by a doctor or other health care professional, can help find lumps that women may miss with their own self-exams.Lumps, thickening, asymmetry (a difference in appearance between the two breasts) changes in your breasts that you may not notice or think are “normal” may be detected by a health professional who examines many breasts regularly. After age 40, women should have a breast exam by a health professional every year.

THERMOGRAPHYAlso called thermal imaging, thermography uses a special camera to measure the temperature of the skin on the breast’s surface. It is a non-invasive test that involves no radiation.Thermography is based on two ideas:•Blood flow and metabolism are higher in a cancer tumor. •As blood flow and metabolism increase, skin temperature goes up.Thermography has been available for several decades, but no study has shown that it’s a good screening tool to detect breast cancer early, when the cancer is most treatable. The American Cancer Society does not recommend thermography as a replacement for mammograms. Thermography may be used to supplement information from a mammogram and help identify cancers that are close to the skin. Still, thermography can’t find cancers that are deeper in the breast and it can’t detect small cancers.Researchers are developing and testing new versions of thermography that someday may improve the test’s accuracy and usefulness.

ULTRASOUNDUltrasound is an imaging test that sends continued on page 3...

News About Breast CancerScreening is for Everyone

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Happy Fall Everyone!

As we head into the cooler, crisp autumn months we also head into the pink ribbon season. This October we will be focusing on survivorship, with the four topics that are consistently the most requested; exercise, nutrition,

bone health and hormonal therapies. The Survivorship Series kicks off on September 27th with “Bone Health”. It continues October 4th with “Exercise and Risk Reduction”, followed by “Managing Hormonal Therapies in Survivorship” on October 25th, and finally finishing up with “Nutrition in Survivorship” on October 30th. Please see our quarterly calendar in the center of the newsletter for all the details.

I would also like to personally encourage all of you to attend one of Beaumont’s Breast Health Fairs. These fairs are packed with information on women’s health with a focus on breast health. If you cannot attend, please spread the word about the event. Together we can encourage more women to be proactive in their breast health and help save lives.

On a lighter note, join us Saturday, October 20th forthe First Breast Cancer Awareness Trend Show at 3:00 pm at Macy’s Twelve Oaks Cosmetics & Fragrances

Department. Special Guests will be our own Beaumont Hospital Sharing & Caring models!!!!!! This event is a guaranteed fun time and will help generate much needed donations to S&C. Again, you’ll find all the details in our quarterly calendar.

Speaking of donations, I would like to give a huge thank you to the Berkley High School girl’s basketball team and the boy’s baseball team. These awesome high school teams played games benefitting Sharing & Caring and raised over $1,400! A generous donation of $1,500 was also received from the “Think Pink” club of North Farmington High School. The suggestion to donate the monies to Sharing & Caring was made by student Michelle Torby. Her mother, Joyce Torby, was last quarter’s profile person. Perhaps you could organize a fundraising event for Sharing & Caring like these kids did. Think “casual days” at work, or a church or community awareness “event”. We’d be happy to supply you with breast cancer awareness materials and Sharing & Caring brochures. If you’re unable to organize an event, then please remember S&C as you plan your year-end donations. We exist because of all the heartfelt donations that you send us. Thank you. Warm Regards, Lorelei

Email us at sharingandcaring@beaumont.edu You can also find us on Facebook as “Sharing & Caring at Beaumont Hospitals”. “Like” us and get all the latest news!

Greetings from Lorelei

Please Send Hats is a humorous and heartwarming presentation that tells Laura Clark Hansen’s moving and often hilarious story of cancer survival. The presentation intertwines vibrant reflections on a Baby Boomer’s past with insightful observations about the transformative power that cancer can have in the present. It provides hope and inspiration for survivors, caregivers, and their loved ones as it follows Laura’s journey to rebuild and reclaim a life altered by illness.

Please join Beaumont’s One to One Ovarian Cancer Support and Sharing & Caring Breast Cancer Education and Support Groups for this powerful evening. Laura is an actress, playwright and theater producer who brings her 20 yeras of writing and performing experience to the most import role she’s ever had to play; the role of a supportive survivor and passionate advocate in the fight against Ovarian Cancer. Laura makes us all think about cancer survivorship and treatment in a different way. This is intended for all audiences, so please bring your family and friends.

Tuesday, November 13, 2012 at 6:30 pm To register, call 1-800-633-7377, or visit classes.beaumont.edu

Held in the Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, Administration Building Auditorium. Please park in the South Parking Deck adjacent to the Administration Building.

Please Send Hats!A Baby Boomer’s Rude Awakening to Ovarian Cancer

Please join Sharing & Caring at the information-packed Breast Health Fairs. This is our 7th year of participating, and the Fairs just keep getting better! Featuring information on women’s

health, with an emphasis on breast health, the fairs offer tons of information all in one place. Come see what is new in women’s health, talk to health care professionals and leave with all the

latest information!

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SCREENING IS FOR EVERYONE...continued from page1

high-frequency sound waves through your breast and converts them into images on a viewing screen. The ultrasound technician places a sound-emitting probe on the breast to conduct the test. There is no radiation involved. Ultrasound is not used on its own as a screening test for breast cancer. Rather, it is used to complement other screening tests. If an abnormality is seen on mammography or felt by physical exam, ultrasound is the best way to find out if the abnormality is solid (such as a benign fibroadenoma or cancer) or fluid-filled (such as a benign cyst). It cannot determine whether a solid lump is cancerous, nor can it detect calcifications.

MRIAlso known as magnetic resonance imaging, this a technology that uses magnets and radio waves to produce detailed cross-sectional images of the inside of the body. MRI does not use x-rays, so it does not involve any radiation exposure. Breast MRI has a number of different uses for breast cancer, including:• screening high-risk women (women known to be at higher than average risk for breast cancer, either because of a strong family history or a gene abnormality) • gathering more information about an area of suspicion found on a mammogram or ultrasound • monitoring for recurrence after treatment

7th ANNUAL BEAUMONT BREAST HEALTH FAIRS

Royal Oak Campus

Thursday, October 4th, 201210:30 am - 1:30 pmSuite 100 Hallway

Hospital South Entrance-First Floor

Troy Campus

Thursday, October 11th, 201210:30 am - 1:30 pm

Second Floor Atrium, Main Hospital

It’s natural to be nervous and a bit scared before your first chemotherapy. Try to compare chemo with taking antibiotics.

Few of us hesitate to take antibiotics to fight bacterial infections. Antibiotics kill bacteria. Chemo does the same thing to cancer

cells: it kills them. Interestingly, it was a pathologist who looked into a microscope and watched how chemotherapy “eats up” and destroys cancer cells who created the original Pac-Man game!

- Lilley Shockney, RN, John Hopkins Cancer Center.

October, November & December

ALL Sharing & Caring events are RESERVATIONS REQUIRED! Please call 248-551-8585 and let us know you plan to attend. If no one is available to take your call, a message with your name, phone

number and which program you want to attend will complete your registration.

Life After Cancer Survivorship Series~Managing Medical Side Effects from Breast Cancer Treatments: Wednesday, October 3rd, 11:45 AM Royal Oak BeaumontSurvivorship can be a challenging time. If you are dealing with long-term side effects of your breast cancer treatment, it can be particularly daunting. We are delighted to have Cynthia Kresge, PA-C, of Cancer Care Associates give us some suggestions on dealing with issues such as hot flashes, bone pain, dryness, night sweats, neuropathy, and more. We will enjoy a light lunch at 11:45, followed by Cindy’s presentatioin from noon - 1:00 pm. This class will meet in the Cancer Center 1st floor classroom. Space is limited, please RSVP early.

FIELD TRIP! Life After Cancer Survivorship Series~Exercise and Breast Cancer Risk Reduction: Thursday, October 4th, 7:00 pm Key components in reducing breast cancer recurrence are life-style related. The good news is we have control over how we live! Dr. Justin Riutta, Director of the Lymphedema Clinic, will teach us about ways to reduce our risk of recurrence through exercise. Cynthia Tan, PT, will demonstrate a few exercises for us to do at home. This program will take place at the PNC (Top of Troy) Building, 755 W. Big Beaver Road, (between Livernois and Crooks) in Troy. Take the elevator to to the second floor and proceed to classroom one. Breast Cancer Support Group: Monday, October 15th, 10:30 am Troy BeaumontThe sudden and unexpected changes that go along with a breast cancer diagnosis can be difficult to manage. These groups provide an opportunity for women to discuss the unique challenges facing them as breast cancer survivors. Feel free to participate and share your story or just listen and perhaps make a new friend. Facilitated by Oncology Social Worker Laurel Martinez, LMSW, LCSW, OSW-C. Meets in the Wilson Cancer Resource Center, in the Professional Building at 44344 Dequindre Road across the pedestrian bridge from the Troy hospital.

FIELD TRIP! First Breast Cancer Awareness Fashion Trend Show! Saturday, October 20th, 3:00pm Macy’s Twelve Oaks Mall Cosmetics & Fragances DepartmentCome celebrate with our wonderful Sharing & Caring breast cancer survivors, who will be modeling the newest trends in fashion and cosmetics. For more information, see page 6. Reservations are required, so please sign up early. Please call Macy’s to register, at 248-344-6881.

FIELD TRIP! Life After Cancer Survivorship Series~Managing Hormonal Therapies in Survivorship: Thursday, October 25th, 7:00 pm Royal Oak BeaumontMany breast cancer survivors will be on a hormonal therapy for several years. Hematology/Oncology physician, Dr. George Howard, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Oakland University/Beaumont School of Medicine, will be discussing hormonal therapies. Why we need them, how they work, how to manage them during treatment and possible long term side effects. Meets in the Royal Oak Cancer Center first floor classroom.

FIELD TRIP! Life After Cancer Survivorship Series~Nutrition in Survivorship: Tuesday, October 30th, 6:00 pm The American Institue of Cancer Research estimates that 30% of cancers are life-style related. During this program, we will look at nutrition and the impact our choices have on our health, particularly the risk of breast cancer. Dr. Katherine Nori from Beaumont’s Health Center will help us understand the link between nutrition and the risk of breast cancer recurrence, and ways to reduce that risk through life-style modification. This program will take place at the PNC (Top of Troy) Building, 755 W. Big Beaver Road, (between Livernois and Crooks) in

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Troy. Take the elevator to the second floor and proceed to classroom one. Light, healthy snacks will be provided. Please call early to register so that we will have enough treats for everyone!

Metastatic Breast Cancer Support Group: Tuesday, November 6th, 7:00 pm Royal Oak BeaumontThis group discusses issues that are unique to those living with metastatic disease. It is a positive, safe environment in which to discuss issues that may be weighing on your mind and heart. This session will be led by psychologist Dr. Sally Smolen, of Mercy Works in Farmington Hills. We meet in the Royal Oak Cancer Center 1st floor classroom.

I’m Too Young to Have Breast Cancer Support Group: Tuesday, November 6th, 4:30 pm Royal Oak BeaumontThis discussion group focuses on younger women and their specific needs, such as talking to your children about your cancer, intimacy and body image, and working during treatment. Psychologist Annette Spencer, PhD, and Heather Lowry, Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner will facilitate this group. We will meet in the Royal Oak Cancer Center 1st floor classroom.

Please Send Hats!: Tuesday, November 13th, 6:30 PM Royal Oak BeaumontCo-sponsored by Beaumont’s One to One Ovarian Cancer Support Group, and Sharing & Caring, we hope you will join us for this humorous and heartwarming presentation that tells a story of cancer survival. Meets in the Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, Administration Building Auditorium. See page 2 for more information.

Volunteer Appreciation Night! Thursday, November 15th, 5:30 pm Royal Oak BeaumontCalling all Sharing & Caring volunteers, those of you who have helped in the past, and those of you willing to help in the future! We would love to have you join us for a special evening. It will be a great opportunity to greet old friends and meet new ones over a light dinner and dessert. We will talk about volunteer opportunities for the coming year and find out how you might like to help. THANK YOU for another great year! We will meet in the Royal Oak Cancer Center 1st floor classroom. Please be sure to call and let us know you’ll be there!

Positive Thinking in the Face of a Cancer Diagnosis!: Thursday, November 29th, 7:00 pm Royal Oak BeaumontWhen Psychiatrist Dr. Harvey Rosenberg faced a lung cancer diagnosis, he leaned on his inner strength and positive attitude to help him get through his treatment. Dr. Rosenberg will tell us his inspirational story, along with some tips on staying positive when fighting cancer. Please be sure to join us and meet this remarkable man! We will meet in the Royal Oak Cancer Center 1st floor classroom.

I’m Too Young to Have Breast Cancer Support Group: Tuesday, December 4th, 7:00 pm Royal Oak BeaumontThis discussion group focuses on younger women and their specific needs, such as talking to your children about your cancer, intimacy and body image, and working during treatment. Psychologist Annette Spencer, PhD, and Heather Lowry, Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner will facilitate this group. We will meet in the Royal Oak Cancer Center 1st floor classroom.

Healthy Skin without the Harmful Beauty Products: Thursday, December 13th, 6:00 pm Royal Oak BeaumontAfter a breast cancer diagnosis, we all pay more attention to the foods we eat and our daily exercise routine to help us minimize the risk of a recurrence. Another area of focus should be our personal care products like soap, skin toner, makeup, face wash, etc. Many of these items contain potentially harmful ingredients. Tonight we will meet with Nicole Akemann from Beaumont’s Integrative Medicine Department. She will be teaching us what to look for in choosing our products, along with tips on how to care for our skin. Nicole has gone through special training to beome an licensed Oncology Esthetician, which she will tell us all about! We will meet in the Royal Oak Cancer Center 1st floor classroom.

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Please remember, that while most of our programs are free of charge, we DO need you to register for each of them. Just call us at 248-551-8585. You can leave a message with your name, phone number and

the program that you plan to attend.

Be healthy, be happy, BE-DAZZLED!

Sharing & Caring is excited to host a table at this year’s Grosse Pointe Beaumont’s women’s health event. Gather your girlfriends and join us to celebrate the vibrancy of good health as they take you back to the roaring 1920’s! Enjoy a fun night of chocolate, prizes, boutique

shopping, makeovers and more.This celebration of healthy living includes health information, health screenings and consults

with Beaumont experts on women’s health issues.

Thursday, October 18th, 6:00 pm - 9:00 pmGrosse Pointe Yacht club

788 Lake Shore Road, Grosse Point ShoresTo register, call 800-633-7377, or online at classes.beaumont.edu.

Advanced ticket purchase ($15) is required. NO ticket sales at the door.

There will be valet service, appetizers and a cash bar.6

We’ve been able to add many of you to our email list and have gotten great feedback from many who are receiving this newsletter through their email. We’d like to continue to grow our list of email recipients! You’ll receive a full-color version, and have the ability to print it if you’d like, or read it on-line, where you can even enlarge it, if that makes it easier for you. Additionally, we will soon be able to set up registration links for some events as well, so that registering will be just a ‘click’ away. There are lots of reasons to switch to the email version of Sharing with Friends.Please send an email to sharingandcaring@beaumont.edu so we can add you to our mailbox. Be sure to include your full name and address so we can identify you on our postal mailing list. Thanks!

Come celebrate with our wonderful Sharing & Caring breast cancer survivors, who will be modeling the newest trends in fashion and cosmetics. Enter to win a “Pink” cosmetic gift basket. Receive special gifts from many of the vendors. Light refreshments will be served. Plus, if you make a donation (It IS Breast Cancer Awareness Month!) to Sharing & Caring,

you will receive a special goodie bag.

Saturday October 20th at 3:00 pmReservations are required, so please sign up early. Please call Macy’s to register, at 248-344-6881.

Macy’s Twelve Oaks Cosmetics & Fragrances DepartmentMacy’s Twelve Oaks

(Northeast corner of I-96 and Novi Road in Novi)

First Breast Cancer Awareness FashionTrend Show

Sharing & Caring ProfileA Piece of Cake by Kay LohnerThe first time I was called back by the breast care center, the radiologist wanted to study a spot more closely. I was in my late thirties. After being pushed, stretched, pulled and squeezed, the tech returned to inform me she had to do one more view. “Don’t go away,” she cautioned. Crushed in the equivalent of a bench vise, where did she think I could go? In her eagerness to imprison the area that most interested the radiologist, she captured my rib, instead. I didn’t mean to, but I screamed. If she had to break my rib, I’d rather she did it quickly, not with slow compression. Minutes later, I was informed that everything was normal, and I remember thinking “all that hoopla over what was probably an ingrown hair.”

The second call I received came 30 years later. Certain that I would have to be subjected to the same discomfort for another false alarm, I reluctantly returned for more mammograms. But this time, they wanted to do several needle biopsies. How does one say “no” to a potential life-saving procedure? The uneasiness of having to face the unknown was replaced by the embarrassment of having my breast lowered through a hole so someone underneath the table could grab it and manipulate it at will. Altogether, 3 core samples were removed. A week later, sore and tattooed with the colors of bruising, I left for Florida, anxious to finish a project I’d started before going home for the summer. I wanted to remodel my guest bathroom and had only finished patching all the nail holes and was preparing to paint when I received a call from my physician. “Kay,” she announced, “…you have to come home. You have breast cancer. I’ve been online for a couple hours researching, and I’ve found a great team of breast surgeons at Beaumont who can give you the care you need.” I was utterly dumbfounded when I heard the words “breast cancer.” There is absolutely no history of breast cancer either in my family or in the families of both parents.

After making an appointment with one of the Beaumont surgeons, I left for home the following day, rehearsing in my mind how to give my children this dreadful news. My daughter Jodi is a very strong woman, and her instant response was to escort me on my appointment date and support whatever decision I would make. My son, Ray, has never handled bad news well and my daughter-in-law Joan told him so that he would have time to acclimate himself to the role he needed to play in supporting my treatment.

My children accompanied me to my office visit. Deeply concerned, they asked intelligent questions, both of Dr. Bongers and of me. Our communal decision was for me to undergo a lumpectomy on the left breast, followed by a mastectomy of the right. Pathology results of the lumpectomy indicated that all cancerous cells had been removed and, other than continued monitoring for recurrence, no further treatment was indicated.

Days later, with my daughter in tow, I left for the hospital for the mastectomy. When the door opened to admit me to the surgical sign-in desk, my feet suddenly felt very cold. With no apology, I turned to face Jodi and alleged to having forgotten to feed my dog. “Nice try, Mom,” she chuckled. “You don’t have a dog.” Seeing no logical way out of my quandary, I succumbed to the last surgery. I awoke in recovery with enough pain to demand attention. Following a prompt injection, I dozed off. I remember dreaming about needing to make a complicated cut on a piece of floor tile. Suddenly I heard a few background voices. “Have you seen my contour gage? I can’t find it.” There was immediate silence. Then I heard a voice I recognized as belonging to one of the recovery room nurses. “Have we seen your what?” “Don’t mind her,” my son was quick to respond. “She’s probably putting in a floor.”

Although everyone’s different, both my outpatient surgery and my recovery were a piece of cake. I never once needed to take even an aspirin for discomfort. I was ready to return to Florida and play volleyball after two weeks. We play with a child-sized beach ball and aren’t allowed to get up off our chairs to hit the ball. It’s great exercise, but most of all, it’s fun (anyone over 65 knows how tricky it is to enjoy exercise)!

Many of my friends in Florida have some medical background and were familiar with the terms “b/k” and “a/k” (below the knee and above the knee) amputation. Having always enjoyed laughing at myself, I told them I’d had an a/k amputation. You can imagine their astonishment when I walked into the clubhouse without so much as a limp! They were shocked to see that I‘d mastered utilizing a leg prosthesis so quickly!

Because my diagnosis was DCIS at grade zero, I chose not to undergo hormonal therapy. Yes, I’m at high risk for the cancer to recur in the left breast, but if it does, I’ll find a reason for my daughter to remind me a second time, that I don’t have a dog.

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Bands Together Against Cancer Musicfest 2012: September 15th, 2012 2:00 pm - 2:00 am Enjoy a great line-up of bands at this special fundraiser benefitting the American Cancer Society. Held at the Gibralter Trade Center, 237 North River Rd., Mt. Clemens. For more information, call 586-321-8291 or email bandstac@att.net. Find them also on Facebook as Bands Together Against Cancer.

Look Good Feel Better: This program is presented in conjunction with the American Cancer Society to help women who are currently undergoing cancer treatment to improve their appearance and self image by teaching them hands-on beauty techniques to overcome the appearance-related side effects of cancer treatments. We will also learn how to tie head scarves, get tips on choosing the right wig, and even bring home a beautiful kit filled with new makeup. Please call 248-964-3430 for reservations at Troy, or 248-551-8585 for reservations at Royal Oak. Program meets at 10:00 am at the Troy Beaumont Wilson Cancer Resource Center and at 6:00 pm at the Royal Oak Beaumont 1st Floor Cancer Center Classroom. Meeting dates are Mondays: October 8th, November 12th and December 10th.

7th Annual Beaumont Breast Health Fairs: Royal Oak: Thursday, October 4th, 10:30 am - 1:30 pm. Suite 100 Hallway, 1st floor, South entrance. Troy: Thursday, October 11th, 10:30 am - 1:30 pm. 2nd Floor Atrium, Main Hospital. Great information on breast cancer treatment, cancer genetics, lymphedema, diet and more! See page 3 for more information.

Girl’s Night Out: BE - Dazzled!: Thursday, October 18th, 6:00 pm - 9:00 pmGather your friends for a “Roaring 20’s evening, complete with flappers and music from the time! We’ll have a wonderful evening and learn the latest in breast health. Held in conjunction with Grosse Pointe Beaumont, at the Grosse Pointe Yacht Club, 788 Lake Shore Road, Grosse Pointe Shores. Call 800-633-7377 for more information or to register. See page 6 for more information.

Silver Linings: Silver Linings teaches meditation (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction), gentle yoga, mindful eating and mindful communication skills to women who have completed treatment for any type of cancer. Research shows that the program improves quality of life and post-cancer symptoms. Facilitated by Dr. Ruth Lerman. Mandatory information/registration for Winter workshops are tentatively scheduled for January 15th and January 22nd at 6:30 pm. (need only attend one) Class will meet weekly starting January 29th, continuing through March 19th. Retreat is tentatively scheduled for March 10th. Please contact Pam at pjablonski@beaumont.edu or call her at 248-551-4645 for more detailed information.

Additional Programs and Events of Interest...

The information in this newsletter is not intended as a replacement for medical care. The advice of your physician should take precedence in your health care matters.

Confronting breast cancer with knowledge, support and hope...