CHESAPEAKE, Va. — October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The aim is to promote screenings and prevention of the disease that impacts one in eight women in the United States.
I sat down with Dr. Stephanie Repole, one of a small number of fellowship trained breast surgeons in Hampton Roads, and asked her what causes breast cancer.
She told me, “We don’t really know what causes breast cancer. We tend to think it’s a combination of factors like genes, family history, environment exposures, and bad luck that causes some breast cells not to listen to the body telling them how to behave.”
She went on to share that many risk factors cannot be changed, simply being a woman is one of them. Typically, so is aging, but cancer doesn’t care about your birth-date.
Meg Shrader is a nurse at Chesapeake Regional Healthcare who also serves as a Breast Care Nurse Navigator and shared, “It’s crazy, our youngest patient was 21 and she’s doing exceptionally well. I’ve had women in their 80s. You know, it’s kind of like if you get to be 84 years old, you should get a pass and not have to do this. We’ve even had 90-year-olds.”
Shrader is also an 18-year breast cancer survivor who readily admits she didn’t start getting her mammograms early enough.
She did, however, discover something of concern during a breast self-exam in 2005.
“I was scared when I found my lump. I was like, oh this isn’t good and indeed it wasn’t, but you know you’ve got to get it checked out," Shrader said. "That’s the biggest thing, don’t let fear put it off because if we can catch it early, then you know a lot of times you have a lot less treatment with better outcomes.”
According to the Susan G. Komen Foundation, survival rates for early-stage breast cancer are 98 to 100 percent. That’s why annual mammograms are key.
Women of average risk should begin screenings every year at age 40. Chesapeake Regional Healthcare will even bring mammograms to you.
Dr. Repole believes the mobile unit can take away some barriers to care and said, “The mobile units are great because there’s always a reason not to have your mammogram, right? It’s always inconvenient, it always takes time. So, if you can go to a mobile unit that just takes the excuse away.”
The 3-D mobile mammography unit makes it easy for women to get screened without leaving their workplace, neighborhood, or community. Mobile screening days can be set up by offices, organizations, churches – any group.
Another major initiative from the Chesapeake Regional Health Foundation is a truly uplifting event that supports those who could use financial assistance.
Shrader has worked behind the scenes organizing Brah-ha-ha events for years and explained to me, ”Bra-ha-ha is so exceptionally important, because it allows women and men to get mammograms if they’re either uninsured or underinsured. You know we have people that have 10 thousand, 15-thousand-dollar deductibles now. So, you know, this is one thing that we just don’t want them to have to worry about.”
Bra-ha-ha events each October feature a 5k run/walk, an awards show and auction that showcases survivorship and artistry with 3D bras as a canvas, along with a week-long bra exhibit, all to raise funds to continue to improve breast healthcare in Hampton Roads.
And according to Dr. Repole, it’s working.
She tells her patients, “The reason there’s so much pink out there, so many breast cancer survivors are out there, is because so many women survive breast cancer, and our goal is to get every single patient into that category.”
Year after year, treatment options and outcomes continue to improve. Doing our part with yearly mammograms is, however, paramount.
This year’s Bra-ha-ha Awards Show and Auction is Friday, Oct. 13th from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Delta Hotel by Marriott in Chesapeake.
Then, the beautifully decorated bras from the event will be on display Oct. 16 to Oct. 31 at the Center Court of Lynnhaven Mall in Virginia Beach.
For more information, visit brahaha.org.
If you are someone you know wants to learn more about how to set up a free mammogram, call 757-312-6536. To schedule one through Chesapeake Regional Healthcare, call 757-312-6137.
