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Stepping In The Right Direction

When the walkers in Making Strides Against Breast Cancer step off on Sherwood

Island on Sunday, October 20, you can be sure that Judy Volpe's team will be

there.

Last year she rounded up 35 volunteers for the five-mile, non-competitive

walking event which is held annually in October during Breast Cancer Awareness

Month to raise funds in Connecticut for breast cancer research, support

programs, and public education and awareness.

"Judy has really taken this on as her project - she gets so involved every

year," said Beth Ann Fetzer, director of the Danbury chapter of the American

Cancer Society. "Judy fields one of the largest teams and raised $5,000 last

year."

A former accountant, Judy Volpe has operated the day spa Avance Esthetiques in

the Sand Hill Plaza for the past six years. During those years, she has seen

several of her clients, and two of her best friends, touched by breast cancer.

"We are all touched," she said. "The victims are someone's mother, sister,

wife, friend. For whatever reason, we, in America, are especially at risk. If

you are a woman, it's waiting for you."

Three years ago when Mrs Fetzer, who lives in Newtown, left the United Way to

take the American Cancer Society position, she contacted Judy Volpe to

participate in the annual fund-raising.

"She asked me to be an area coordinator," Ms Volpe said. "Each year we've done

better than the year before."

So far, Judy has signed up 50 volunteers for the walk.

"My entire staff of 11 walks now, along with some of their families, many of

my customers and friends. You see a lot of husband, sons and boyfriends

[walking] too," she said. "My personal donation is the T-shirts that everyone

wears."

This year she also plans to hold a tailgate party after the event in the state

park on Long Island Sound.

"It's a beautiful location and a nice way to say thank you for giving up a few

hours of your Sunday afternoon for a display of public awareness about breast

cancer," she said. "There's a one-mile (walking) course, and a two-mile

course. You can do five miles, or not, it doesn't matter."

To increase this year's contribution, Judy Volpe also decided to donate ($25)

half the price of every regular facial that is given in her salon during the

month. "There are 24 business days in October, and I estimate - conservatively

- that if we have five facials a day, we would raise another $3,000," she

said.

To join in the walk or participate in the the spa's October facial promotion,

call 270-8911 or 1-800-348-9059.

Breast Cancer Awareness Month Emphasizes

Education, Early Diagnosis And Treatment

B Y K AAREN V ALENTA

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women. Annually there are

184,300 new cases of breast cancer in the United States and 2,300 in

Connecticut. There were 650 deaths in Connecticut in 1994 because of breast

cancer.

The risk is well known by Linda DeMarco, MD, an oncologist who lives in

Newtown and frequently gives talks about breast cancer for the American Cancer

Society. Dr DeMarco is an active board member of the Western Connecticut Unit

(formerly the Danbury Unit) of the American Cancer Society, serves as

chairperson of its Breast Cancer Control committee, and serves on the

Connecticut State ACS Breast Committee.

" All women are at risk for breast cancer, and that risk increases with age,"

she said. "Statistics can be frightening, and most [women] are concerned that

their risk is `1 in 9.'

"One in nine refers to a woman's risk of developing breast cancer over her

entire lifetime," Dr DeMarco said. "We are living longer so the likelihood of

developing breast cancer absolutely increases with age. Three-fourths of all

women with breast cancer are over the age of 50."

Dr DeMarco explained that a woman's risk by age 25 is actually is only 1 in

18,477. By age 50, the risk has increased to 1 in 49 and by age 85 it reaches

1 in 9. But despite the significant risk during later years, only about 35

percent of Medicare-age women in Connecticut have regular mammograms.

The risk isn't limited to women who have a family history of breast cancer.

" Eighty percent of the women who develop breast cancer are the first in their

family to get the disease," Dr DeMarco said. "Just because you do not have a

family history doesn't mean you are `safe.' There are hereditary forms of the

disease but these account for only five to 10 percent of all breast cancer

cases in this country.

"Those women who have a mother, or sister, or daughter with the disease, do

have a slightly higher risk than the average population, and need to be

vigilant with their screening procedures. But the majority have no risk

factors!"

The good news, Dr DeMarco said, is that early detection and treatment of

breast cancer makes it possible not only to save the breast, but also to cure

the disease. More than 90 percent of small breast cancers can be cured. There

are more than 1.6 million American women living with the diagnosis of breast

cancer today.

Because of improved utilization of mammography, early detection and improved

treatments, there has been a six percent decline in breast cancer deaths among

caucasian women in the United States during the past five years. The death

rate hasn't declined for African-American women, possibly because they aren't

as likely to get mammograms and often the cancer is not detected until it is

too late, she said.

Dr DeMarco's office is in New Milford; her patients use both New Milford

Hospital and Danbury Hospital. New Milford Hospital does not have a radiation

therapy center, although on October 4 hospital administrators filed a

"certificate of need" application with the state's Office of Health Care

Access, asking for permission to build a $4.7 million cancer center that would

offer radiation therapy.

Dr DeMarco said research still has not uncovered the cause of breast cancer

but among the suspected risk factors are high-fat/low-fiber diets, smoking,

drinking, obesity, lack of exercise, heredity and environmental factors.

"We do know that after the cancer starts by one cell going awry, it takes five

to eight years before there is a large enough cluster of cancer cells to be

able to detect it," she said. "But when does it start? The feeling is that it

takes decades. The risk may be related to the length of the menstrual cycle.

The risk is slightly higher for women who have their children after the age of

30 or whose cycle has never been interrupted by pregnancy."

Regular self-examinations and mammograms are vital for all women, she said.

Women should perform a monthly self-breast exam starting at age 20, seven to

10 days after the menses, if they are still menstruating, Dr DeMarco said. A

breast exam should be done by a physician or other health care provider every

three years from age 20 and yearly after 40.

The current recommendations for mammograms are one between the ages of 35 and

39 to use as a baseline, one every two years between 40 and 49 and yearly

after age 50. (Studies show that radiation from mammography does not increase

cancer risk.)

Low-cost mammography tests are available during October's Breast Cancer

Awareness Month at:

Danbury Hospital, $89, call 797-7291

Danbury Hospital, free for those who meet low-income guidelines under a state

grant, 1-800-486-3508.

Danbury Mammography, $75, 743-6329

New Milford Hospital, $100, (860) 350-7231.

Mobile Medical Services, at Brookfield Town Hall on November 8, $90, call

1-800-277-7981 for an appointment.

The American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons has created a

special section of its World Wide Web site (http://www.plasticsurgery.org) to

provide information on breast cancer and breast reconstruction surgery in

recognition of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Throughout October, web surfers will find detailed information on the types of

breast reconstruction surgeries available, patient advocacy efforts to insure

access to breast reconstruction for all women, links to national cancer

support organizations such as Y-Me and the National Alliance of Breast Cancer

Organizations, letters detailing the personal accounts of breast cancer

survivors, news releases with details of the latest research, and an overview

of insurance issues relating to breast reconstruction.

The American Cancer Society's Western Connecticut Unit is distributing pink

ribbons honoring Breast Cancer Awareness, and educational information. Call

748-2803 for more information.