SAN ANTONIO -- Breast cancer awareness committees from Brooke Army Medical Center, Wilford Hall Medical Center and The American Cancer Society collaborated to present an 11th annual "Tell a Friend" luncheon at the San Antonio Country Club Oct. 29.
Karen Martinez, KABB Fox 29 anchor, emceed and opened the event followed by host Brig. Gen. Joseph Caravalho Jr., BAMC and Southern Regional Medical Command commander.
Martinez spoke about being a cancer survivor and how early detection gave her more resources to fight the disease. Early detection is one of the important ways to fight the illness before it becomes severe. The lifetime risk for women is 1-in-8 and increases with age she said.
"Remember to tell everyone who is over the age of 40 to go get a mammogram," Martinez said.
Dr. Amy Lang, a hematologist-oncologist, also known as the "Texas Super Doctor" was guest speaker and stressed the importance of a healthy diet and how daily exercise will lower the risk of cancer.
Lang said women take care of so many people throughout life; they often forget to take care of themselves. Stress, poor health and lack of exercise can put women into the high risk category of breast cancer she said.
She said programs offered to women with breast cancer are available to help relieve tension and promote positive health through physical activity.
Classes are available for free via Deriving Inspiration and Vitality through Activity or DIVA, a nutrition and exercise program for women with breast cancer and Inspiritas, a spa center that offers patients a place for serene retreats where treatments to relieve the pain associated with cancer and cancer treatments are offered.
"Inspiritas focuses on treatment modalities for which there is good evidence of benefit for cancer patients," Lang said.
According to the DIVA website, their research shows that women who exercise 1-3 hours per week, following recommended hormonal and chemotherapy, have a 25 percent lower mortality rate from breast cancer. Women who exercise 3-8 hours per week have reduction in breast cancer mortality of 50 percent.
Lang emphasized that every woman over the age of 40 schedule a mammogram as soon as possible as early detection could save one's life.
For information on DIVA go to http://www.thrivewell.org/diva or Inspiritas go to http://www.inspiritasspa.com.
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