Special thanks to Tina Steele or organizing this wonderful event for The Rose. We appreciate you!
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Friday, October 1, 2010
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Starting time set for annual walk against breast cancer Pasadena Citizen News Archives Houston Community Newspapers Online - News Around Town
Starting time set for annual walk against breast cancer Pasadena Citizen News Archives Houston Community Newspapers Online - News Around Town
The starting line isn’t drawn yet, but the time to line up is now.
The Annual Komen Houston Race for the Cure is set for Oct. 2 and enters its 20th year as the largest foot race in Houston.
The walk is a show of support to those affected by breast cancer and raises, through entrance fees, thousands of dollars every year to go to research.
More than 32,000 participants are expected to make this year’s event another blow in the fight against a disease that impacts millions of women worldwide each year.
Recently, the Houston Affiliate of Susan Komen pledged $687,750 to the Rose, Houston’s non-profit breast cancer research and treatment center, which in 2009 served insured and uninsured women throughout the Houston area, translating to about $68,000 worth of medical and emotional services.
“The Rose and the Komen Houston Affiliate have a long history of caring for Houston women,” said Dorothy Weston Gibbons, co-founder and CEO of The Rose. “We are deeply grateful for their trust and belief in what we do. We are honored that every step of the way, the Komen Houston Affiliate has supported us.”
The Komen Houston Race for the Cure is the main fundraising event that helps organizations like the Rose to continue their services.
Gibbons said that the Houston area has the largest rate of uninsured women in the United States.
“Nearly one in three people don’t have medical coverage, and there are so few programs available for the working poor who make up half of the uninsured population.”
Opening ceremonies Oct. 2 will begin at 7:45 a.m. with the race officially starting at 8 a.m. entry fees for $30 for adults, $15 for children and $25 for survivors with an additional $5 charge for the competitive run.
To register online before Sept. 26, visit www.komen-houston.org For more information about The Rose, call 281-484-4708 or visit www.therose.org.
The starting line isn’t drawn yet, but the time to line up is now.
The Annual Komen Houston Race for the Cure is set for Oct. 2 and enters its 20th year as the largest foot race in Houston.
The walk is a show of support to those affected by breast cancer and raises, through entrance fees, thousands of dollars every year to go to research.
More than 32,000 participants are expected to make this year’s event another blow in the fight against a disease that impacts millions of women worldwide each year.
Recently, the Houston Affiliate of Susan Komen pledged $687,750 to the Rose, Houston’s non-profit breast cancer research and treatment center, which in 2009 served insured and uninsured women throughout the Houston area, translating to about $68,000 worth of medical and emotional services.
“The Rose and the Komen Houston Affiliate have a long history of caring for Houston women,” said Dorothy Weston Gibbons, co-founder and CEO of The Rose. “We are deeply grateful for their trust and belief in what we do. We are honored that every step of the way, the Komen Houston Affiliate has supported us.”
The Komen Houston Race for the Cure is the main fundraising event that helps organizations like the Rose to continue their services.
Gibbons said that the Houston area has the largest rate of uninsured women in the United States.
“Nearly one in three people don’t have medical coverage, and there are so few programs available for the working poor who make up half of the uninsured population.”
Opening ceremonies Oct. 2 will begin at 7:45 a.m. with the race officially starting at 8 a.m. entry fees for $30 for adults, $15 for children and $25 for survivors with an additional $5 charge for the competitive run.
To register online before Sept. 26, visit www.komen-houston.org For more information about The Rose, call 281-484-4708 or visit www.therose.org.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Alvin Woman Honors Sister Who Waited Too Long for Mammogram
by Rae Miller
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| Tina Grimstead-Campbell founded Pink Petals for Pat in honor of her sister, Pat. |
Early detection is critical in saving women from dying of breast cancer. Collaboration and education are key components of early detection. That's why The Rose - a nonprofit breast cancer organization that provides mammography screening, diagnosis and early access to treatment - joins forces with other nonprofits, such as Pink Petals for Pat. Launched by Alvin resident Tina Grimstead-Campbell, Pink Petals for Pat is in honor of her sister.
Through her clothing, Tina could physically see there was something wrong with her sister’s breasts.
She insisted and even begged her sister – who was not insured –to go to The Rose for a mammogram. Finally, Tina just made the appointment for Pat herself.
It was May 11, 2007.
It was too late.
Pat died of advanced breast cancer less than two months later, on July 9, 2007. She was 44. Tina, meanwhile, had always been a big believer in breast self-examination. Shortly after Pat died, she found a lump.
"Like Pat, I was terrified," Tina remembers. "I thought 'this cannot be happening to me.' I prayed for God to take it away."
God didn't take it away, but he must have guided her to The Rose – the same mammography center her sister had been to.
At that time, Tina was also uninsured.
"When I walked in those doors – and I was by myself – I was absolutely terrified," Tina says today. "Pat had just passed away, and The Rose staff knew her story. They were so sweet to me, and made me feel really comfortable. They didn't care about insurance papers, or lack thereof. None of that stuff mattered. They just said, 'let's get you in here and see what's going on.'"
Tina's lump was benign.
“I will never forget The Rose," Tina says.
With that scare out of the way, Tina got busy honoring the promise she had made to Pat before she died - to not let others suffer breast cancer in silence.
Almost two years later, Pink Petals for Pat is an entire initiative that includes volunteers, public speaking, education, information, and outreach.
Tina organizes a variety of events to meet those initiatives.
There is an annual Girlfriends Brunch that has grown from 40 women to more than 130. The brunch provides an atmosphere where women feel safe talking about breast health.
"As African American women, we were taught you don't touch your bodies, and you certainly don't talk about your bodies," says Tina. "One lady who came to a brunch, she was 72 and had never had a mammogram."
Tina debunks other myths she says are floating around out there.
She has had women tell her they don't have to worry about breast cancer because their breasts are too small.
Other women have told her that the lump they have under their armpit is not cancer – it is simply caused by their deodorant.
Misconceptions such as these dishearten Dorothy Weston Gibbon, CEO and co-founder of The Rose.
After years of public awareness, knowing that misconceptions and myths still abound is discouraging and potentially tragic, Gibbons said.
But Pink Petals for Pat brings new hope and real tools capable of shaking up a world of misconceptions.
"I'm Caucasian but Tina is African American,” says Gibbons. “If I want to reach the women she can reach, she is who I need to be working with. She is my partner on the ground,"
"Tina gets out and about; she arranges social functions that bring women together. She builds trust. She is an amazing resource for women – and we at The Rose can provide the diagnostic services they need."
One such event is an annual "In My Sisters' Shoes Community Block Walk," that will take place in October.
Tina contacted the elementary school that Pat once attended for permission to set up the walk's starting line there.
She ended up learning that the school's assistant principal was also a breast cancer survivor.
She also learned that, had it not been for The Rose mobile mammography unit, things might have turned out differently.
The story, as Tina tells it, is that the school principal wanted her mother to go for a mammogram. Mom didn't want to. She said she was "too old" to worry about such things. She was in her late 70's.
The daughter persisted with no luck. Finally, she told her mother she would go with her. They would both have mammograms, together. It worked.
Turned out mom was fine, but the daughter was not. She was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Caught at an early stage by The Rose, the principal can now say she's a breast cancer survivor.
In addition to the community block walk, Tina also has Pinkie Tee Parties.
The parties are something like a bridal or baby shower with games and prizes. The hostess is even provided with Pink Petals for Pat invitations and matching reply envelopes.The Pink Petals volunteers show up, serve party food, then start educating – but in a fun, almost festive way.
Take, for example, the game where hot pink bras are stuffed with cotton. Hiding within the cotton are little pink baby aspirin.
"We give each lady a bra and ask her what she feels," says Tina. "Most of ladies get it wrong. The point is, there are some lumps you can't feel."
Tina even busts out Hershey Kisses. The chocolate candy is shaped like a teardrop or, like a breast with a nipple.
Some of the candy kisses have coconut. Others are plain, others have caramel, some have almonds.
What we’re trying to show, says Tina, is that breast lumps come in all forms.
Next, Tina wants to launch an annual Survivors' Pink Pajama Party. She's certain her sister would approve.
"I still talk to Pat all the time. I do. She was such a kind-hearted person, I know she must be thrilled," Tina says.
Certainly Dorothy Gibbons is.
"Isn't it amazing that the people we served before are the same ones who can now help us reach the population we need?" Gibbons says. "It's a magical connection."
Latonya Sam Empowers African-American Women to Care Enough to Live
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| Latanya Sam, office supervisor of The Rose Galleria |
Originally published on Click2Houston.com
The Rose Mobile Mammography Program serves an 11 county area. Obviously, they're willing to come to you – but will you be there when they arrive?
"We've always had a problem in the disadvantaged communities, particularly in the African American population, of people making a reservation or booking an appointment, but then not showing up," says The Rose Development Director Carol Wright. "Our no-show rate is extremely high."
For instance, during fiscal year 2009, more than 7,346 appointments were made for mobile mammograms. Slightly more than 1,970 women did not turn up, resulting in a no-show rate of more than 26 percent.
Comparably, at The Rose's southeast Houston location, the no-show rate was 9.82 percent.
And at the former Bissonnet Center – now The Rose Galleria on West Loop South, the no-show rate was higher than 18 percent.
“These rates are not acceptable”, says Latanya Sam, office supervisor of The Rose Galleria. Sam has the reputation for doing just about anything to get women to come in for their mammograms – especially African American women.
Case in point - Sam recently had a patient who arrived three hours late for her mammogram, because she had to wait until her daughter got off work to get a ride. Sam had to reschedule the patient's appointment, but it took two more attempts before the patient came in, even though Sam offered to do the driving herself.
Sam lives in Humble, the patient in Spring.
Sam even transports patients from Cleveland to Houston twice a month for mammograms.
Lack of transportation and lack of childcare are just two reasons African American women are not getting their mammograms, Sam says.
They're also afraid it will hurt, she says.It's not exactly fun to get a mammogram, Sam agrees, but it shouldn't hurt.
"I will ask them when they come out 'was it that bad?' They say 'no, no, no,'" Sam says.
Getting minority women to come in for a baseline mammogram is one thing, but getting them to follow up with yearly breast exams is another.
The African American culture is somewhat private and sensitive when it comes to their bodies and their health, says Sam, who is African American herself. And, just like the mobile mammography program, if you can't come to Sam, Sam will come to you.
"Education and building trust is key. Over the last few years, a lot of churches have requested The Rose come out and speak or come out and provide information," Sam says.
Sam says she's been able to touch two women that way – one who was 63-years-old and has never had a mammogram.
Wright says it's concerning when women call, say they have a lump, and then don’t keep their appointments. It's also incredibly dangerous. A delay in diagnosing cancer could mean a larger, more advanced cancer.
Early detection is the number one step to fighting breast cancer and Wright wants to get to the bottom of why no-shows are happening.
Now she can, thanks to a grant from the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas.
The CPRIT grant is nearly $1 million over a two-year period, the largest grant The Rose has ever received.
"The purpose of the grant is to get more minority women into screening services as quickly as possible," says Wright.
The Rose will do this by using grant money to expand its Empower Her to Care program and its mobile mammography program.
Last year, The Rose served 27,450 women, of whom 8,117 were uninsured. Of the uninsured women, 57 percent were Hispanic, 15 percent were Asian and 12 percent were African American.
"If we can figure out the reasons why these women not coming in, then we can better address the obstacles," Wright says. "We want to show CPRIT that we can decrease the number of no-shows and increase the number of women we're serving."
Using the CPRIT grant, the objectives of Empower Her to Care are to increase first-time screening of both African American women and Hispanic women, decrease no-show rates and educate patients about their health.
Whatever it takes, The Rose is determined to reach minority women.
"It's so important," says Wright, "because an early diagnosis means a 98 percent survival rate."
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About The Rose:
For more information or to make an appointment, visit www.the-rose.org or call 866-680-4708
Insured and uninsured women are welcome.
The Rose Southeast, 12700 N. Featherwood, Suite 260, Houston, 77034
The Rose Galleria, 5420 West Loop South, Suite 3300, Bellaire, 77401
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Komen Houston Affiliate Pledges $687,750 to The Rose
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| The Rose Board Chair Myrleen Knott (left) and CEO and Co-Founder Dorothy Gibbons at the Komen Houston Affiliate awards luncheon. |
Their relationship, which is dedicated to reducing deaths from breast cancer, goes back 18 years. That’s when the Houston Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure® donated its first gift to The Rose – $9,000.
The two nonprofit organizations will fight this disease again this year with a pledge of $687,750 from the Komen Houston Affiliate to The Rose, a 24-year-old nonprofit breast cancer organization that last year delivered more than 68,000 medical and educational services to both uninsured and insured Houston-area women.
In addition, the Komen Houston Affiliate has recognized The Rose with the 2010 Impact Award for Overall Outstanding Performance.
The $687,750 donation will help fund the Empower Her® Sponsorship Program that provides services to more than 7,000 uninsured women. The services include mammograms, ultrasounds, biopsies and access to treatment. The gift will cover many expenses needed to operate the Patient Navigation Program that assists more than 200 women a month who are in treatment.
“The Rose and the Komen Houston Affiliate have a long history of caring for Houston women,” said Dorothy Weston Gibbons, Co-founder and CEO of The Rose. “We are deeply grateful for their trust and belief in what we do. We are honored that every step of the way, the Komen Houston Affiliate has supported us.”
Gibbons said the Houston area has the highest uninsured rate in the United States. “Nearly one in three people don’t have medical coverage, and there are so few programs available for the working poor who make up half of the uninsured population.
The Rose operates two mammography centers, The Rose Southeast in south Houston and the new Rose Galleria on West Loop South. The centers are staffed by more than 90 employees including four on-site physicians – two radiologists and two general surgeons. Two mobile mammography units serve the surrounding 9-county area.
For more information about The Rose, call (713) 668-2996, or visit http://www.therose.org/, and The Rose Facebook page.
For more information about the Komen Houston Affiliate, call 713-783-9188, or visit http://www.komen-houston.org/.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Monday, July 19, 2010
Two Houston Women – One an Author, One an Actress – To Cross Paths July 31 When Actress Plays Author at Main Street Theater
Two Houston women – one a popular actress, the other a New York Times bestselling author –will cross paths July 31, when the actress plays the author in a cancer-themed performance at the Main Street Theater in the Montrose area.
The play is based on the humorous and poignant book of the same name by Joni Rodgers who wrote about her personal experience with cancer. The author lives in The Woodlands area today, but was a Champions/FM 1960 resident when she wrote the memoir.
Rodgers will be in the audience watching Lisa Hamilton’s performance in the production of “Bald in the Land of Big Hair.” Hamilton, who has performed at the Alley Theater and other local venues, lives in Clear Lake.
Pink Ribbons Project, a nonprofit organization that supports the fight against breast cancer, is presenting the event, which will benefit The Rose, a 24-year-old nonprofit breast cancer organization that provides screening, diagnosis and access to treatment for all women, regardless of their ability to pay.
Steve Ford, son of the late President Gerald Ford, will be a featured guest. He is attending the event in honor of his 92-year-old mother Betty Ford, widow of the former President. The former first lady, who lives in Rancho Mirage, CA, famously and publicly fought breast cancer in 1974 while her husband was in office.
Houston-based Hope Tree Home Loans and KUHF-FM, Houston Public Radio, are major sponsors. Tickets are available for $100. Sponsorship opportunities are available starting at $1,000.
Event Facts:
Bald in the Land of Big Hair
Saturday, July 31, 2010
Main Street Theater – at Chelsea Market
4617 Montrose Blvd.
Houston
6 p.m. – Reception
7 p.m. - Curtain Call
Panel discussion following – with Steve Ford, Joni Rodgers, Dorothy Weston Gibbons, Co-Founder and CEO of The Rose and Susan Rafte, Founder Survivor of Pink Ribbons Project.
Monday, July 12, 2010
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Fear No Excuse to Avoid Mammograms, Says Rose Galleria Physician
by Rae Miller
So when any part of that is threatened, fear sets in.
Some women are afraid to get mammograms because they're worried the results might dictate their future.
Dr. Janet Hoagland, a physician who practices at The Rose, a Houston nonprofit breast cancer screening organization, understands this fear. She experienced it herself.
"Sometimes it's overwhelming," Hoagland admits. "It's easier to be an ostrich and put your head in the sand and hope it goes away. Getting breast cancer means losing control. It's out of your hands. You have to depend on other people to give good advice and do the right procedures,” she says. “That's why it's so scary."
In Hoagland’s case – scary or not – she knew she had to go for a mammogram. Her mother died of breast cancer at age 44, her grandmother at 48.
Hoagland's mammogram revealed a lump with the potential to grow into breast cancer. She took control of the situation and made the decision to undergo a preventive double mastectomy – at age 27.
The reasons women are scared to get a mammogram are as varied as the women themselves.
One fear is exposure to radiation.
"A mammogram gives no more radiation than sitting in the window seat of an airplane flying from New York to California," Hoagland says. "That's definitely no reason to be afraid of a mammogram."
After losing her mother to breast cancer at a young age, Houston resident Helia Forouzan, 29, had her first mammogram a few years ago in Austin.
She was scared.
"What if I had breast cancer? Would I ever have a boyfriend? Would he leave me if I had to have a double mastectomy? What if, what if, what if? It was driving me to distraction so I finally just went for the mammogram."
After everything appeared to be fine, she was so relieved she didn't even bother with monthly self breast exams anymore.
But later, without even trying to, she came across a lump.
Once again, she was afraid of what the mammogram would reveal. She worried about the two big "C"s – Cancer and the Cost of treating it.
Forouzan did have cancer, diagnosed by Dr. Hoagland at The Rose.
Hoagland advised her patient that the last thing she should worry about was the cost. She should only be concerned about getting better.
The Rose patient navigators helped Forouzan find appropriate treatment.
"Now, I always tell women, ‘it’s better to know than not know,’” Forouzan says. "You have the mammogram and either you have cancer or you don't. And you go from there."
And remember, when detected early, breast cancer has a 98 percent survival rate.
Some women are afraid of the discomfort or pain of having a mammogram. And there's no avoiding the fact that a mammogram requires squishing – or "compression," if you prefer the medical term.
The Rose radiologist Dr. Ward Parsons can't technically or honestly say "this won't hurt a bit," but he does say there are certain things women awaiting a mammogram can do.
Women can take an over-the-counter pain reliever an hour before the appointment to take the edge off, he says. Or if she knows her breasts are tender at certain times of the month, schedule the mammogram for when they're not.
Unless it's an emergency, that is. “If you feel a lump, go right away,” says Parsons.
While the size of a woman’s breasts has little to do with the risk of cancer, it does have a lot to do with positioning and getting a good mammogram, Parsons says.
"Extremely small breasts take a little more work,” he says. “But we do men, and it works. So if we can do men, then we can do women," says Parsons. "Extremely large breasts might require additional images, but they are generally more fatty and therefore less sensitive."
Parsons says his technologists often ask patients how a mammogram compares to a dental cleaning or a pap smear.
"Women usually say they would rather have a mammogram any day," says Parsons.
Another tip: If you're still a little leery, try to schedule lunch with a friend after the appointment – it will give you something to look forward to. Or, take somebody with you to the mammogram.
That's what Houston resident Mary Jo Rapini did.
"At one time I thought I had a lump on my breast and had to go back for numerous tests," Rapini said. "It turned out to be okay, but what really helped me was my husband with me, reminding me that no matter what it was, we would handle it together. It gave me confidence."
If you're still scared to go for a mammogram, think of your own mother – or your children.
"You're teaching your children that you are taking care of your body, so it sets a precedent," says Rapini, a licensed professional counselor, author and psychotherapist who used to counsel patients at Southwest Cancer Center in Lubbock. "Mom is the catalyst of the family."
That is exactly Dr. Janet Hoagland's point.
"If we can save the mother," she says, "we can save the family."
The Rose has two locations: The Rose Medical Plaza in southeast Houston and the new Rose Galleria on West Loop South.
For an appointment, call (713) 668-2996. For more information about The Rose, visit the organization’s website, www.therose.org.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Houston Radiologist Daniel Roubein Centers Life on Family, Faith and Nonprofit Mammography Center
by Rae Miller
"There is nothing routine about it," Roubein says. "It's never hard for me to remember that."
Roubein is the radiologist at The Rose Galleria, a nonprofit breast cancer center that provides uninsured and insured women mammography screening, diagnosis and early access to treatment.
He remembers the first time he heard about The Rose. It was during a casual telephone conversation.
"I said hold on, wait a minute, I really want to hear more about this place," Roubein says. "As I learned more about the mission of The Rose and the concept that insured women can get topnotch care while at the same time provide an entryway to women who have no insurance, I felt it was a perfect match for me."
The Rose Galleria
In late 2009, Roubein joined The Rose Galleria. In February 2010, the state-of-the-art, 8,000 square-foot mammography center celebrated its grand opening. The Rose, a 24-year-old organization that is funded by numerous corporations and Houston foundations including Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Houston Affiliate, operates another diagnostic center in southeast Houston and a mobile mammography program that serves Harris and eight other counties.
"Things fell into place at The Rose Galleria like it was meant to be," Roubein says.
Breast imaging has been a big part of his 20-year radiology career.
In 2005, he opened a private practice in Bellaire. In the same year, he launched Radiology Reading Centers of America.
Before that, in 1993, he was staff radiologist and chairman of the Department of Radiology at Christus Hospital-St. Elizabeth, a 400-bed medical center in Beaumont.
Roubein, a native of Highland Park, N.J., is a senior member of the American Society of Neuroradiology. He also holds memberships in the Radiological Society of North America, the Texas Medical Association, the Houston Radiological Society and the Society of Breast Imaging.
A Writer
He is also a writer.
"It is possible," he says, "to take complicated medical topics and present them in a way that sparks interest."
He does just that as a guest medical columnist for The Galveston County Daily News and in his weekly medical columns for Absolutely! Katy, Absolutely! Memorial and Absolutely! In the Loop. The magazines are published in print and online.
His columns, titled "The Radiologist's View," can also be found on his Facebook page, also called “The Radiologist’s View.”
Roubein, who lives in Bellaire, is active in Houston's Jewish community.
He is a member of the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston's Yom Limmud committee and holds several leadership positions at Congregation Beth Yeshurun, including chairman of the membership committee, vice president of the synagogue’s board of trustees and vice president of the board of trustees for Beth Yeshurun Day School. He is also a member of the school’s capital campaign committee and a lay leader for the Congregation’s Saturday morning sanctuary services.
Roubein Family
Roubein, 47, has been married for 15 years to Toiee. The couple has three sons – Zachary, 12, David, 10 and Jacob, 8.
He not only attends his boys’ baseball games, he also shows up for practice and coaches Little League.
Roubein wants his sons to be able to say “when I was growing up, my dad was there. My goal is to have dinner with my family every single night."
He says he can balance it all because he learned from the best – his own parents. His mother Blanche is a retired teacher who lives in Houston.
His father, Isaac Roubein, PhD, who passed away in May 2009, retired as a deputy director of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
"My father had an incredible work ethic," Roubein says. "He was a very humble person. He didn't talk much about his accomplishments, but he was a respected researcher." He considers his father to be one of his greatest mentors.
"My father was an unbelievable family man and completely dedicated to his Jewish faith," says Roubein.
Roubein is also dedicated. In 2008, he earned a Master of Science degree in Jewish Studies with a concentration in Talmud and Medieval Jewish Studies from Spertus Institute of Jewish Studies in Chicago.
Women Should Not Die of Breast Cancer
He earned his medical degree in 1987 from Louisiana State University School of Medicine in Shreveport, where he also won two research grants. In 1991, he earned the Outstanding Resident Achievement Award at LSU while completing his residency in diagnostic radiology.
He has held other jobs. Over the years he has worked as a Kroger cashier, an organic chemistry teaching assistant, a medical lab assistant, a waiter and a men's clothing salesman. From 1981 to 1983 he worked as a licensed realtor selling and managing commercial real estate.
But today, it is his work as radiologist for The Rose Galleria that has his heart.
“Women should die of old age,” says Roubein. “Not breast cancer.”
For more information about The Rose, please visit the organization’s website, www.therose.org. To schedule an appointment at The Rose Galleria or The Rose Southeast, call (713) 668-2996.
Avon Foundation Breast Care Fund Awards Grant for Breast Cancer Awareness Program to The Rose
The Avon Foundation Breast Care Fund has awarded a $60,000 one-year grant to The Rose, a non-profit breast cancer organization, to increase awareness of the life-saving benefits of early detection of breast cancer. It is the seventh year that the program has received funding from the Avon Foundation for Women to support its work on this important health issue, and in recognition of the excellence of the program.
The breast health program at The Rose will educate Houston-area women and provide them with low or no cost mammograms and clinical breast exams through the Empower HerÒ Sponsorship Program. This program is vital because Houston ranks as the highest city in the nation for uninsured people.
Last year, The Rose provided 27,837 screening and diagnostic procedures for those able to pay; 15,680 screening and diagnostic procedures at no charge to low income, uninsured women; 7,621 free patient navigation services to other treatment patients without insurance. This program provides breast cancer detection services to those who cannot afford the costs of these potentially life saving procedures.
Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in women in the U.S., and the leading single cause of death overall in women between the ages of 20 and 55. Nationwide, there is a new diagnosis every three minutes and a death from breast cancer every fourteen minutes. In the Houston area, one woman dies from breast cancer every day. While advances have been made in prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure, early detection still affords the best opportunity for successful treatment. Programs such as the Empower HerÒ Sponsorship Program at The Rose help ensure that all women have access to early detection information and options, even poor and medically underserved women.
“We are so pleased that the Avon Foundation for Women shares our mission and has chosen to support our program. With these funds we will be able to serve hundreds of women—for some our services will mean saving their lives.” says Dorothy Weston Gibbons, The Rose Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer.
Since 1993, the Avon Foundation for Women has awarded more than 1,300 grants to community-based breast health programs across the United States, including The Rose Empower Her® Sponsorship Program at The Rose. These programs are dedicated to educating underserved women about breast cancer and linking them to early detection screening services.
The Avon Foundation for Women and Breast Cancer Crusade
The Avon Foundation for Women, an accredited 501(c)(3) public charity, was founded in 1955 to improve the lives of women and their families. Now past the half century milestone, the Foundation brings this mission to life through the Speak Out Against Domestic Violence program and the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade, which raises funds and awareness to advance access to care and finding a cure for breast cancer, with a focus on the medically underserved. Since 1992 the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade has raised and awarded more than $640 million worldwide for medical research; access to care; support services; screening and diagnostics; and education and awareness. The largest fundraising program in the U.S. is the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer series.
The Avon Foundation Breast Care Fund
The Avon Foundation Breast Care Fund is administered by Cicatelli Associates Inc. to support community-based, non-profit breast health programs across the country. The Fund's National Advisory Board selected the Empower Her® Sponsorship Program at The Rose as one of 125 new grant recipients nationwide in the 2010 cycle of Avon Foundation Breast Care Fund grants. These organizations were chosen based on their ability to effectively reach women, particularly minority, low-income, and older women, who are often medically underserved.
For more Information
For more information on the Empower Her® Sponsorship Program at The Rose, please call 281.484.4708 or visit www.TheRose.org. For more information about breast cancer, contact the American Cancer Society at 1-800-ACS-2345 or www.cancer.org, or the National Cancer Institute at 1-800-4-CANCER or www.cancer.gov.
To learn more about the Avon Foundation for Women, call 1-866-505-AVON or visit www.avonfoundation.org, where you can also access the free printable Breast Health Resource Guide in English and Spanish. For information or to register or support the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer events, visit www.avonwalk.org or call 1-888-540-WALK.
Monday, June 28, 2010
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
The Rose Receives $1 Million CPRIT Grant;
The Rose received a $1 million award from The Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) for its Empower Her to Care Program. The donation will fund cancer screening services to approximately 3,000 medically underserved women. A significant focus of this award is addressing “no show” problems.
“Every time a woman makes an appointment and then doesn’t keep it, we lose three times,” Dorothy Weston Gibbons, co-founder and chief executive officer, explains. “We lose her, we lose the chance for another woman to have that appointment and, most importantly, we lose the chance to detect cancer in either of them.”
Gibbons said the goal is to:
The Rose is one of many Houston-based nonprofit organizations to receive CPRIT grants this year. Others include but are not limited to HOPE Clinic, University of Houston and University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.
“If we can figure out the reasons why women are not coming in, then we can better address the obstacles,” said Gibbons. “We are deeply grateful to CPRIT for this extraordinary opportunity to make a difference in our community.”
The Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas was established in 2007 when Texas voters approved a constitutional amendment authorizing the state to issue $3 billion in bonds to fund cancer research and prevention programs and services.
The Rose is the Houston area's leading 501(c)(3) non-profit breast cancer organization providing mammography screening, diagnosis, access to treatment and support to all women regardless of their ability to pay. For an appointment, call 281-484-4708 or 866-680-4708. Insured or not insured, you are welcome at The Rose. Call us today.
“Every time a woman makes an appointment and then doesn’t keep it, we lose three times,” Dorothy Weston Gibbons, co-founder and chief executive officer, explains. “We lose her, we lose the chance for another woman to have that appointment and, most importantly, we lose the chance to detect cancer in either of them.”
Gibbons said the goal is to:
- Increase mammography screening rates
- Increase first-time mammography screening of both African-American and Hispanic women
- Decrease no-show rates, and
- Ensure that all patients receive information about cervical cancer screening
“Our Empower Her to Care Project involves providing ‘care’ for more women by increasing capacity, maximizing resources and finding new, innovative ways to encourage screening that truly empower each woman to take ‘care’ of her health,” Gibbons said.
The Rose is one of many Houston-based nonprofit organizations to receive CPRIT grants this year. Others include but are not limited to HOPE Clinic, University of Houston and University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.
“If we can figure out the reasons why women are not coming in, then we can better address the obstacles,” said Gibbons. “We are deeply grateful to CPRIT for this extraordinary opportunity to make a difference in our community.”
The Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas was established in 2007 when Texas voters approved a constitutional amendment authorizing the state to issue $3 billion in bonds to fund cancer research and prevention programs and services.
The donation is the largest ever received by The Rose and will be funded over a two-year period.
The Rose is the Houston area's leading 501(c)(3) non-profit breast cancer organization providing mammography screening, diagnosis, access to treatment and support to all women regardless of their ability to pay. For an appointment, call 281-484-4708 or 866-680-4708. Insured or not insured, you are welcome at The Rose. Call us today.
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Southeast Houston’s Oldest and Largest Fundraising Event Benefiting The Rose – Back for 21st Year
If you’re new to the area and not familiar with this down-home food fest, here’s what to expect:
• The Rose 2010 Shrimp Boil benefits one of the area’s most enduring charities – The Rose. The Rose is a nonprofit breast care organization that started in southeast Houston more than 24 years ago because women without insurance needed quality breast care.
• Today, The Rose provides mammograms for thousands of uninsured women all over the greater Houston area. Insured women also go to The Rose for their annual mammograms which helps offset the cost for women who can’t afford to pay.
• Co-founders of the organization, surgeon Dr. Dixie Melillo and The Rose CEO Dorothy Weston Gibbons, as always, will be at the Shrimp Boil meeting, greeting and thanking the 1000-plus supporters expected to show up.
Last year the shrimp boil raised more than $85,000 for The Rose. Sponsors who are already signed up for 2010 include Pinnacle Financial Strategies, Precision Radiotherapy Center, Phelps Insurance, Soroptimist International of Pasadena, Aaron and Bonnie Jones, Patrick and Dorothy Gibbons, Bayway Lincoln Mercury, Casa Ole, Texas Citizens Bank, Buffalo Flange, Bayou City Public Relations and Continental Airlines.
“We prominently display a sponsor’s name as a supporter of The Rose and the fight against breast cancer,” said Michelle Hanson event coordinator. “Even if a sponsor can’t attend, we still recognize them publicly and in print,” she said.
Another way for Houston businesses to support the event is to donate an item for the live and silent auctions.
“There’s room in the mix for prizes big and small,” Hanson said. “Participants will bid on everything from airline tickets and automobiles to free dinners at the area’s best eateries, to gift cards at favorite stores.”
“Additionally, we invite everyone to visit The Rose website (www.therose.org) to learn more about the many women we’ve assisted and the many lives we’ve helped save,” said Hanson.
For more information about The Rose 2010 Shrimp Boil and how to participate, call Hanson at (281) 464-5165 or contact her via e-mail at mhanson@therose.org.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Captures 2010 Better Business Bureau ‘Winner of Distinction Award for Excellence ‘
The Rose, which last year delivered more than 68,000 medical and educational services to both uninsured and insured Houston-area women, won the Winner of Distinction Award for Excellence presented by the Greater Houston and South Texas chapter of the Better Business Bureau (BBB).The Rose was honored at the 18th Annual BBB Awards of Excellence ceremony held at the Intercontinental Hotel to honor Houston-area nonprofits and companies that “demonstrate a superior commitment to ethics, overall excellence and quality in the workplace,” said Dan Parsons, president of the organization.
“The Rose is an accredited charity partner that has lived up to our standards of trust, are accountable to their clients, donors and board and faithfully commit to the highest quality of service.”
“We are proud that the Better Business Bureau has recognized the quality and value of our work,” said Dorothy Weston Gibbons, co-founder and chief executive officer of The Rose who, along with Myrleen Knott, chairman of The Rose board of trustees, accepted a crystal prism trophy at the event.
Gibbons said services from The Rose reduce deaths from breast cancer by providing screening, diagnostic follow-up, access to treatment, patient navigation, support and education. “The Rose provides access to treatment for all women, regardless of their ability to pay, said Gibbons. “We answer Houston’s growing demand for breast care services.”
Gibbons said the key to The Rose’s sustainability is simple and effective: “At The Rose, a woman with insurance actually offsets the cost of a mammogram for a woman who has none.”
The Rose operates two Houston diagnostic centers and a mobile mammogram program. Locations are: The Rose Galleria at 5420 W. Loop South, Suite 3300; and The Rose Southeast at 12700 N. Featherwood, Suite 260.
For more information about The Rose, visit http://www.therose.org/. Call 281-484-4708 for an appointment at either location.
Pictured: CEO and Co-founder Dorothy Gibbons (left) with Chairman of the Board of Directors Myrleen Knott.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
All Jokes Aside, There’s a Good Reason You’re Squeezed During a Mammogram
By Rae Miller
Many a joke has been made about the discomfort of a round breast being squeezed flat like a pancake during a mammogram, but it turns out there is sound reasoning behind it.
"The breast has to be taut," explains Carla Montgomery, a mammography technologist at The Rose. "The more pressure we use, the less 'give' there is in the breast and the more the breast tissue is spread apart.”
This, says Montgomery, means the radiologist – the physician whose specialty is “reading” mammograms – can see through the mass with no overlapping breast tissue getting in the way.
At The Rose, a Houston-area nonprofit breast cancer screening organization, women who don't care much for that temporary flattening effect can feel great about this: Every time their insurance pays for a mammogram, they have helped cover the cost of a mammogram for other women who are not insured or don’t have the ability to pay.
Women can also feel great about The Rose Galleria, says the center’s radiologist. Dr. Daniel Roubein. “There is not another medical facility in the Houston area that can claim superior technology to our new The Rose Galleria.” The newest mammography technology is digital.
Before digital mammograms, analog mammography was the standard. What is the difference between analog and digital?
Roubein explains: "Analog mammograms are similar to photographs developed from film. You can't change the color of the picture and you can't magnify it or rotate it to get a different view. With digital images like those we obtain at The Rose Galleria, we can glean more information. This means the patient may be less likely to be called back for additional imaging.”
Another advantage says Roubein, is that the information can be shared electronically if a patient’s record needs to be sent elsewhere."
Roubein reads and interprets the digital images – the mammogram – from a computer screen, but it's a team effort.
If a radiologist can't count on his mammography technologists to do the job right, he says, there's nothing to work with. Skilled technologists, says Roubein, generate diagnostic images that are meaningful and useful.
To earn these skills, Montgomery says she and other technologists must complete a two-year
X-ray college program, followed by 40 hours of mammography specialization, plus 25 mammograms.
The goal is for patients to get an experienced technologist from the get-go, she says.
Montgomery brings special knowledge to the job. At only 38, she has already had several mammograms herself, because she volunteered to be the class "guinea pig” as a student.
"I wanted to know what it was like so I could tell my patients 'this is how it's going to feel, this is how long it's going to take,’" she says.
Bedside manner cannot be taught in a classroom, but it is important. That’s why Montgomery tells women that yes, mammograms are uncomfortable, but it shouldn't take more than 10 minutes to get two images per breast.
Women tend to be nervous the first time they have a mammogram, she says. A woman’s first breast screening is called a baseline mammogram.
Baseline mammograms are important, says Roubein.
"They are the starting point for interpretation. We can interpret without a baseline if one is not available for some reason, but making comparisons between breast tissue today and breast tissue from two or three years ago is an ideal way to determine if something is benign without having to do a biopsy. "
Baseline mammograms can be a woman's first mammogram ever, or her first mammogram after surgery for breast cancer or breast implants.
So when should a woman have that first mammogram?
At age 40, or even younger if a problem pops up, Roubein says. These are not the guidelines set out in a recent study conducted by the United States Preventative Services Task Force, which recommended eliminating screening for women aged 40-49. The study said women 50-74 should be screened every other year.
Roubein says the controversial study is just not correct. "The study did not accurately portray the value of mammography. There is no arbitrary age at which breast cancer begins."
Become a fan of The Rose on Facebook.
"The breast has to be taut," explains Carla Montgomery, a mammography technologist at The Rose. "The more pressure we use, the less 'give' there is in the breast and the more the breast tissue is spread apart.”
This, says Montgomery, means the radiologist – the physician whose specialty is “reading” mammograms – can see through the mass with no overlapping breast tissue getting in the way.
At The Rose, a Houston-area nonprofit breast cancer screening organization, women who don't care much for that temporary flattening effect can feel great about this: Every time their insurance pays for a mammogram, they have helped cover the cost of a mammogram for other women who are not insured or don’t have the ability to pay.
Women can also feel great about The Rose Galleria, says the center’s radiologist. Dr. Daniel Roubein. “There is not another medical facility in the Houston area that can claim superior technology to our new The Rose Galleria.” The newest mammography technology is digital.
Before digital mammograms, analog mammography was the standard. What is the difference between analog and digital?
Roubein explains: "Analog mammograms are similar to photographs developed from film. You can't change the color of the picture and you can't magnify it or rotate it to get a different view. With digital images like those we obtain at The Rose Galleria, we can glean more information. This means the patient may be less likely to be called back for additional imaging.”
Another advantage says Roubein, is that the information can be shared electronically if a patient’s record needs to be sent elsewhere."
Roubein reads and interprets the digital images – the mammogram – from a computer screen, but it's a team effort.
If a radiologist can't count on his mammography technologists to do the job right, he says, there's nothing to work with. Skilled technologists, says Roubein, generate diagnostic images that are meaningful and useful.
To earn these skills, Montgomery says she and other technologists must complete a two-year
X-ray college program, followed by 40 hours of mammography specialization, plus 25 mammograms.
The goal is for patients to get an experienced technologist from the get-go, she says.
Montgomery brings special knowledge to the job. At only 38, she has already had several mammograms herself, because she volunteered to be the class "guinea pig” as a student.
"I wanted to know what it was like so I could tell my patients 'this is how it's going to feel, this is how long it's going to take,’" she says.
Bedside manner cannot be taught in a classroom, but it is important. That’s why Montgomery tells women that yes, mammograms are uncomfortable, but it shouldn't take more than 10 minutes to get two images per breast.
Women tend to be nervous the first time they have a mammogram, she says. A woman’s first breast screening is called a baseline mammogram.
Baseline mammograms are important, says Roubein.
"They are the starting point for interpretation. We can interpret without a baseline if one is not available for some reason, but making comparisons between breast tissue today and breast tissue from two or three years ago is an ideal way to determine if something is benign without having to do a biopsy. "
Baseline mammograms can be a woman's first mammogram ever, or her first mammogram after surgery for breast cancer or breast implants.
So when should a woman have that first mammogram?
At age 40, or even younger if a problem pops up, Roubein says. These are not the guidelines set out in a recent study conducted by the United States Preventative Services Task Force, which recommended eliminating screening for women aged 40-49. The study said women 50-74 should be screened every other year.
Roubein says the controversial study is just not correct. "The study did not accurately portray the value of mammography. There is no arbitrary age at which breast cancer begins."
Become a fan of The Rose on Facebook.
To schedule your appointment at The Rose, call 281.484.4708 or visit www.TheRose.org.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Understanding Breast Pain
by Dr. Daniel Roubein
Let’s talk about breast pain, medically known as Mastodynia. What do you know about it? The first thing you should know is that it is not a common symptom of breast cancer. To put it another way, most women with breast cancer do not present themselves to their doctors with a main complaint of breast pain, but rather they tell their doctors that they feel a lump in their breast or have noticed a change in the skin of their breast.
Breast pain refers to any type of pain in the breast, including premenstrual tenderness, and there are many causes for breast pain. Hormonal changes are often responsible for breast pain. Some common causes of breast pain include:
•Menstruation
•Poorly fitting bra
•Weight gain
•Excessive caffeine ingestion
•Excessive alcohol intake
•Fibrocystic breast disease (lumpy or bumpy breast tissue which tends to be more tender before the menstrual cycle begins)
•Infection
•Traumatic injury
•Medications (such as certain heart medications)
Some simple steps you can take to help decrease breast pain include:
•Buy a professionally fitted bra to give the best possible breast support.
•Reduce the intake of caffeine and alcohol
•Consult with your doctor if you think you may have a breast infection (for instance, if you have redness of the skin of the breast or swelling of the breast).
•Apply an ice pack to your breast if you have injured your breast.
Some reasons to call your doctor to ask about your breast pain:
•Fluid discharge from the nipple, whether this is bloody or not
•Concern about a breast infection
•A new lump or mass in the breast
•Persistent breast pain with no explanation.
These are some common causes for breast pain and a few simple steps you can take to alleviate the pain. However, if you’re not sure about the pain, then it’s better to err on the side of caution. Call your doctor and make an appointment. If you don’t have a doctor, call The Rose at (281) 484-4708. Your peace of mind is our priority.
About Dr. Roubein – Dr. Daniel Roubein is a Radiologist at The Rose. The founder and president of Radiology Reading Centers of America, Dr. Roubein has been practicing radiology for 18 years. He joined The Rose team in 2009.
He is a senior member of the American Society of Neuroradiology and a member of the American Society of Head and Neck Radiology, American Medical Association, Radiological Society of North America and the Houston Radiological Society.
Click Here to see the original article on Click2Houston.com.
To schedule your appointment at The Rose, call 281.484.4708 or visit www.TheRose.org.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Shiny Pink Van Brings Priceless 'Gift' to Busy Working Women
Story by Rae MillerWhether a company is big or small, in the boonies or in the heart of the city, the shiny pink van will come. It may not come with a ribbon on top, but it should, because the gift it brings to women is priceless.
After all, when breast cancer is detected early, the survival rate is 98 percent. Yet studies show that up to 30 percent of insured women put off their annual mammograms, because they simply feel too busy. So why not bring mammograms to them?
The Rose Mobile Mammography Program covers an 11-county area: Austin, Brazoria, Brazos, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Matagorda, Montgomery and Waller.
Last year, The Rose vans visited 82 companies, including Randalls, Continental Airlines, Halliburton, American National, and Shell FCU. That's in addition to several churches and schools.
Most companies have insurance plans that cover the cost of mammograms for employees and spouses, making it a win-win situation – because every time a woman who has insurance gets her mammogram at The Rose – whether mobile or on-site – it covers the cost of a mammogram for a woman who does not.
There are other mobile mammogram programs out there, but The Rose is a little different. The mammograms do not take place in a vehicle.
"A lot of them will go to the van first, knock on the door, then find out we're in the building," said Angie Weems, supervisor of The Rose Mobile Mammography Program.
The team sets up on site at the location, so it feels more like a doctor's office. Weems said they visit the site ahead of time to make sure certain criteria are met. Each site must have a wheelchair ramp for loading and unloading equipment, parking for the van and patients, a private screening room of at least 9-feet by 9-feet, wide hallways for maneuvering equipment, an elevator if the screenings are not taking place on the first floor, and three grounded outlets per room.
Once everything is clear, Sophie enters the building. "She has wheels and a little motor," Weems said. "Everywhere the van goes, she goes." The Rose has three mobile "Planmed Sophie Classic" units, each one inspected yearly and fully maintained to provide high-quality breast imaging. Weems said the team remains on-site for the day, or even up to one week, depending on how many women have scheduled mammograms. Each mammogram takes approximately 15 minutes, Weems said, so they can do a maximum of 25 to 30 a day.
Women receive two images of each breast – one from the top and one from the side - which is exactly the same as an in-office visit. The film is read by a radiologist back at The Rose.
"We can't tell when we read a mammogram if it's from the mobile unit or from down the hall," said Dr. Ward Parsons, The Rose clinical breast imager. "Everything is done exactly the same way. The only difference is that instead of you coming to us, we come to you."
Women will receive a letter in the mail letting her know her exam was normal, or suggesting further testing with her physician. Mobile mammograms are not for everyone. Women who are under the age of 35, have breast implants, a diagnosis of breast cancer within the last two years, or have been breastfeeding within the last three months are not eligible for the mobile program.
But they can still make an appointment for a mammogram at one of The Rose's two mammography centers, The Rose Southeast at 12700 N. Featherwood in Houston, and the new Rose Galleria at 5420 West Loop South in Bellaire.
When the mobile mammogram program launched in 2006, it had one van, one technologist and one coordinator. Now they've got two vans, four technologists and six coordinators. "We needed it," Weems said. "As word got out, more people wanted us, and we were booking up really fast."
The vans are sponsored by Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Pink Ribbons Project and Randalls. The organization is seeking a corporate sponsor for a third van.
Last year, more than 6,200 women had mobile mammograms through The Rose.
As the program continues to grow, plans are underway to expand coverage to additional counties, including Walker, said The Rose Technical Director Amy Rigsby.
Anything that gets women to schedule and keep their mammogram appointments is welcome to The Rose. "Providing mobile mammograms sometimes means the difference between not getting a mammogram and getting a mammogram," Parsons said. "That to us is the most important thing."
To schedule an appointment for mobile screening, call 281-464-5138 or email aweems@therose.org. To schedule an on-site mammogram at either of The Rose's two locations, call 281-484-4708 or visit www.the-rose.org.
Click here to see the original article from Click2Houston.com.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Young Woman Thought It Could Never Happen to Her
By Rae MillerNothing makes time stand still like finding a lump in your breast.
Even though you're frozen, your fingers are still pushing, prodding, palpating.
But you're young. You're busy. It's probably nothing you tell yourself.
So you wait.
"I found a lump, and I didn't deal with it," said Spring Branch resident Melissa Strong, 29. "I waited a whole year. And then found out I had cancer." Not only did Strong, who is the mother of a four-year-old boy, think she was too young to have breast cancer, she thought she was too young for a mammogram.
According to The Rose, a Houston nonprofit organization that provides screening, diagnosis and access to treatment regardless of a patient's ability to pay, you might be too young for a mammogram, but you're not too young for breast cancer.
That's why The Rose established the Young Women's Clinic, specifically for females 35 and younger. According to the American Cancer Society, there are more than 250,000 women living in the United States who were diagnosed with breast cancer at age 40 or younger. Next year, 10,000 more will be diagnosed.
Last year, of the 335 women The Rose diagnosed with breast cancer, 37 were under the age of 40. Of those, 34 had no insurance. Strong was one of them. Her physician referred her to The Rose – a perfect fit because that's where Strong met Dr. Janet Hoagland, who believes "if we save the mother, we save the family."
Hoagland said patients need a physician's referral before coming to the Young Women's Clinic, but if she does not have a primary care physician, The Rose has a network of physicians who will provide a referral at little cost. "Most young women are uninsured," Hoagland said. "Young people figure they don't need insurance yet. So even if they have the ability to insure themselves, they often don't."
Once at the Young Women's Clinic, the patient receives a clinical breast exam and an ultrasound. Hoagland said ultrasound is a better screening tool for younger breasts, which due to density can cause a mammogram to look like "a snowstorm," not providing enough detail.
But that's not to say a mammogram won't be ordered. Strong had an ultrasound and a mammogram, both on the same day. "My rule of thumb is that the breast is mature after the first full pregnancy," Hoagland said. "We do a mammogram if the patient fits into that category, or is over the age of 30 or has family history."
Strong's grandmother died of breast cancer. "Family history is a big, red flag," Hoagland said. "A red flag cannot be ignored." Yet almost 80 percent of breast cancer occurs in women who do not have any genetic factors. If it's cancer, Hoagland puts her uninsured patient in the care of a Patient Navigator at The Rose.
"Some doctors will tell you 'yeah you have cancer, figure it out yourself,'" Strong said. "The Rose, they don't do that. I didn't have to get in that long line to get Medicaid and get denied 300 times. And I didn't have to wait 500 years to get in to M.D. Anderson. It was very soothing and eased my mind a lot."
Strong underwent six months of chemotherapy, followed by a double mastectomy, because she tested positive for the BRCA 2 cancer gene and also underwent radiation. "I think if I had gone when I first felt the lump, it still would have been small enough that I wouldn't have needed radiation," Strong said. "Not to get on my soapbox or anything, but if you feel something, go to your doctor. If the doctor brushes you off, go to another doctor."
Hoagland couldn't agree more. "The woman knows her own breast the best," Hoagland said. "If she says something is different, it's different."
But different doesn't necessarily mean cancer. Ultrasound will show whether a lump is solid or filled with fluid. If it's fluid-filled, it's generally a cyst, which will collapse the moment Hoagland aspirates it with a thin needle. Hard nodules that stick around might be fibroadenomas, a type of noncancerous tumor that is quite common in young women.
"Some women are just fibroadenoma-makers," Hoagland said. "If the fibroadenoma is less than three centimeters, and there are no other risk factors, we follow them every six months for two years to make sure it's not growing. You have them your whole life unless they are surgically removed."
Breast tissue changes that are cyclical, meaning lumps and bumps that come and go on a monthly basis, can often be treated by limiting caffeine intake. Hoagland always enjoys the opportunity to educate young women about breast health.
"There are no silly questions; there are no stupid questions," Hoagland said. "We don't treat people like hypochondriacs.
"While we don't know how to prevent breast cancer, we do know how to detect it early. And women who are proactive are the women who do better."
The Young Women's Clinic is open from noon to 4 p.m. weekdays at The Rose Galleria, 5420 West Loop South, Suite 3300, Bellaire; and from noon to 3 p.m. every Friday and every other Thursday at The Rose Southeast, 12700 N. Featherwood, Suite 260 in Houston.
For more information, call 281-484-4708 or visit The Rose website, www.the-rose.org.
Even though you're frozen, your fingers are still pushing, prodding, palpating.
But you're young. You're busy. It's probably nothing you tell yourself.
So you wait.
"I found a lump, and I didn't deal with it," said Spring Branch resident Melissa Strong, 29. "I waited a whole year. And then found out I had cancer." Not only did Strong, who is the mother of a four-year-old boy, think she was too young to have breast cancer, she thought she was too young for a mammogram.
According to The Rose, a Houston nonprofit organization that provides screening, diagnosis and access to treatment regardless of a patient's ability to pay, you might be too young for a mammogram, but you're not too young for breast cancer.
That's why The Rose established the Young Women's Clinic, specifically for females 35 and younger. According to the American Cancer Society, there are more than 250,000 women living in the United States who were diagnosed with breast cancer at age 40 or younger. Next year, 10,000 more will be diagnosed.
Last year, of the 335 women The Rose diagnosed with breast cancer, 37 were under the age of 40. Of those, 34 had no insurance. Strong was one of them. Her physician referred her to The Rose – a perfect fit because that's where Strong met Dr. Janet Hoagland, who believes "if we save the mother, we save the family."
Hoagland said patients need a physician's referral before coming to the Young Women's Clinic, but if she does not have a primary care physician, The Rose has a network of physicians who will provide a referral at little cost. "Most young women are uninsured," Hoagland said. "Young people figure they don't need insurance yet. So even if they have the ability to insure themselves, they often don't."
Once at the Young Women's Clinic, the patient receives a clinical breast exam and an ultrasound. Hoagland said ultrasound is a better screening tool for younger breasts, which due to density can cause a mammogram to look like "a snowstorm," not providing enough detail.
But that's not to say a mammogram won't be ordered. Strong had an ultrasound and a mammogram, both on the same day. "My rule of thumb is that the breast is mature after the first full pregnancy," Hoagland said. "We do a mammogram if the patient fits into that category, or is over the age of 30 or has family history."
Strong's grandmother died of breast cancer. "Family history is a big, red flag," Hoagland said. "A red flag cannot be ignored." Yet almost 80 percent of breast cancer occurs in women who do not have any genetic factors. If it's cancer, Hoagland puts her uninsured patient in the care of a Patient Navigator at The Rose.
"Some doctors will tell you 'yeah you have cancer, figure it out yourself,'" Strong said. "The Rose, they don't do that. I didn't have to get in that long line to get Medicaid and get denied 300 times. And I didn't have to wait 500 years to get in to M.D. Anderson. It was very soothing and eased my mind a lot."
Strong underwent six months of chemotherapy, followed by a double mastectomy, because she tested positive for the BRCA 2 cancer gene and also underwent radiation. "I think if I had gone when I first felt the lump, it still would have been small enough that I wouldn't have needed radiation," Strong said. "Not to get on my soapbox or anything, but if you feel something, go to your doctor. If the doctor brushes you off, go to another doctor."
Hoagland couldn't agree more. "The woman knows her own breast the best," Hoagland said. "If she says something is different, it's different."
But different doesn't necessarily mean cancer. Ultrasound will show whether a lump is solid or filled with fluid. If it's fluid-filled, it's generally a cyst, which will collapse the moment Hoagland aspirates it with a thin needle. Hard nodules that stick around might be fibroadenomas, a type of noncancerous tumor that is quite common in young women.
"Some women are just fibroadenoma-makers," Hoagland said. "If the fibroadenoma is less than three centimeters, and there are no other risk factors, we follow them every six months for two years to make sure it's not growing. You have them your whole life unless they are surgically removed."
Breast tissue changes that are cyclical, meaning lumps and bumps that come and go on a monthly basis, can often be treated by limiting caffeine intake. Hoagland always enjoys the opportunity to educate young women about breast health.
"There are no silly questions; there are no stupid questions," Hoagland said. "We don't treat people like hypochondriacs.
"While we don't know how to prevent breast cancer, we do know how to detect it early. And women who are proactive are the women who do better."
The Young Women's Clinic is open from noon to 4 p.m. weekdays at The Rose Galleria, 5420 West Loop South, Suite 3300, Bellaire; and from noon to 3 p.m. every Friday and every other Thursday at The Rose Southeast, 12700 N. Featherwood, Suite 260 in Houston.
For more information, call 281-484-4708 or visit The Rose website, www.the-rose.org.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Beauty and the Breast: Evaluation of the Younger Woman
by Janet Hoagland, MDAs a young woman , have you ever been told that your breasts were "lumpy" or that you had "fibrocystic disease" making your clinical exam difficult? Evaluation of the younger breast may be sometimes difficult due to the fact that younger breasts have more dense glandular tissue. Glandular tissue may produce "cyclical" lumps, that is lobules of breast tissue which may be stimulated by higher levels of estrogen and progesterone at different times in the menstrual cycle. Sometimes these lumps are tender. We do know that the best time to examine your breasts is the week after your cycle ends, not the week before it starts. You want to check your breasts when they are the least tender and the least lumpy. Awareness about your own breasts and how they feel is one of the best guides for deciding what is normal for you.
Occasionally, you or your doctor may feel tissue that feels like a lump but really is normal glandular tissue. It could be a prominent breast lobule, or a fat lobule. We certainly have to rule out "real" lumps, like cysts, benign tumors (fibroadenomas,) and cancers. A cyst may feel compressible, that is it may flatten out or feel soft. A solid benign tumor, like a fibroadenomas, may be firmer and mobile. Cancer usually will be thick, immobile and/or hard, although not always. Cancer in a young woman sometimes grows quickly and has pushing margins, so it can feel like a fibroadenoma in shape, texture and movement.
Breast pain can be cyclical or noncyclical. Breast pain in both breasts is a common complaint and is usually related to the timing of the menstrual cycle. This is called cyclical breast pain. Occasionally the pain will be located only in one spot in one breast. This is called focal breast pain. In general, the remedy for most breast pain is to give up the coffee, soda, tea, including green tea and chocolate (oh no!) for 3 months. It could certainly be the fault of being large breasted or even the way your underwire bra fits. We always have to rule out the presence of a cyst (a fluid filled blind milk duct) as the reason for pain. If a cyst is large, inflamed and/or painful, a cyst aspiration with a skinny needle will drain the cyst so it collapses and the walls stick together so it doesn't come back! If the fluid is yellow or green, we just throw it away. If the wall of the cyst was irregular or there is blood in the fluid, we can send it to the lab for evaluation. Some fibroadenomas, benign tumors of young women, can also be painful. It is a myth that breast cancer doesn't hurt. Breast cancer in young women can be associated with tenderness or discomfort.
The tools are very limited when it comes to the evaluation of the younger woman's breasts. Mammography uses low energy radiation to evaluate breast architecture. Mammograms are extremely useful in the older post reproductive fatty replaced breast because the x-rays can easily penetrate the fatty tissues, exposing the outlines of any remaining glandular tissue or abnormal "lump" in the breast. However most, not all, young women have dense breasts. Mammography does not penetrate dense tissue well and the dense tissue may hide any lesions in the breast. Although radiation exposure is small , the equivalent of flying from NY to Los Angeles while sitting in the window seat of an airplane, it is felt that younger immature tissue is more susceptible to genetic injury from the radiation. We know that the breast tissue does not completely mature until a woman goes through a full term pregnancy. These reasons, in addition to the lower incidence of breast cancer in younger women, is why the American College of Radiology recommends Screening Mammography begin at age 40. If a young woman under the age of 40 requires a mammogram, it must be for a very good reason and then it is called a Diagnostic Mammogram. I personally feel that age recommendations are in general arbitrary, and that the need for mammographic evaluation should be decided on an individual basis, based on risk factors, reproductive or prior birth history, clinical breast exam and the specific nature of the problem (i.e. pain, nodularity, mass, etc).
Sonography or ultrasound is utilized to evaluate dense breast tissue in that it uses sound (sonar) to differentiate between different densities in the breast. For example: the fluid in a cyst has a different density than the wall of the cyst. This allows us to tell whether the wall is smooth or irregular. Some cystic fluid may have oil, or fat or debris or thick fluid floating within the cyst, and this will also show up as a different densities on ultrasound. Solid benign tumors, such as fibroadenomas, appear as dense solid masses, some with gentle lobulations. Cancer can look like a black thundercloud without margins because it is so dense it blocks all sound. Sometimes they can resemble benign tumors. Because
of certain characteristics on clinical breast exam, mammography, ultrasound, age greater than 30 years old or high risk factors, a biopsy might be recommended.
Sampling the mass may be the best way to be sure it is benign, if there is any question. I always say, like your hairdresser, only your pathologist knows for sure! Needle biopsies for solid masses are fairly benign procedures. A little local anesthetic in the skin and all around the lump might sting a bit, but make you perfectly comfortable for the needle biopsy. Results should be called or mailed to you and your doctor. Always get a copy of the report for your records! Any truly solid mass not biopsied, or any mass biopsied and found to be benign should be followed every 6 months for 2 years.
Finally, a few facts to raise your awareness:
Facts:
· Women of all ages are at risk for breast cancer. We are seeing an increasing number of women under 40 diagnosed with breast cancer. The incidence of breast cancer increases with age: 1 out of 2,212 by age 30, 1 out of 233 by age 40 and 1 out of 58 by age 50 (SEER 2007)
· Since the national guidelines for women starts at age 40, no standard services are available to younger women who may be at risk
· Risk may be increased by family history, young age at 1st menstruation, no full term pregnancies before the age of 30, history of a previous biopsy, or history of a previous biopsy demonstrating atypical cells
· A breast cancer can be missed or discovered later due to a lack of awareness about the prevalence of breast cancer in young women and the lack of awareness about a normal breast self exam
· Only a small number of breast cancers, between 5% and 10% are due to an abnormal breast cancer gene that may be inherited from the mother OR the father
· 80% of women diagnosed with breast cancer have absolutely no risk factors, other than being a woman
· Per American Cancer Society: 10,000 of the 182,460 new cases of breast cancer will be under the age of 40 and 23,000 under the age of 43
· Breast cancers in young women are in general more aggressive, exhibit faster growth and result in lower survival rates.
· Breast cancer in younger women may be biologically different than that in older women
· The younger dense breast is limited and more difficult to evaluate without a standard and effective screening tool
· Younger women are underrepresented in many research studies
Dr. Janet Hoagland-Sorensen has been associated with The Rose since 1998. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. She attended Tulane University School of Medicine in New Orleans, Louisiana and was awarded her Doctor of Medicine degree in 1978.
Dr. Hoagland-Sorensen completed her five-year internship and residency in General Surgery at the University of Texas Health Science Center and Affiliated Hospitals in the Texas Medical Center in Houston, as well as an additional research year in Immunology of Tumor Suppressor Cells from 1982-1988. She was a Surgical Oncology Fellow at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston from 1998-1989. In 1989, she entered private practice specializing in surgical diseases of the breast at Memorial Southwest Hospital.
Dr. Hoagland-Sorensen is married to James Sorensen, C.P.A., and together they happily share 6 children, ages 16 to 28. She has a personal and family history of breast cancer and is a lung cancer survivor.
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