Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Breast Cancer Information

October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the Chicago Wolves have partnered with A Silver
Lining Foundation to help create awareness of this all-too-common disease. Each October, the Wolves host Breast Cancer Awareness Night with proceeds benefiting A Silver Lining Foundation and Chicago Wolves Charities. Provided below is more information about A Silver Lining Foundation and breast cancer.

For the Wolves games during Breast Cancer Awareness Month against the Milwaukee Admirals on Oct. 12, Oct. 26 and the Iowa Wild on Oct. 29, fans were encouraged to join coaches, players and staff in wearing pink as a show of solidarity in the fight against breast cancer.

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HONOR YOUR BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR

Fans had the opportunity to honor a breast cancer survivor of their choice by donating $175, the cost of a mammogram for someone who can’t afford one. The player wrote the name of the survivor on the stick and the fan had the opportunity to meet the player after the game on Oct. 26. Thanks to all the fans who purchased a stick and changed someone’s life. Photos from the event are below.

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A SILVER LINING FOUNDATION

A Silver Lining Foundation was founded in 2006 by Dr. Sandy Goldberg, a breast cancer survivor herself, to ensure dignified, respectful and equal access to quality cancer education and services for all. By creating partnerships with community, advocacy and healthcare organizations, A Silver Lining Foundation wants to ensure that socioeconomic status does not affect an individual’s access to information, cancer screening and diagnosis.

A Silver Lining Foundation is comprised of the following four programs:

• The Chicagoland Cancer Information Coalition (CCIC)
• The Evelyn Goldberg Center
• Buy A Mom A Mammogram®
• Keep aBreast

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BUY A MOM A MAMMOGRAM

A Silver Lining Foundation’s Buy A Mom A Mammogram® program is their most well-known program. Since it was established in 2006, over 6,000 women, 99% of whom are uninsured, have received information about and access to a cost-free screening mammogram and diagnostic evaluation.

Buy A Mom A Mammogram® funds cost-free mammograms and diagnostic testing to individuals in a timely, dignified and respectful fashion.

In need of a mammogram and can’t afford it? 

Contact A Silver Lining Foundation at (312) 345-1322 or (toll free) 1(877) 924-1126.

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General Information

What is breast cancer?
According to the American Cancer Society, “breast cancer is a malignant tumor that starts in the cells of the breast. A malignant tumor is a group of cancer cells that can grow into surrounding tissues or spread to distant areas of the body.”

Who can get breast cancer?
Anyone – both males and females can get breast cancer.

What are the risk factors for breast cancer?
A risk factor is anything that affects your chance of getting a disease, such as cancer. Different cancers have different risk factors and below are some of the risk factors associated with breast cancer, according to the American Cancer Society:

Risk factors you cannot change

• Gender – being a woman automatically increases your risk
• Aging – the older the person, the higher the risk
• Genetics – higher risk if there is a family history of breast cancer

Personal history of breast cancer
Women with cancer in one breast have a higher risk of developing cancer in the other breast or in another part of the same breast.

Race & Ethnicity
White women are slightly more likely to develop breast cancer than are African American women. However, African American women are more likely to die of this cancer.

Dense breast tissue
Women with denser breast tissue are at higher risk.

Menstrual periods
Women who have had more menstrual cycles (because they started early and/or went through menopause later) have a slightly higher risk.

Having children
Women who have had no children or who had their first child after age 30 have a slightly higher breast cancer risk.  Having many pregnancies and becoming pregnant at a young age reduce breast cancer risk.

Birth Control 
Using oral contraceptives will cause a slightly higher risk, however it seems to go back to normal over time once pills are stopped.

Breastfeeding
Slightly lowers risk, according to some studies.

Alcohol
Use of alcohol is linked to an increased risk of developing breast cancer.

Being overweight or obese
After menopause, being overweight or obese increases breast cancer risk, however the link between being overweight and breast cancer is complex.

Physical activity
Studies have shown exercise reduces breast cancer risk.

For more information on risk factors click here.

Can breast cancer be found early?
Yes, breast cancer can be found early and American Cancer Society recommends the following to detect it:

• WOMEN AT AGE 40 and older should have a screening mammogram every year and should continue to do so for as long as they are in good health.
• WOMEN IN THEIR 20s & 30s should have a clinical breast exam as part of a periodic health exam by a health professional, at least every 3 years. AFTER AGE 40, women should have a breast exam by a health professional every year.
• WOMEN IN THEIR 20s should perform self-breast exams and report any breast changes to their health professional right away. Click here.
• For more information about early detection, click here.

How is breast cancer treated?
The main types of treatment are:

• Surgery
• Radiation therapy
• Chemotherapy
• Hormone therapy
• Targeted therapy
• Bone-directed therapy

FACTS & FIGURES
(Provided by American Cancer Society)

• “About 1 out of 8 invasive breast cancers are found in women younger than 45, while about 2 of 3 invasive breast cancers are found in women age 55 or older.”
• “Having one first-degree relative (mother, sister or daughter) with breast cancer approximately doubles a woman’s risk. Having 2 first-degree relatives increases her risk about 3-fold.”
• “Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the United States, other than skin cancer. It is the second-leading cause of cancer death in women, after lung cancer.”
• “Less than 15% of women with breast cancer have a family member with this disease. This means that most (over 85%) women who get breast cancer do not have a family history of this disease.”
• “In one study from the Women’s Health Initiative, as little as 1.25 to 2.5 hours per week of brisk walking reduced a woman’s risk by 18%. Walking 10 hours a week reduced the risk a little more.”
• “The chance of a woman having invasive breast cancer sometime during her life is a little less than 1 in 8. The chance of dying from breast cancer is about 1 in 36.”
• “Right now, there are more than 4 million breast cancer survivors in the United States.”
• “When detected and treated early, a five-year survival rate is greater than 92%.”

For more information, please click here.

FINDING SUPPORT & TREATMENT
A Silver Lining Foundation
American Cancer Society
Bright Pink
Loyola Medical Center
Metropolitan Chicago Breast Cancer Task Force
Northwest Community Hospital
Sisters Network Chicago
Susan G. Komen for the Cure