You and Your Partner

 

What do partners of breast cancer patients care most about? 

In spite of what you may imagine or fear, studies show that the answer is simply this: Their loved one is alive and feeling well. The loss or alteration of a breast is almost meaningless in contrast. "I don't care what they take from you as long as I can see your face" is a common sentiment.

Nobody is promising there won't be ups and downs. While you're worrying about feeling less attractive, your partner is also dealing with worry, anxiety, and maybe even guilt, wondering: "Could I have been responsible? Could I in some way have contributed to the cancer? Will I become radioactive if I touch her, if I touch her breast? Is her cancer contagious?" And (perhaps feeling guilty), "When will I be able to worry about myself for a change?"

It may be hard for you figure out your needs and concerns, let alone tell them to your partner. You don't want to make light of what your partner has already done for you, so phrase your requests as carefully and positively as possible: "You've been working so hard, doing so much—and it's made a huge difference. But what I really need right now is to be close to you and tell you what's making me nervous and anxious. I need you to listen, and maybe just hold me."

Communication's the key

Communication—talking to each other, listening to each other—is the basis of any intimate relationship. But most people haven't a clue about how to talk about something as big as cancer. So here are some tips to get you started:

• Find some time. Most couples have limited time together anyway. A breast cancer diagnosis just adds more distractions. Even when you do get to talk, there are so many interruptions the conversation may go nowhere. Schedule some time in a quiet place where you know you won't be interrupted.
• Start somewhere. Begin by talking about something comfortable and manageable—your vacation plans, even the weather. Once you're talking, then you can work the conversation around to your fears, concerns, how the illness has changed you, and the importance of your relationship.
• Talk, talk, talk. Even if your partner isn't a good talker, that doesn't mean he or she isn't listening. You may need to do most of the talking yourself but, believe it or not, what you're saying WILL be heard and it WILL sink in. Stop along the way to get feedback. Eye contact and touch can give your words greater meaning and emphasis.
• Reassure your partner. Your partner may feel that you've got enough to deal with without listening to someone else's fears and concerns. Make it clear that you WANT to hear how he or she is feeling, that you're both in this together.
• Bring in a third party. If you're both having trouble communicating, a visit with a therapist can get the ball rolling.
• Write it down. Sometimes it's much easier to write how you're feeling in the form of a letter or even a journal entry than to say it face to face.

  Adapted from the site  breastcancer.org

Male Breast Cancer

Breast Cancer in MEN!

Breast cancer in men is a rare disease. Less than 1% of all breast cancers occur in men. In 2005, when 211,400 women were diagnosed with breast cancer in the United States, 1,690 men were diagnosed with the disease.

You may be thinking: Men don't have breasts, so how can they get breast cancer? The truth is that boys and girls, men and women all have breast tissue. The various hormones in girls' and women's bodies stimulate the breast tissue to grow into full breasts. Boys' and men's bodies normally don't make much of the breast-stimulating hormones. As a result, their breast tissue usually stays flat and small. But sometimes men can develop real breast gland tissue because they take certain medicines or have abnormal hormone levels.

The Risk Factors for Male Breast Cancer

A number of factors can increase a man's risk of getting breast cancer:

Growing older: This is the biggest factor. Just as is the case for women, risk increases as age increases. The median age of men diagnosed with breast cancer is about 67.

High estrogen levels: Breast cell growth — both normal and abnormal — is stimulated by the presence of estrogen. Men can have high estrogen levels as a result of:

o taking hormonal medicines

o being overweight, which increases the production of estrogen

o having been exposed to estrogens in the environment (such as estrogen and other hormones fed to fatten up beef cattle, or the breakdown products of the pesticide DDT, which can mimic the effects of estrogen in the body)

o being heavy users of alcohol, which can limit the liver's ability to regulate blood estrogen levels

o having liver disease, which usually leads to lower levels of androgens (male hormones) and higher levels of estrogen (female hormones). This increases the risk of developing gynecomastia (breast tissue growth that is non-cancerous) as well as breast cancer.

strong family history of breast cancer or genetic alterations: Family history can increase the risk of breast cancer in men — particularly if other men in the family have had breast cancer.

Radiation exposure: Having radiation therapy to the chest before age 30, and particularly during adolescence, may increase the risk of developing breast cancer.

Extracted from  : website  breastcancer.org.

Diet and Breast Cancer

How to Add Healthy Choices to Your Diet

Once you're done with treatment, the best nutrition and wellness plan for you will help you regain strength and zest for living. Making positive changes in your diet helps you play an active part in the process of staying well and feeling good.

Here are some tips to help you ease into healthful cooking:

• Go for variety. Buy a new fruit, vegetable, or whole-grain product every time you go to the grocery store. Healthy eating means you are eating a VARIETY of foods. Sure, carrots are full of vitamins, but if all you ate were carrots, you wouldn't be healthy. Treat yourself to a really big, firm pink grapefruit. Don't be afraid to try something new! Put a pomegranate or mango into your cart. Many stores have instructions on how to prepare them. If yours doesn't, ask someone in the produce section for help.

• Choose low-fat milk and dairy products. If you're used to drinking whole milk, mix whole milk with skim or low-fat milk to ease you through the change.

• Avoid salt-cured, pickled, and smoked foods. They tend to have a lot of salt and nitrates, which can contribute to high blood pressure in some people.

• Choose small portions (about 6 ounces) of lean meat and poultry (without skin) per day. So if you eat meat twice a day, each portion should be about 3 ounces.

• Bake or broil food. Decrease the amount of calories in your food by baking or broiling it rather than frying.

• Cover your plate with the low-calorie foods. Fill your plate with two-thirds vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and beans, and one-third or less of meat and dairy products. Try spinach lasagna, vegetarian chili, or vegetable stir-fry to get more vegetables in your diet.

• Choose 100% juice and whole-grain breads at breakfast. Add raisins, dried cranberries, or dried cherries to your oatmeal. Add a banana or berries to your cold cereal. If berries aren't in season, look in the freezer section for frozen blueberries — they thaw in the bowl and keep your milk cold.

• Eat healthy snacks. Try baby cut carrots, bell pepper strips, orange sections, fat-free yogurt, or a handful of almonds.

• Cut down on saturated fat. Choose lean cuts of meat and poultry. Trim excess fat from meat and remove the skin from poultry. Try a tuna or salmon steak instead

Excerpt from website – breastcancer.org

October 15 - International HANDWASHING Day

Many of us probably take handwashing for granted. But in some areas of the world Handwashing is the difference between health and serious illness.

October 15 is International Handwashing Day, and groups like the U.S. Fund for UNICEF are doing everything they can to spread the word about the importance of handwashing.

WHY:

Each year, diarrheal diseases and acute respiratory infections are responsible for the deaths of more than 3.5 million children under the age of five. Washing hands with soap and water especially at the critical times -- after using the toilet and before handling food -- helps reduce the incidence of diarrheal disease by more than 40 per cent, yet the behaviour is seldom practiced and difficult to promote.

Global Hand washing Day aims to transform handwashing from an abstract idea to an automatic behavior.

UNICEF Ghana has a new handwashing project called IWASH. This program empowers children to share the importance of handwashing with their families and peers. These remarkable children are taking the risk of making real change in their communities

Lions do your part in encouraging  handwashing

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Lions join Super J and Yoplait in the fight against breat cancer.  Purchase any yoplait product with the pink ribbon on the lid and  contribute to the fight against breast cancer

Proceeds from the sale go to the Saint Lucia Cancer Society

Lions Partner with Feed The Poor Ministries

The Lions Club of Castries partnered with Feed the poor Ministries as they celebrated their fourth anniversary.   The main objective of Feed the Poor Ministries is to ensure that the homeless and less fortunate elderly folk receives a hot meal.  The meal is served on the first Friday of every month.  The monthly lunch is served as a take-away lunch.  However, for the anniversary a table lunch was prepared.    In addition to  assisting with the administrative work, the procurement of items for the  lunch, the members of the Lions Club of Castries assisted on the day.     The Management of Feed the poor Ministries had high praises for the assistance received from the Lions Club.   

The members of the Lions Club of Castries with the Manager of Feed the Poor Ministries

Members assisting at the Anniversary Lunch

Congratulations to Feed the Poor Ministries.

District Governor - Sub-District 60B Audit Clubs in Zone 3B

The Lion District Governor of Sub District 60B, Lion  June McCatty, MJF,  visited the clubs in Zone 3B on October 02, 2010 to carry out the annual Club Audit.   Zone 3B comprise the five Lions Clubs in Saint Lucia - Gors Islet, Castries, Micoud, Vieux,  Piton as well as the Leo Club of Castries.

Lion District Governor and Region Chairman greeted at airport by Team of Lions from Zone 3B

 The visit was incorporated in the Zone's First meeting for the Lionistic year. In addition to the Club Audit the Clubs reported to the Zone on their activities for the first quarter of the Lionistic year.  The District Governor was accompanied on the visit by Region Chairman for Rgion 3 Lion Anthony Branch.

During the Zone meeting  the lionistic family of Zone 3B experienced growth as three new members were inducted into the Leo Club of Castries.     A warm Lions EMBRAZO to the newly inducted Leos.

The District Governor in her address to the Clubs challenged Lions and Leos  to Dream.

-  Dream of unusual and different ways of doing things

-  Believe in your dreams

-  Plan  -  Develop Plans and implement them

In parting she implored lions to live the Lions Code of Ethics in their every day lives.  She emphasized the last two lines of the Lions Code of Ethics " To be careful with my criticisms and liberal with my praise.  To build up and not destroy";  she reminded lions to always live the Code of Ethics.  To ensure that every Lion and Leo share praise daily and try to build up someone.

A number of awards were presenteed to the Clubs for their performance during the last Lionistic year.  The Lions  Club of Castries received the Public Relations award.

Following is a photographic presentation of the events of October 02, 2010

Newly inducted Leos taking the Membership pledge



The President of the Leo Club of Castries Welcomes new memebrs

Lions welcome new Leos to Lionism



The members of the Leo Club during their Audit

 

The members of the Leo Club of Castries and the District Governor

The Lions Club of Castries being audited



 

Lion Lyndell gustave. Public Relations Officer receiving award on behalf of the Club

Lion President presenting her report

Lion President receiving  a certificate of appreciaiton

      


Zone Meeting in progress



Region Chairman Lion Anthony Branch introducting the District Governor



Disrict Governor addressing Lions and Leos

District Governor presented with a token of appreciation by  Zone Chairman on behalf of Zone 3B

Lions and Leos of Zone 3B with District Governor and Region Chariman

Thanks to the Management of Bay Gardens Inn for creating the ambience

Floor games for Lady Gordon Opportunity Center

The Lions continue their partnership with the lady Gordon Opportunity Center and this year Lion Eugeniua  embarked on painting the school grounds with the familiar  games that students love to play. 

Lady Gordon Opportunity Center is a school that caters for differently abled children.