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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1999-11-17, Page 6PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 1999. Breast cancer survivor delivers message of hope By Helen Hewitt Lislowe! Banner When they visited Listowel recently. Dr. Kent SorsdahJ. a surgeon at Stratford General Hospital, and his wife. Jane, a breast-cancer survivor, brought a message ol hope and encouraged women to do breast self­ examination I am indeed a survivor, and I am here to tell you how I got beyond survivorship.” said Jane Sorsdahl as she spoke to a large crowd at a breast-cancer-awareness evening on Oct. 26. "It's being alive." Mrs. Sorsdahl explained, “it s about how I can choose to make alive choices, and it came out of having to face my ow n mortality.” Seven years ago. w'hen she was 27 years old and breast-feeding her son. she saw a lump in her breast; she mentioned it at the baby’s next check-up and saw her doctor’s concern when the breast was examined. “I knew fear, and I wondered if it could be cancer," she said as she urged everyone in the audience. “Let your fear inform you and not stop you." After many tests, her surgeon performed a biopsy and discovered cancer. She knew her life had changed forever, she said. She wondered how she would cope with chemotherapy and how she could let people take care of her; she wondered what would happen to her and her family. The early detection, however, made a difference to her treatment and to her survival. Every Month She urged every woman to do regular, monthly breast self­ examinations. for although more than 80 per cent of breast lumps are benign, early detection makes the difference between life and death. Mrs. Sorsdahl has used her experience to help other women, through the Reach for Recovery group, the Stratford breast-cancer support group, fund-raising efforts, speaking engagements such as this one in Listowel and through personal help, such as phoning to ask a friend or family member it she has remembered her breast self­ exam, or sticking a waterproof reminder and instruction card for self-examination in a friend’s shower. “Check in and show you love them,” she advised; “and love yourself — check your breasts every month.” Her husband, Kent, a surgeon at Stratford General Hospital, agreed the message of the evening was simply this; “Practise monthly breast self-examination." He said screening mammography is wonderful and has improved survival rates, but alone it is not enough: “Breast self-examination is the single most important thing for detection and survival. Every menstruating woman should do it. For women over 50 and anyone in Continued on page 7 Letter THE EDITOR, The Blyth Business Association put a survey in the Nov. 3 Citizen. The input has not been enough to take action. Please look up the survey, drop in to the clerk’s office or pick up a copy. Fill it out, mail it to P.O. Box 369 or drop it in to the clerk's office by Nov. 26. To keep our village alive and well, we need your input Bev Elliott, Chairperson. Timely and co-ordinated care Celebrating the official opening of the Breast Health Centre at Listowel Memorial Hospital, from left, are Brenda Hamilton, Barb Gray, Vanessa Vines, Lauren Cleland, Valerie Gallaher, Dawn Cleland, Dr. Paul Rutherford, Tyson Vines, Donna Vines, Peggy Johson, Sue Weyers and Helga Fended. Addressing the guests at the opening were Bonnie Adamson, president and CEO of Huron Perth Hospitals Partnership; radiologist, Dr. Doug Mowbray; David Hicks, chair of the LMH Board of Trustees; Dr. Verna Mai, director of screening program at Cancer Care Ontario; Lynn Ellis, chair of the Steering Committee Breast Assessment Initiative at Cancer Care Ontario Regional - Southwest Region; MLA Bert Johnson; North Perth Mayor Vince Judge and Margret Comack, vice-president of LMH. (Listowel Banner Photo) In Search of the Past The Citizen is searching for old photos of our communities for a special Millennium Issue to be published December 29, 1999. If you have pictures that would help us tell the story of our towns from the turn of the century until now, and are interested in sharing them for this collector’s issue, please drop in to the *Blyth office and we will scan them while you wait, or call 523-4792 or 887-9114.