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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1981-04-01, Page 40Meet same of the members of the Goderich Branch of the Canadian Cancer Society. Back`row, left to right, are Jim Baird, daffodil tea convener, Mel Farnsworth, president, Les Pitblado, rural campaign chairman and Fordyce Clark, past president and transportation vice-chairman. Front row, left to right, are Dorothy Smith, PD&N 'chair- man, Phyllis Pitblado, mastectomy visitor and Zella Crawford, commemoration chairman. Absent for photo were Harry Dykstra, vice-president, Marj Brown, secretary, Eugene Bender, treasurer, Claude Kalbfleisch, urban campaign chairman, Lois McGill, education chairman, Hazel McCreath; publicity chairman,. Edna Stephens, service to patients chairman and Harold Knisley, transportation cha rman. (Photo by Joanne Buchanan) Suntans are unhealthy A suntan — the prize of bronzed sunworshippers — brings forth the image of health, vitality and fitness. It's all a myth. Skin • specialists say that a suntan is unhealthy and potentially dangerous. They -have established -that - there is more, :to be •said against sunbathing than for it. Premature drying and ag- ing of the skin are, ac- cumulative effects of ex- posure to the sun and ex- cessive exposure lays the basis for skin cancer. The Canadian Cancer Society points out that the skin is the most common site of malignancy in men and the `second most common in women. Ultraviolet rays in sunlight can upset the order- ly regeneration of cells and are the principal cause of skin cancer. Fishermen, farmers:con- struction workers, lifeguards and others whose occupation takes. them out of doors and who are fair - skinned, run the greatest risk of skin cancer. The risk is proportional to the degree of exposure to sunlight. Those who should be most cautious -about - the -sun -are. generally the most avid sun seekers — that is, white - skinned people. People with pale complexions, especially those withlair, ruddy or san- dy coloring; lack sufficient quantities of the pigment substance, melanin, which acts as a shield against damaging rays. Dark- skinned people, who have a generous amount of melanin, are more able to endure large amounts of sun- shine without being harmed. -But -even --they -must be careful `about -overdoses, of sun. Sun -induced skin cancer is preventable by, taking some simple precautions. The Canadian Cancer Society suggests that beachcombers, sports en- thusiasts and outdoor workers wear protective clothing — a shirt, sun hat, beach cover-up — and use a lotion which screens out harmful rays. The lotion should be reapplied after swimming and at frequent intervals because water and perspiration tend to wash it away. Care should be taken about reflected light which can sneak up under the brim of a hat. If a change in the normal skin 'condition is noticed ( a change in a mole, a sore that does not heal) see a doctor. Skin • cancer is the easiest cancer to cure with a 95 per- cent -cure- rate,but like other cancers, it depends onnearly detection and treatment. For more information on skin cancer and sense in the . sun, contact your. local unit of the Canadian Cancer Society. Eighty per cent of all cancer related to environment Incredible as it may seem, studies of cancer around the world sugest that 80 percent of all cancer is related to en- vironmental factors and theoretically could be prevented not cured, prevented. Can you imagine the thousands of lives that could be saved if people knew the steps they could take against cancer? Over the years we have carefully accumulated a list of these steps. If we can educate every man, woman and child in Canada about the "Seven Steps to Health", we can drastically improve the odds for millions of peo- ple . against developing cancer: But that is not all the good news. Early detection and treatment can also save thousands of lives! Medical doctors agree that if most cancer is detected and treated early there is an ex- cellent chance of curing it. The encouraging fact is -that there are definite steps we can take to detect early signs of cancer. They are included in the Seven Steps to Health. The worrisome news is that so few Canadians are aware of what they can do to main- tain their good health. Our task is to pass on the good news- It's an enormous assignment. Educating the public in ways of preventing cancer "and detecting cancer early involvesa lot of people. But it can be done and it is being done by the Canadian Cancer Society, which is made up of volunteers - thousands of us, right across the nation. We are miners, doctors, homemakers, teachers, lawyers, broad- casters, students, athletes, farmers, pensioners, "log- gers, factory workers, elec- tricians, and many, many more. We have educational materials for all ' ages - children in kindergarten to senior citizens; information for developing good health habits and information to eliminate needless fear, worry, and useless suffering. But the job is momentous; we need help. We need your help as a volunteer in our Public Education program. It's an important job. It's_ wor- thwhile. You will feel good in doing it. You don't have to be a teacher to be a volunteer in the Canadian Cancer Society's Public Education program, but you do have to care. You have to be con- cerned that others get the op- portunity to learn about cancer, that they are aware, for example, that at least 7,000 Canadians can be sav- ed from cancer and 24,000 people from all smoking- related diseases each year if they follow one of the simple steps to health which says: "Do Not Smoke." We have prepared films, pamphlets, speakers' kits, flip charts, displays, school kitsand booklets because the public wants help - they want to know the facts about good health and how to maintain it. That's why it is so impor- tant that you participate with your ideas and skills to help us get these educational tools to other people. Come and join us. Whatever your talents might be, there is room in the Canadian Cancer Society's Public Education program for you to develop them. Church groups, service clubs and other groups want to hear about the ways of preventing cancer and detecting cancer early. It's knowledge that can save lives. We need public speakers to talk to these groups. Wherever there are people, we want to inform them that Cancer Can Be Beaten. We need your help to operate educational displays in malls and at fairs or to distribute literature. Con- sider onsider how many people could be helped if they knew and understood the importance of cancer prevention and early detection. We have to get the message out! We need help to organize educational racks for industry, schools, business and doctors' of- fices; speakers for cancer education on television' and radio; people to present forums for females and males; organizers: for local committees to plan com- munity cancer education programs. Many substances found in the workplace can cause cancer. As research in the field increases, we are discovering that many cancers could be prevented if proper steps are taken in the workplace. In addition, it is known that smoking in the presence of some industrial products and wastes is par- ticularly hazardous. If you happen to work in a mine or factory or office, or are available to visit in- dustries or medical officers, one of your jobs as a volunteer could be to establish a Public Education program for your industry of community. In some provinces the Canadian Cancer Society has an active industrial pro- gram using full-time nurse educators. In New Brunswick, the volunteers are using a van as part of their education program to bring the facts to those who might not otherwise hear them. Hundreds of school children have visited the van which is equipped with lung and smoking displays as well as films to present the cancer facts and to en- courage good health habits. Almost 13,000 Canadians develop skin cancer in any one year.'Over 90 percent of this cancer can be prevented through precaution in the sun and elements - par- ticularly those who work out- side. We can't stop educating. If we can encourage young children to practise healthy lifestyles we will be helping them to reduce the odds of" - their ever getting cancer as they grow older. A group of diseases Cancer is not one disease but a group of diseases characterized by the disorganized and unregulated growth of ab- normal body cells. There is often a favorable response to modern methods of treat- ment if diagnosis is made before signs'of spreading are evident, says the Canadian Cancer Society. , This informative publication is brought to you with the ki•ad co-operation of the following VAL'S BEAUTY SALON R.R. 3 (AIRPORT ROAD) "When your hair is in a nMuss, put your trust in us" 521-2148 HOFFMEYER PLUMBING & HEATING INGLIS APPLIANCES 55 KINGSTON ST. GODERICH 524-7861 REALTY WORLD MEMBER BROKER W. J. HUGHES. REALTY LTD. 30 EAST ST.. GODERICH 544-0100