Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance-Times, 1983-03-30, Page 43Page 11 Bike-a-thons for cancer will be held Sunday, May 1 across Cancer Society. The Unit will try to raise $77,000 for cancer the branches in the Huron County Unit of the Canadian research with various fund-raising events this year. Aims of Society are three -fold The Canadian Cancer Society was established in 1938 at the suggestion of the Canadian Medical Associa- tion. ITS INITIAL PUR- POSE WAS THE EDUCA- TION OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC WITH REGARD TO :SEER. Its aims are now Three -fold: Education, Service to Cancer Patients, and the support of Research (as described below). The Canadian Cancer Society___. is a national - organization governed by a Board of Directors which in- cludes representation from each province in Canada as well as from allied health organizations. The Ontario Division is one of the ten provincial Divi- sions of the Cancer Society. The Division is governed by a Board of Directors. Stan- ding Committees direct all activities of the Society. In Ontario, 17 Districts have been organized to co- ordinate activities of the Division and the Units, Bran- ches and Sections, that carry out the work of the Society at the community level. The Districts also function through Standing Commit- tees on Campaign: Com- memoration Funds; Educa- tion; Medical Advisory; Planning, Development and Nominating; Publicity; and Service to Patients; the membership of which is made up of the respective Unit Committee Chairman. The Unit is the level at which the major portion of the work of the Society is carried out. There are more ' than one. hundred Units in Ontario. The structure of the Unit -is the same as -tire of" - the District and the Division, with a governing Boarad of Directors and similar Stan- ding Committees, many of which are broken down still further into convenorships. Branches are located in smaller centres and each is part of a Unit. Ontario has approximately two hundred and fifty Branches, each with a Board of Directors and Standing Committees on Campaign, Education and Service to Patients. Sections are composed of one or more representatives of the Cancer Society in com- munities where there are not enough people to warrant a more formal structure. They form a direct part of the Unit or Branch with which they are affiliated. FUNCTIONS Public Education With the help of literature, films and displays, Educa- tion volunteers make the public aware of its respon- sibility in the prevention, early detection and treat- ment of cancer. Volunteers promote "The Seven Steps to Health", the Society's basic Education messag_e,. 'Youth Ed-ucation Several programs have been introduced into schools: • 3 Smoking and Health Awareness Kits — Celly (Kindergarten to grade 3); The Smoking and Health Kit for Grades 4-6; and The Kit: A Guide to Decision Making and Health for Grades 7 to 8. • Films and literature en- couraging young women in secondary schools to prac- tise Breast Self - Examination and have a Pap Test on a regular basis. • 3 manuals for secondary schools: a) The Wild Cells for biology teachers and students. b) Lifestyles for Health Education, English, Family Studies, Guidance and Man in Society teachers. c) The Source Book for Teachers and Students ® a reference manual to be used alone or in conjunction with a and b. Adult Education Volunteers conduct Education programs for local women's and men's groups. Breast Self - Examination Teaching Clinics and- forums- are also. done for large general au- diences. Pamphlets are distributed to doctors' and dentists' offices and displays are set up at fairs, malls etc. Industrial Education Nurses from Ontario Divi- sion's Industrial Cancer Education Service show a film and give a brief talk to employees in industry, after which the nurse is available for workers wishing private counselling. PATIENT SERVICES Services available to All Cancer Patients. Coping with Cancer Group discussion for pa- tients, family' and friends, led by trained volunteer Turn to page 12 • Detection of colorectal cancer... • from page 10 To check beyond this. distance, a barium enema, which fills the bowels with a liquic barium compound, makes the colon and rectum show up clearly on x-ray film. Or you may have a col- onoscopy, an exam of the en- tire large bowel, with a light flexible tube. If your doctor finds a tumour he will arrange for a biopsy, where a small sam- ple of tissue from the area is removed and examined under the microscope. This shows whether the growth is lihimalignant (cancerous) or benign (non -cancerous). TREATMENT If treatment is necessary your doctor will take your medical history, general health and the type and loca- tion of your cancer into ac- count before he decides which treatment is right for you. If the cancer is in the lower rectum, he may per- form a surgical procedure known as a colostomy along with the removal of the tumour. This means that part of the bowel is brought out to the abdominal wall to serve as an artificial anus. This may require the wear- ing of a plastic `bag' to col- lect the waste matter from the bowel. Many people wear these and live happy full lives. Perhaps your doctor will use radiation therapy in- stead, and focus a radiation beam on the cancer, at a dose which will destroy it with minimal damage to sur- rounding' tissues. Your doctor may prescribe chemotherapy, an anti-cancer drug treatment. Or hOmay use a combina- tion of treatments. WHAT ELSE SHOULD I KNOW? About 9,500 Canadians will get cancer of the colon this year. Half will be women, half men. Cancer of the rec- tum has always been more common in men. Overall, it occurs only half as often as cancer of the colon. - If you are over 40 you should ask your doctor for an occult blood test. Pre -cancer screening should be part of your regular check-up. - If you have colitis (an in- flamed colon), or polyps (small cherry-like growths on the intestinal wall), you are at a higher risk and should go out of your way to have regular check-ups for colorectal cancer. - Never write off rectal bleeding simply to hemor- rhoids. Only your doctor can tell for sure. - There are steps you can take to protect yourself fur- ther: easing off on fat rich foods such as beef, cheese and nuts may help. And although the jury is still out on this, eating lots of fibres such as bran and whole wheat seems to be a good - idea. One thing is clear, eating a balanced diet is always one of the best things you can do for yourself. This information is brought to you with the kind co-operation of the following: W. J. HUGHES REALTY LTD. 131 CURT HOUSE SQUARE, 000ERICN 524-$100 1 WHOLESALE PLUMBING SUPPLIER HUCKINS ST. (INDUSTRIAL PARK) GODERICH Banter & MacEwan INSURANCE BROKERS LTD. 12 VICTORIA ST. SOUTH, GODERICH, 524-S376 You'll do better at The ) ld ` Thll HWY. NO. 41. ONE MILE SOUTH OF SLYTH, ONT. P.O.BOX M LEATHER SPECIALIST KNOWN THROUGHOUT CANADA