|
|  |
Race for the Cure and Breast Cancer Awareness
The city of Pittsburgh celebrated Mother’s Day in style as over 35,000 people, including four members of the South Hills OB-GYN team, donned pink to participate in the 17th annual Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. Pittsburgh’s Race, one of over 90 such races worldwide sponsored by the Susan G. Komen Foundation, is one of the largest in America. This year, Pittsburgh’s Race for the Cure raised over $500,000, which will go towards finding a cure for breast cancer. |
 Participants in this year’s Race for the Cure could register three different ways to support breast cancer research. The first two, a competitive 5k race and a non-competitive 5k run/walk, took place on the morning of May 10; their routes looped around Schenley Park and the surrounding neighborhoods before ending at Flagstaff Hill. The third option, which was added this year, was called Sleep in for the Cure, in which participants could support Breast Cancer research on Sunday morning from the warmth of their beds. |
| The morning of the race was cool and sunny, perfect weather for walking and running. The day began with an aerobic warm up at 7:15 am and a kids’ dash at 7:30. Over 3,000 breast cancer survivors participated in the Survivor Parade and Tribute, before the tens of thousands of walkers and runners began the 5k race and the 5k run/walk a little after 8:30 am. People of all ages and even some dogs completed the scenic walk in approximately two hours, and afterwards took a stroll around Flagstaff Hill while enjoying post-race refreshments, thanks to generous donations from companies such as Rita’s Italian Ice, Panera Bread, Yoplait, Ford, and Giant Eagle. |
 All in all, Pittsburgh’s Race for the Cure was a fun-filled day which celebrated women’s health and optimistically highlighted the search to find a cure for breast cancer. However, the everyday reality of breast cancer is that this devastating disease affects almost all Americans in some way or another, whether they themselves or someone they know is diagnosed with breast cancer. |
| Breast cancer is a cancer in which cells in the breast tissue divide and grow without normal control. It typically grows very slowly, so by the time a lump is noticed, it has often been growing for years. Statistics show that approximately 1 in every 8 women will develop invasive breast cancer during her lifetime. In the United States, the American Cancer Society estimates that 192,370 women and 1,910 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009. Of those already battling breast cancer, 40,170 women and 440 men will be killed by this cancer this year, making breast cancer the second leading cause of cancerous deaths in women (after lung cancer). |
| It goes without saying that these statistics are heartbreaking and scary, but there is hope for the future. Since 1990, death rates have been steadily decreasing as a result of earlier detection of the disease by screening methods, increased education and awareness of breast cancer, and improved treatments for those already diagnosed. |
| The Susan G. Komen Foundation states that “getting tested regularly is the best way for women to lower their risk of dying from breast cancer.” The most effective way to get tested is to receive a mammogram. For this reason, the American Cancer Society recommends that beginning at age 40, a woman should get a mammogram every year. In addition, the American Cancer Society recommends that a woman receives a clinical breast exam every 3 years between the ages of 20 and 39 and then every year thereafter. Finally, a woman should talk to her physician regarding the pros and cons of breast self exams as well as what to look for during such examinations. |
| At South Hills OB-GYN, we care about your health, so we wholeheartedly support those recommendations of the American Cancer Society. If you are over 40 years of age and haven’t received a mammogram recently, please do yourself a favor and call us today for a script for a mammogram. Local mammography centers include: |
St. Clair Mammography Center
1000 Bower Hill Road
Pittsburgh, PA 15243
(412)942-8150
|
Magee Women Care at Oakland Magee Women’s Hospital
300 Halket St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
(412)-641-4700
|
Weinstein Imaging Associates(at three locations)
|
5500 Corporate Drive
Suite 100
Pittsburgh, PA 15237
(412)440-6999
|
5850 Centre Ave
1st Floor
Pittsburgh, PA 15206
(412)630-2649
|
1910 Cochran Road
Suite 740
Pittsburgh, PA 15220
(412)441-1161
|
| Our doctors and nurses are more than happy to answer any questions you have regarding mammography, breast cancer, and your overall health. In addition, if you would like more information on breast cancer, you can also check out the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure Website or the American Cancer Society’s breast cancer page |
| Read More News |
|
