Network News - Winter/Spring 2010 - Canadian Breast Cancer ...

More documents

Recommendations

Info

A Rose Grows: Fighting Cancer, Finding Me The inspirational story of Olga Stefaniuk, a cancer survivor of 23 years First diagnosed with breast cancer in 1986 at the age of 42, Olga, from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, decided to use her life for a greater purpose. She attended retreats and workshops, learning all she could about the disease and how to cope. She then brought that information back to Saskatchewan, initiating retreats, workshops and support groups for others facing cancer. 23 years and two recurrences later, Olga continues to spread a message of hope to patients, caregivers and the medical community. A Rose Grows: Fighting Cancer, Finding Me is Olga’s first book. It details the true story of her more than 23-year battle with cancer and the message she spreads about facing life’s challenges: with hope, anything is possible. This 215- Ogla Stefaniuk page autobiography heralds Olga’s resilience and positivity and at the same time reminding us all what power we hold within. For $16.95, A Rose Grows: Fighting Cancer, Finding Me is available in Saskatoon at: • McNally Robinson Booksellers (Saskatoon branch) • HOPE Cancer Help Centre Inc. • Pink Tree, The Fitting Shop • The Saskatoon Cancer Centre • Niki’s Jewelry Design (www. nikisjewelrydesign.com) Also available directly from the author by calling (306) 374-1146. Obituary Marg Campbell The Canadian Breast Cancer Network mourns the loss of Marg Campbell, who died surrounded by family and friends on January 8, 2010. Marg was a kind, gentle woman who lived with breast cancer for 14 years. Marg is survived by her husband Arch, her children Peter, Sara and Paul, her two grandchildren and many other relatives and friends. After a long career at the Library of Parliament, Marg was able to devote herself to her love of learning and literature, travel, family and friends. Marg became a volunteer at CBCN’s national office after she was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. She helped with reception several afternoons a week, talking on the phone with other women who had breast cancer, and once she became too ill to come to the office, she helped update our website from home. She was an intelligent, kind and gentle woman, and we will miss her presence in our lives. 22 Network News Winter/Spring 2010
BRCA1/2 Testing: Navigating Through the Various Reactions: All Parts of the Process By Mary Jane Esplen, PhD, RN The cloning of cancer genes and the offering of genetic testing offers a clearer sense of understanding why cancer developed for some, while for others it helps to gain certainty around an increased risk that can move a person forward in considering the various risk management options. Genetic testing can provide a sense of hope that a person may be able to prevent a specific cancer from occurring, or at the very least allow for early detection. At the same time, regardless of how open or how clear the individual is around the reasons for wanting to be tested, the time of receiving the news of the test result is a turning point of sorts, as genetic knowledge is, in a sense, life-altering information. In fact, it is not uncommon for individuals to describe life before and/or after a genetic test result. …not uncommon to underestimate extent of emotional reactions... Prior to undergoing genetic testing, individuals often have a sense that they will likely have reactions and may even anticipate exactly how they will feel in response to a test result. Some individuals feel that they are likely to test positive, indicating that they carry a mutation, while others may expect that they likely do not carry a mutation. Typically, such expectations are based on the family history experience (e.g. multiple cancer diagnoses in a family or losses, or shared characteristics of a family member who had the disease (e.g. “I look like my mother so I think I probably carry the mutation”). Even when a person anticipates a particular response, it is not uncommon to underestimate the extent of emotional reactions that may arise, and while an individual could feel prepared for the test result, he/ she has no real way of knowing the level of reactions – the roller coaster emotions that can result after receiving news of the test result or the difficult choices regarding whether or not to simply go for screening or to undergo prophylactic surgery. It is important for individuals to realize that these reactions are a normal part of the process. The testing experience itself causes several stressors, including evoked memories of the cancer experiences of loved ones; care-giving experiences for some, and the painful memory of losses of family members for others. It is also normal to experience feelings of fear and vulnerability, such as a loss of confidence around one’s current and future health. Some women describe feeling like “damaged goods” or articulate how they always felt they would develop cancer and that it was just a question of when. Some individuals have endured multiple losses and describe the test result itself as a kind of loss. For example, one woman who received the news that she carries a BRCA1 gene mutation stated that, “I have lost many in my family to cancer and now with this news…I feel like I have had another hit and lost something again.” Understandably, a sense or memory of a felt loss causes feelings of grief, sadness or even anger, and the power of such emotional reactions Dr. Mary Jane Esplen can be surprisingly strong, despite that the losses may very well have been experienced several years ago. For those who have lost a mother or father at a young age, for example, the feelings can be very powerful. Sometimes the person experiences a strong identification with the lost parent, such as a very deep sense of feeling similar, so much so that life may seem to even be repeating itself: (e.g. “...my mother got ill with cancer at 39...and I don’t think I will be 40 either...she died of cancer...maybe the same will occur to me”). This powerful force often creates a strong sense of fear, so much so that a person can feel pressure to achieve personal goals prior to a time when one believes the disease may emerge. Alternatively, it can result in having concerns about developing cancer which play out in patterns, such as having a strong urge to eat healthy, exercise or to use other strategies to minimize the cancer risk. If this is done in an unbalanced way, it can begin to impact on a person’s quality of life. balance important … Whether it is feelings of fear or a sense of anger or loss, it is helpful to recognize these feelings and allow them to occur rather than put them away or pretend that they do not exist, as they are valid and it is helpful to experience and process them rather than have them impacting in more unconscious ways. The possession of genetic knowledge has implications for other family members. Health professionals often encourage Network News Winter/Spring 2010 23
Page 1 and 2: Canadian Breast Cancer Network Wint
Page 3 and 4: e part of a remarkable Board of Dir
Page 5 and 6: CBCN Board Members, staff and parti
Page 7 and 8: carry a BRCA mutation. If you would
Page 9 and 10: January 2009 and after several scan
Page 11 and 12: What is BRCA? By Dawna M. Gilchrist
Page 13 and 14: 5. Where possible, and if patient/f
Page 15 and 16: Hormone Therapy After Risk Reducing
Page 17 and 18: Knowledge is Power Interview with J
Page 19 and 20: Informing Women of the Risks and Be
Page 21: Susan Armel is the senior genetic c
Page 25 and 26: having surgery but is not currently
Page 27 and 28: the risk of hereditary cancer. A ri
Page 29 and 30: At present, we are recruiting women
Page 31 and 32: Familial Breast Cancer and No BRCA1
Page 33 and 34: ‘E’ is for Empowered - Are You
Page 35 and 36: Continued from Page 30 Top 10 Thing

Network News - Winter/Spring 2010 - Canadian Breast Cancer ...

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?