FAMILY MATTERS by Jude Dobson

Jude Dobson | 10th October 2009

Take care of your blessings

Sky Tower turning from blokey blue to girly pink signifies Breast Cancer Awareness month is here. Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer among New Zealand women, with about 2500 new cases annually, about 20 of them men. Six hundred women will die. But early detection and treatment will save the rest.

They say one in nine women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during her lifetime, and we all hope we are one of the eight.

I've put this story in print before but it's timely to repeat it. In my mid-30s I found a breast lump, spookily when I was visiting a friend's mother the week before she died of breast cancer. After an ultrasound, mammogram and biopsy, I was relieved to hear the b word (benign) rather than the m word (malignant).

It was a wake-up call. In a busy life it's easy to park the proactive stuff when it comes to one's own health. Women are renowned for putting their families' needs first and their own, like mammograms, last. I now go every year.

Nine is a number you'll hear often this month. It is 2009, and the street appeal is tomorrow, October 9. Ninety to 95 per cent of women diagnosed with the disease have no family history of it, and nine out of 10 breast lumps are not cancerous.

The obvious "action" is to monitor your breast health, but there's also the action of maintaining a healthy lifestyle via The Pink Ribbon Challenge. Based on the number nine, it can be anything you choose.

As one of the foundation's ambassadors I was offered a few suggestions. There was a smorgasbord of options, including no fizzy drinks for nine days/nine weeks; building up to running 9kms by November; no coffee for nine days/nine weeks. I knew which one to do: nine sit-ups/crunchies, morning and night all through October. I'm hoping a one-month burst will make the habit stick.

If you want to go public with your goal as an extra incentive, and raise money at the same time, register your Pink Ribbon Health Challenge at www.fundraiseonline.co.nz and ask your mates to sponsor you. The most obvious thing to do this month, if you have not done so already, is to have a mammogram.

Today, I have the pleasure of being at Manukau Super Clinic for the unveiling of its new full-field digital mammography machine. With 13 per cent of all breast cancers diagnosed in this country coming from Counties Manukau, it's $735,000 well spent.

Monday night sees me off to Sky City to take part in one of the Moet, Makeovers and Manicures sessions running on Mondays all through October. Ten dollars from every $60 spent goes to the NZBCF and you get to enjoy a good night out with the girls.

At the launch of the month, a fellow ambassador, Kerre Woodham, introduced Rachel Hunter, who has designed T-shirts for the cause.

Kerre mentioned that on a trip overseas recently she was trying on a necklace when the salesman wondered out loud whether the style of the piece went well with her ample "blessings", suggesting a different piece might be a wiser purchase. As Rachel stepped up to the lectern, our laughter continued because Kerre's height brought her eyes directly in line with Rachel's beautiful "blessings".

Yes, our blessings come in all shapes and sizes, but they deserve attention apart from the obvious. So take action this month and make sure your mammaries are in good form and wish me luck with those damn sit-ups. Maybe I should have chosen the no-coffee option.

Breast health recommendations

The Foundation recommends  mammograms for women as follows:

• 40-49 years every year
• 50 years onwards every two years

The NZ Breast Cancer Foundation strongly supports the national screening programme, BreastScreen Aotearoa, which provides free mammograms to women aged 45-69 every two years. To enrol, ph 0800 270 200.

Getting older is the most common risk factor. More than 70 per cent of new cases are among women 50 years and over.

Early detection increases a woman's chance of survival. Women of all ages, especially those older than 40, need to be "breast aware''. This involves:

• Knowing what is normal for you
• Knowing what changes to look and feel for
• Reporting changes without delay to your family doctor
• Attending mammography screening that's appropriate for your age.