Breast Cancer Awareness, Prevention and Breast Health

[Willow]

Your most welcome daffodil. Protecting a person's personal information is so very important, especially in a public forum; being a social security fraud victim, I know how sensitive this is. I too was a bit unclear when you stated "You could count me in. For free. I would not have managed through my version of all this without Susun and friends." I thought you were referring to the project under discussion, not one done specifically by Susun Weed and her friends. Thank you for clarifying what you ment.

I have cut and pasted some of the guidelines here; to read all of them, please click here: http://www.susunweed.com/wisewomanforum.htm
This is a sensitive topic and with sensitive topics it is necessary to be mindful of our words to others. It's so important to use 'I' statements when talking to others, and not to use combative words. And if anyone is having problems with another member, such as receiving angry e-mails, please contact admin. and/or the forum moderator for assistance; that's what we are all here for.

I have cut and pasted some of the guidelines here; to read all of them, please click here: http://www.susunweed.com/wisewomanforum.htm
Here are the pertinent guidelines I copied and pasted here:
"When posting, we ask that you share your wisdom with tolerance and compassion. Sometimes topics and discussions may bring up strong feelings. We ask that if you disagree with what is written and choose to respond, that you do so with kindness and consideration. This can be done most effectively with "I think" and "I feel" statements. Respect for each others opinions is an essential part of our virtual community at the Wise Woman forum, in the spirit of the Wise Woman Tradition.

Please note, if you have a conflict with another member please do not send them angry email, instead please send all complaints to the adminstration. Likewise, if any member gets angry email from another member, please forward it to the administration. If any member has a complaint or concern or comment, they are welcome to send admin or any moderator an email query; it is against guidelines to air your complaints at the forum for the purpose of creating disharmony. Violation of this guideline is cause banning or time-out."

Debate can be a good thing; a good learning experience for all when all remember to debate with respect.

[Justine]

James, hello...

I am Susun's daughter. I have not spoken with her about this topic, but was called to the thread by a few members.

I appreciate your intentions and the clear committment you have to helping women with cancer.

I also can understand why your initial post hit a nerve with Daffodil, I do not believe her response was helpful, but I do understand what may have prompted her to react in a negative manner.

So, I will share what I see and feel when I read the post, and what does not sit well with me, either.

to quote you, you shared that "By learning how to live a healthier lifestyle and employing activities that encourage a healthier breast routine, including self- examinations and regular mammograms, one could realize a longer life span, enjoying those you love."

Now I agree that possibly a healthier lifestyle may decrease one's risk of cancer...but I have some problems with this statement.

First is that it leads one to possibly believe that women who do get cancer are at fault, that they did not lead a healthy lifestyle, take care of themselves, that they could have prevented it....I am not sure this is true, and women who have had or have cancer may well feel hurt by this assumption and statement..especially the following,

Second, you clearly advocate the administration of mammograms, and say that Susun supports your work....but I can tell you that she clearly does not advocate the use of mammograms, and further there is evidence that mammograms cause cancer. Further, as a woman I can tell you that generally women receive alot of pressure to get mammograms and when they choose not too they are made to feel they are neglecting their health. Inferring that regular mammograms increase change of a longer life in my peronal opinion is hogwash and not true...it disempowers women to insist they get a procedure that in fact increases likelihood of cancer.

Third, it disturbs me deeply to hear that you are going to feature the messages of a pharmaceutical company in your book by and about women with cancer. I can not imagine why you would do this save for my assumption that you advocate use of pharmaceuticals and you believe that the pharma companies promote women's health. I believe that pharma companies are in it strictly for the cold cash, and time and time again I read about drugs that cause more harm than they cause...I also assume that the pharma company must be footing the bill on this book, or why else would they be included.

As much as Susun likes your idea as you have described it to her via phone, and may be willing to share her message via your publication, it should not be misunderstood to believe that she is an advocate of mammograms or pharmaceuticals...both are completely opposed to her philosophy of health and personal empowerment.

Anyone who wants to read Susun's position on mammograms, can read the chapter from her breast health book, on this topic. here is her take home statement,

"Mammograms don't promote breast health -- Breast self-massage, breast self-exam, and lifestyle changes do." Susun Weed

Now, there are so many things that your lovely book COULD focus on, like techniques for breast self massage, alternatives to mammograms such as thermography, the real facts on mammograms, the truth about wearing bras and how they can cause disease...

those of you who are interested to learn about the danger of bra use, read these articles here,

http://www.susunweed.com/herbal_ezine/A ... ngwise.htm
http://www.susunweed.com/An_Article_Bra-disease.htm
http://www.susunweed.com/herbal_ezine/f ... ewoman.htm
http://www.susunweed.com/herbal_ezine/d ... sticbreast

also, I suspect if you are giving air time to a pharmaceutical company, and advocate the administration of mammograms, that you also advocate the administration of biopsies....I would like to share that Susun does not believe that liberal use of biopsies is safe, and in her book she shares that in fact aspirating tissue with cancer cells can be a fatal move...the body has many ways of protecting itself, one of these is its genius ability to contain or quarrentine cancer cells disallowing it to run rampant in the body, essentially a biopsy releases the cancer cells (if they are present) into the blood stream and lymph system, which can actually be the cause of death by cancer...

For myself, I do not subscribe to mammograms, biopsies, pharmaceuticals, and unnecessary surgery including amputation of breasts and removal of uterus'....

for those of you interested, here is a good article on this topic,

Our bodies are marvelous creations with each organ or part playing a significant role in our physical, emotional and sexual well-being. It makes perfect medical and scientific sense to conclude that none of our body parts is dispensable, and I think that most people would agree with me on that one. Most people would also agree that there are serious risks linked to any kind of surgery and, for the record, an elective procedure doesn’t make it any less dangerous. Yet, every day in North America, thousands of women surrender their non-cancerous reproductive organs to gynecological surgeons. In many cases, without having given it much thought. [url=http://www.susunweed.com/herbal_ezine/december03/feature.htm
]read the full article click here[/url]

Here is an informative article on the epidemic of Unnecessary Mastectomy Common in U.S. --

"WASHINGTON, DC -- Many women who have a breast removed as treatment for cancer do not need such radical surgery, according to an article just published in the Journal of the American Medical Women's Association. In the article, "The Need for Improved Informed Consent for Breast Cancer Patients", Diana Zuckerman, Ph.D., concludes that whether a woman undergoes a mastectomy or a lumpectomy (which removes the cancer but not the breast) depends less on her specific diagnosis than on other factors, such as where she lives, her income and health insurance, where she receives medical care, her age, and the age of her doctor.

Though it's been known for years that lumpectomy and other breast-saving measures are just as effective as mastectomy for patients in the early stages of breast cancer, in most parts of the country most of the women who receive an early-stage diagnosis will undergo the more radical and disfiguring surgery, writes Dr. Zuckerman, president of the National Center for Policy Research (CPR) for Women & Families and faculty member at George Washington University. "Limited information and biased recommendations are undermining breast cancer patients' choices," she asserts." click here to read the complete article

Women, before you consent to surgery be sure you know all of your options, you are fully empowered, and know that you do have a CHOICE.

For those of you who may consider surgery, here is a useful pdf containing surgery choices for women with early-stage cancer

In this light, I do not personally feel it is particularly useful to "desexualize" breasts...in this context...I feel it would be useful to honor all the aspects of our breasts, wholistically speaking..

to end, James, I hope you do more research and consider the message you will be sharing with women concerning breast cancer.

I do not feel you have bad intentions, quite to the contrary....however, one can mean well and not do well...one can mistakenly contribute to the problem when seeking to solve it....my advice would be to be really sure that which you share and advocate is sure to do no harm.

sending love, Justine

[electronicimagingplus]

Greetings Justine:

It is certainly a pleasure to hear from you. First please allow me to thank you for taking the time to provide your comments, especially in the manner in which you have. It is always good to be able to discuss anything, even differences in opinions in a civil manner that reflects respect and sensitivity. You are your mother's daughter, no doubt about that; your approach, logic and presentation clearly reflects the adage, a "chip off the block". Please know that I mean this with the utmost respect. I did in fact speak with Susun last night prior to reading your message, and she did in fact inform me that you had called her about this project and the issues that you raised in your email. You are absolutely correct in that she does NOT PROMTE OR SUPPORT the practice, use or consideration of exposing oneself to radiation especially as it relates to breast cancer and mammograms.

Susun did and does agree that this project is certainly one that could bring added value and information into ones decision process. I certainly honor and respect the information that both you and Susun have so patiently shared with me. Please know that I do not profess to be in any position to say that I am an authority on this issue….it is my goal to provide information from people who are respected as leaders, experts, researchers and educators in their respective fields, i.e. physicians, oncologists, gynecologists and researchers at institutions such as the Center for Diseases Control (CDC) and etc. But without any question, there are successes associated with practices such as Susun Weed and learning the importance of a natural holistic approach to a healthier lifestyle. I am impressed with the wealth of valuable information, facts and studies that Susun has available. It is clear to me that Susun’s approach to breast and overall health has a following, a train of successes and to that end, should be heard and shared.

I believe that there are choices for people to make and rather than to omit the information from either source, at a minimum it should be presented so that one can make an informed and educated decision that works for them consistent with their selection/ election of care.

Information, education, awareness and sensitivity to the whole issue is all that I am seeking to promote so that at the end of the day, women can feel good about who they are, what they have to offer and that in spite of it all, with or without breasts, they are beautiful, affectionate, loving and caring; and that they desire to be respected as complete women.

It is not the purpose of this book to say that ones lifestyle did or did not contribute to their situation, certainly a healthy lifestyle to begin with or as a change, could contribute greatly in the risk reduction and as a preventative routine that would bring benefits for all aspects of ones physical and mental being.
As you stated, “Breast self-massage, breast self-exam and lifestyle changes do promote breast health”.

To address your question about the pharmacy company funding this effort……..NO.. THEY ARE IN NO WAY FUNDING ANY PART OF THIS BOOK!! I will be using my personal monies to self publish this book The only contribution that I am receiving from them is the information as it relates to breast cancer, what it is, the different types and illustrations on self examination.

Insofar as my intentions, thank you for your observation, as they are very honorable. I will be moving forward with this project and as confirmed by Susun, she is excited and willing to be a participant. Not that she is endorsing or supporting the methodologies, but to be that person who is able to speak with authority on the alternatives and what she has seen in terms of combating this disease. So Justine, I would say that if you fight using a bat and I fight using a racket, so long as we are on the same side, fighting cancer, saving lives and preserving women’s self esteem and confidence……..our goal is the same!! I am hopeful that you and I as well as other who have opinions that will enable this book to be a true resource and informative tool will be able to continue with fruitful dialogue such as this, in the end we will all be the benefactors. Thank you for your input; it is constructive, valuable and deeply appreciated. I would appreciate any correspondence from you or others either via this forum, telephone conversation or my email……..jamesrlc@verizon.net.
We are waiting for the disbursement for funding for an unrelated project and as soon as that happens as discussed with Susun, I along with several of the featured women from the book will travel to meet with Susun and participant in one of her workshops.
Sincerely and warmest regards,
James Ingraham – jamesrlc@verizon.net

[Justine]

I dont fight at all, when i can help it...

best of luck on your publishing venture..

its late and i have to be up early, or would write more...its been a busy few months..and i am only getting a few hrs sleep per night, so much cherish every moment...

[jdixon]

It sounds as if you are offering an additional avenue to raise the awareness of breast cancer. The path you are taking is off the beaten trail, but yet it presents the opportunity to reach a distinct group of females.

Physicians still can’t always explain why one women develops breast cancer and another doesn’t after a tremendous amount of research being done. Today, many efforts are focused on research to learn how internal (genetics, hormones, illnesses etc.) and external (air, water, food, medication and stress) environments may impact women’s health and possible link to developing breast cancer.

Some of these factors, such as your genetic makeup and the medicines that you take, have a very direct effect on your breast health. The impact of other, indirect factors, such as air quality, exercise, meditation, and spending time with friends, is less well understood.
You can control some risk factors. For example, if you are overweight, you can seek to lose excess pounds, which may reduce your risk of breast cancer. You can also make informed choices about the medicines you take.

But other factors are beyond your control. For instance, you can't change your gender. Women are much more likely than men to have breast cancer. This is mostly because women have more estrogen and progesterone in their bodies. These hormones stimulate breast cell growth—both normal and abnormal. Also, you can't stop growing older. Aging is the biggest risk factor for breast cancer (besides being a woman).
Whatever efforts that can be done to promote awareness should be applauded. Diversity is the key. I feel that through this discussion thread you have received constructive criticism that should be considered prior to publishing. You should continue to attempt to receive feedback from as many sources as possible to incorporate without altering your vision. I would be happy to assist in setting up focus groups prior to publishing if you are interested.

The best of luck to you; thank you for taking the time to clarify and share your position.

[jdixon]

Hello out there. This is a follow-up to my previous statements pertaining to your book on Breast Cancer Awareness. I had the opportunity over this past weekend to attend a Wedding Shower in Washington, DC area. I know you are probably wondering, how this relate to the publication of my book. Well, let me explain in the next few paragraphs.

There were approximately 22 to 25 females in attendance ranging from 21 to 82. At the end of our activities, as we were sitting around chatting, I thought what a keen opportunity to receive input from this varied age group. I thought we could have a quick 10 discussion. I expressed to the group your desire to provide information, educate and raise the level of awareness and sensitivity pertaining to breast cancer. I also shared that your would make this happen by featuring “ women who have either confronted or had a close relationship with someone who had the disease survived it, and are now living life as well or better than before their journey.” I also shared with the women that in your book to emphasize the cause the women would be photograph “top-free”. This lead to some very lively conversation.

First, let me state that all the women supported your effort. Each had known someone or knew someone that has had to face the horrible ordeal of breast cancer. They also thought it was a wonderful idea to have narratives from each of the women that would be featured in your book. The lively discussion was around the “top-free” photographs. My gut reaction was that the older women 60+ and above would be uncomfortable with top-free photos, however, they thought that it would add distinction to your book and awareness to the general public. I interpreted their reaction based on their age group and an old saying that my formal pastor used “if you live long enough” . Meaning that if you haven’t experience the trials and tribulations of live, then you have not lived long enough for no one is spared. These women have seen and gone through many different trials in their 60+ years and spoke as if they had no issues with the exposure of women’s breast to raise awareness. They felt this was a small effort that would make a big point.

When some of the other women starting sharing different views. They bridged the gap for the younger women (21-35) by reminding them of all the nudity in videos, movies and on television to derive an emotion that generally is centered on an individual and not done to help raise awareness for any cause. There were a few that felt that top-free photos (30-50 yr. old group) would not add any additional value, but after our conversation; were not opposed.

The conversation lasted approximately 20 minutes. Initially I felt a little guilty bringing this subject matter up at a social event, but then I thought where else would I find the age diversity to do a sample. The young addressing the old and vice versa. It was great. It helped me to understand, although I am a conservative creature, in the big picture of live we are looking for the end results. It is not the battle pertaining to “top-free” photos, but the war we are trying to win on breast cancer.

I just wanted to share this experience with you. I found it extremely interested and I hope it is well received. I hope you continue to preserve with your efforts. It has been determined over and over the individuals that “think” or “see” outside or around the “box” are the true “thought leaders”. Every effort to raise awareness pertaining to breast cancer should be applaud. Thank you for making the effort; your book is sure to be a success. Please let us know via this site, when your book will be published, so that I can help promote the book and do my small part to raise awareness for other women.

Again, please let me know what I can do to support your efforts.

[electronicimagingplus]

I must say thank you to Susun Weed for not only agreeing to write an article for my Breast Cancer Awareness book, but also that she has agreed to and has posed "top-free" to as she stated, "to be consistent with the theme of the book". In her own words, Susun has provided the following words of support for my efforts; "

James Ingraham has a fascinating concept, a keen photographic eye and the perseverance required to produce a book that will benefit everyone…….

Susun S. Weed
Author
“Breast Cancer?
Breast Health!
“The Wise Woman Way”

If anyone else would like to participate, please do send me an email.

[daffodil]

I came here tonight, after staying away for a long time, because I'm having some breast problems. I must be an idiot to think that someone would have taken down the post. I pleaded that it would be, as I was, and remain, certain, that it was exploitive.

Okay, ladies -- where's the book? What -- no book? Did you receive any of your photographs back? I hope you did and all is well.

Decide for yourselves. Here are some of his photos:
http://www.modelmayhem.com/pics.php?id=152784

I will not post again, or look to the forum for any assistance, until the post is removed. You are supposed to be feminists -- and/or wise.