Help Prevent Breast Cancer in Women of the U.S. Air Force
- por: Rana Burr, Air Force Wife
- destinatário: U.S. Air Force Surgeon General
As the wife of an Air Force physician, I have seen a lot of efforts on behalf of the military to provide for their personnel and families. As impressed as I am with the level of care that is provided, I feel that improvements can be made to the mission of ensuring "a quality, cost-effective, prevention-based health care continuum for 2.4 million beneficiaries worldwide" particularly in the area of breast cancer prevention.
According to a study by the National Institutes of Health, "incidence rates of breast and prostate cancers [are] significantly higher in the military..." See http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2780333/.
That concerns me, as it should anyone else with family members in the armed forces.
Most women are not even aware that breast cancer is a preventable disease. While there is no 100 percent guarantee of prevention, there is no dispute that women can move themselves out of high risk into low risk groups by simple choices such as foods, weight control, and physical activity.
However, there are very few if any patient education resources available to the women being seen in military health care facilities. I know, because I have looked.
Therefore, I ask you to join me in petitioning the U.S. Air Force to obtain copies of the award-winning book "Breast Cancer: Reduce Your Risk With Foods You Love" by Robert Pendergrast, MD, for every active duty and dependent woman on its health care roster as a tool in its patient education program. Everything is in there, including a Breast Health Plan that helps chart progress toward healthy living goals. This book is truly an empowering tool for primary prevention, not just early detection. You could even think of is as the "What to Expect When You Are Expecting" of breast cancer prevention.
On average, 13 women out of 100 get breast cancer. The population attributable fraction of breast cancer risk reduction by weight control, physical activity, and food choices for American women is 38 percent according to AICR and WCRF data, meaning the potential is there to reduce that 13 to 8 cases out of 100 women. Numerous other diseases will be prevented as well when women implement the dietary and lifestyle changes in the book. Diseases like heart disease, strokes, and diabetes.
If only my friend would have had this information. Perhaps her husband's deployment would not have been such a hardship for her and her family. As it stands, she is battling breast cancer while her husband is overseas defending our country.
Countless others like her will be helped with your leadership on this issue. Please make breast cancer prevention a reality for the higher risk group of military members.
Thank you for joining with me and for signing this petition.
Rana Burr
We the undersigned stand behind the women of the U.S. Air Force in fighting an increased prevalence in breast cancer.
According to a study by the National Institutes of Health, "incidence rates of breast and prostate cancers [are] significantly higher in the military..." See http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2780333/.
That concerns us, as it should anyone else with family members in the armed forces.
Most women are not even aware that breast cancer is a preventable disease. While there is no 100 percent guarantee of prevention, there is no dispute that women can move themselves out of high risk into low risk groups by simple choices such as foods, weight control, and physical activity.
However, there are very few if any patient education resources available to the women being seen in military health care facilities.
Therefore, we hereby petition the Air Force to obtain copies of the award-winning book "Breast Cancer: Reduce Your Risk With Foods You Love" by Robert Pendergrast, MD, for every active duty and dependent woman on its health care roster as a tool in its patient education program.
Everything is in there, including a Breast Health Plan that helps chart progress toward healthy living goals. This book is truly an empowering tool for primary prevention, not just early detection. You could think of it as the "What to Expect When You Are Expecting" of breast cancer prevention.
On average, 13 women out of 100 get breast cancer. The population attributable fraction of breast cancer risk reduction by weight control, physical activity, and food choices for American women is 38 percent according to AICR and WCRF data, meaning the potential is there to reduce that 13 to 8 cases out of 100 women. Numerous other diseases will be prevented as well when women implement the dietary and lifestyle changes in the book. Diseases like heart disease, strokes, and diabetes.
Not only will you be protecting the lives of thousands of women in uniform, but also providing peace of mind for the men who are overseas defending their country.
We need your leadership on this issue. Please make breast cancer prevention a priority for women in uniform and military wives.
Thank you for this opportunity to be heard.
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