Health Beat
Breast Cancer Threatens Young and Old
By Sharonda Wilcox
Editor
the age of 20,
the farthest thing
from a young
woman's mind is the
thought of maybe
~ having breast
cancer, but for
Michelette Lewis, a junior clinical laboratory
science major, that thought came close to being a
reality.
Michelette noticed a lump in her right breast
when she did a self-breast examination in
February of this year. Ironically, her sorority,
Alpha Kappa Alpha, had just sponsored a
seminar about breast cancer awareness.
'7 was scared at first, hut I didn't try to think
the worst." Michelette said. "My mother found a
lump in her breast as well, it was tested and found
to he benign."
Michelette says that since she was so young
there may have been a chance that the lump was
benign, but if it was malignant, she was going to
keep a positive attitude.
She said she feared the thought of going
through surgery because she though; that it may
have left her without one of her breasts, or
deformed. She had the support of her mother who
had been through the same procedure and who
assured her that everything would be fine.
Michelette underwent surgery in May to have the
lump removed. It was benign.
She says she gives thanks to her family and
friends for their support, but says she wants women
to understand how important it is to have breast
examinations or perform the exams themselves.
"A lot of females my age don't think about the
importance of doing self breast exams," Michelette
said. "It only takes five to ten minutes and young
women should start performing them at the age of
18 hecau.'se it's not an older woman's problem: I was
just 20 when I found my lump!"
Michelette is very open about her experience
and doesn't mind sharing her story with anyone who
has an interest. She wants people to be aware of
breast cancer and not to be afraid when they find an
abnormality in their bodies.
"Young people can get sick and our health can
he affected at times. Just because we're young
doesn't mean that we’re invincible, "says Michelette.
*Octobcr is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Tell
someone you know about doing self-breast examinations
or ask your doctor on your regular visits to perform an
exam.
Women, Be Aware of "Pink October"
Ky Kcisha Leach
News Kditor
The upcoming month of October has been dubbed "Pink
October" in celebration of the increasing awareness atid
education of breast cancer. Breast cancer is a deadly disease
that kills 44,000 women each year in the United States.
There are nearly 184,000 reported cases of breast cancer
each year. However, with more and more women becoming
educated on how to protect themselves these numbers arc
drastically reducing.
"A young woman has l/H of a chance of developing breast
cancer in her lifetime, which is scary when you think about
it," says Dr. Gioia Riccio of the Breast Screening Center
located in downtown Winston-Salem. "A lot of women tend
to think breast cancer means cutting the breast off, hut
actually there are a lot of treatment procedures available to
breast cancer patients."
Some of these treatments include biopsies, fine needle
aspirations, lumpectomies, and radiation therapy. There are
several detection methods however, the most common is
known as a mammogram. Mammograms are low dose X-
rays taken of the breasts. It is recommended that all women
start getting annual mammograms from age 40 on up.
Annual mammograms are extremely useful in the early
detection of breast cancer.
Early detection through self-breast exams, education, and
prompt treatment has been proven to save thousands ol
lives. For a woman who feels anything abnormal in her
breast, early treatment can help save her life.
ctober is Breast Cancer Awareness Month
A Blessing in Disguise
By Marcus Mathis
Staff Writer
What would you do if you just found
out that you had AIDS? Would you
have the strength and courage to live?
Or would death become the main topic
in your life?
There is an individual among you,
who will be referred to as "Shawn", who
is HIV positive. I hope that by reading
this person's message you will renew
your faith in God, and give yourself a
different perspective.
Sitting before me is a person who
looks just like anyone else. There are
no signs of "Shawn's" illness and there
wouldn't be any way of knowing that
"Shawn" is HIV positive. "Shawn"
looks healthy and appears to be in good
spirits, but there's more to see than what
meets the eye.
"I really didn't feel anything when I
found out I was HIV positive," says
"Shawn." I knew I was at risk because
of my behavior."
"Shawn" was 21 when tests revealed
to be HIV positive for the virus, but the
virus was contracted at the age of 16.
"When I found out that I was HIV
positive I didn't get treatment until I was
22," says "Shawn."
"Shawn" visited Reynolds Health
Center where he was directed to Baptist
Hospital’s Infectious Diseases Control
Center where "Shawn" was found to be
infected with the cyto-megella virus of
CMV. CMV is a virus that conceals
HIV antibodies so that they aren't
detectable.
"Shawn” was dating a married man
at the time the virus was contracted.
"I assumed he was safe, now I know
he wasn't," said "Shawn." It never
occurred to me that since he had been
messing around on his wife, he would
not have done the same thing with me."
Knowing what had happened,
"Shawn" was in denial and the reality
didn't set in until years later when
"Shawn" was taking up to 25 pills every
day just to stay alive and well. "Shawn"
had finally reached the point where
accepting AIDS as a part of an every day
lifestyle was now reality.
"All 1 ever wanted was to be loved. I
did like many people do, substituted sex
for love," says "Shawn". I just wanted to
belong and feel a part of someone or
something."
For a while "Shawn" went through
life believing that being HIV positive
meant companionship was out of the
question; that changed. "Shawn" has
made numerous friends and is active in
many activities on campus. "Shawn" has
found that people are more educated
about infection and control, but
unfortunately there are just as many who
don't use protection.
Living with the fact of being
diagnosed with AIDS has been a roller
coaster ride of emotions for "Shawn."
"There are days I feel upbeat and
positive, then there are times I feel
lonely, depressed and suicidal...feeling
like no one cares," says "Shawn."
"Shawn" wants people to know that
AIDS doesn't just destroy your body, it
can also destroy your mind if you let it.
It has a way of breaking your spirit and
crippling your motivation. The key is
to be aware of what is happening, get
in touch with your feelings and don't
deny them. You can't always be in
control of every aspect of your life.
When asked how the illness
"Shawn" is dealing with will affect
loved ones, sorrow comes over the face
of a person that has been upbeat
throughout the interview.
"I know my death will bring them
sorrow but I know my death was meant
to be. 1 don't carry guilt or shame,"
says "Shawn". I pray for God to heal
the bitterness and anger in my heart."
"Shawn" says that there is a
stronger faith in the power of God, and
life now is looked at in a different way
with living each moment of each day to
the fullest.
"I have a renewed faith in God,
that's all I can say and I don't blame
anyone for what's happened," says
"Shawn". This is a result of my own
negligence and lustful behavior."
"Shawn" says that people should
understand that living with AIDS hasn't
been a disaster but a blessing in disguise.
Obtain check-ups on
a regular basis to de
tect medical prob
lems. Remember,
STD’s (sexually
transmitted di.seases)
HIV, Breast Cancer, and many other
debilitating illnesses can be con
trolled, if not cured, when attended
to in their early stages. Students of
ten forget that taking vitamins is an
important part of their daily food
regimen. Many of the diseases listed
above can be controlled if the body
receives proper nutrition.
A Blessing In Disguise will
be continued in our next
edition of The News Argus.
If you have a story that you
would like to submit, send it
to
The News Argus Hall-
Patterson, Room 318