Newspapers / The Perquimans Weekly (Hertford, … / Feb. 12, 1987, edition 1 / Page 11
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Local News Cancer society update f In 1967, 3,000 North Carolina women will develop breast cancer, according projections of the Ameri ca* Cancer Society. Volunteers of the American Cancer Society, North Carolina Division, Inc. are working to save lives by pro moting the message of the 1967 EDU CATION-Funds Crusade which fo cuses on the importance of mammography. v With early detection, 90 percent, or ' 2,700 of the 3,000 women diagnosed with breast cancer this year, can be treated successfully. Mammography has'been an extremely effective tool in diagnosing early breast cancer. The American Cancer Society, North Carolina Divison, Inc. will in troduce plans for the 1967 EDUCA TION-Funds Crusade at its Mid-Win ter Conference today, (Thursday) PA. 12, at the Pinehurst Inn and j Country Club in Pinehurst. r Researchers from four top-rated carfeer-research institutions in North CaUblina will report on progress be ing made in the fight against cancer. Miss North Carolina, Karen Bloom quist, is expected to introduce seve ral"public service announcements in wHfch she is featured. til April, volunteers will go door-to door to deliver life-saving messages | on the importance of mammography and to collect donations. The American Cancer Society, North Carolina Division, Inc. needs volunteers to help spread the mes sage about mammography and to raise funds. For more information or to tfblunteer, contact yur local office of (he American Cancer Society or call 1-800- ACS-2345. Budget outlined tyVLEIGH? Prevention, commu nity services, work opportunities, and improved institutional care are the^themes of the Martin Administra tion s first human services budget according to Phil Kirk, Human Reso^ ruces Secretary. Governor Martin's commitment to the improvement of human serv ices in North Carolina is historic es I* peclally in the light of the relatively tight budget year in our state and commitment to the Basic Education Plan and salary increased for tea j cheTSand state employees," Kirk said- in a statement from his Raleigh I office. j Kirk noted expansion items ,in cludfed in Governor Martin's pro posed budget total $40 million over the next two years. In addition, the ?^Continuation budget includes $76 mil lion in newstate funding, previously in the medicaid budget. "We are especially excited about the Governor's commitment to an initiative we have proposed? the Hu maW Resources Block Grant," Kirk said. "If the General Assembly ap proves this $3 million expenditure, lo cal county commissioners will finally have some flexible money to address the ' most pressing needs in their pounties, such as day care, youth pro ;*#"ams, transportation for the aging I and the handicapped, volunteer pro j gratis, and any other human service | programs." Kirk also noted Governor Martin's expansion request for a safer envi ronment, improved security, and equipment replacement in the state's four psychiatric hospitals is the first new money advocated for these insti tutions in "at least 10 years." More ?than $4 million would be allocated for *ttd(fltional hands-on, direct care staff placement of equipment, er $3 million in new funding for the needs of the chronically lly ill has been endorsed by rnor Martin to go with the $5.7 already specifically allocated target population. The DHR Secretary also pointed out the attempt toward equalizing state aid for the 41 area mental ^ealth-mental retardation-substance **bus* program. The lowest per ca pita Junded program is $9.20 and the higlMst is $21.53 per capita. The $2.5 millyn in new funds will increase the low< t funded programs to $11.50 per cap! i. "This is a modest beginning at c rrecting the unfair disparity whit ) the state has permitted to buil< up over the years," Kirk said. "We want to do more in the future." "S bstance abuse prevention and -eal nent, especially for adolescents ^ at the forefront of the Martin ac tion genda," Kirk said. "Tt* Governor has recognized the in creased and dramatic need for pre vrafjn >nd treatment services for adol Jscent substances abusers. That is w|y he has recommended nearly to new spending on the de * of comprehensive com services, including outpatient e?, residential treatment homes, foster care and super Uvtog), inpatient treatment educational and prevention Approximately 60 per the expansion will come from it continued on page 12 110 "Eat Right is Basic 2" is the New Expanded Foods Nutrition Education Program conducted by the Agricultural Extension Service. EFNEP program aides were recently certified to teach the series. Dr. Tom Hobgood, Northeast District Extension Director, NCSU, looks on as Earline White, EFNEP aide and Eula Jordan, 4-H EFNEP aide receive certificates from Shirley Usry, Foods and Nutrition Specialist, NCSU. Self exams, mamograms, important weapons against breast cancer DURHAM, NC? The statistics are frightening? one in every 10 women will develop breast cancer, and one third of them will eventually die of the disease. Each year about 120,000 women in the U.S. are diagnosed with breast cancer, the most common cancer among women. And although a monthly self exam ination is one of the best ways to de tect breast cancer at an early cur able stage, the American Cancer Society (ACS) estimates that less than 10 percent of American women actually perform this simple proce dure. There are several possible reasons why women don't perform regular breast exams, says Dr. William Creasman, a professor of obstetrics ad gynecology at Duke University Medical Center. "Some women just don't want to find a lump," he said. "Others say they really don't know what they're supposed to be looking for. And some just simply forget." The best time to conduct breast self exams is soon after the menstrual pe riod has ended. "A woman's hor mone levels are lowest at that time, so there will be less hormonal-related changes in the breast," Creasman said. "And a woman's breasts tend to be fuller and more sensitive right be fore her period. "The majority of breast lumps turn out to be benign," he continued. "But if you notice a change in your breast, it's important to be examined by a physician." Fibrocystic changes, character ized by soft, sometimes painful masses, are one of the most common types of benign breast lumps. Eliminating caffeine from the diet can help reduce the discomfort. "There seems to be a slightly in creased risk of breast cancer among women who experience fibrocystic changes," Creasman said. Pamphlets describing the proce dure for breast self exams are avail able from local ACS chapters. The number of women having mammograms, or breast X-rays, at Duke has doubled during the past five years, which reflects a nation wide trend. "There's no doubt that mamography can detect a cancerous mass before it can be palpated? per haps even two to three years before," Creasman noted. "The real question now is how often to repeat a mamo gram following a negative one." Debate continues among several professional societies concerning when and how often to perform mam mograms. The ACS and the Ameri can College of Radiology recommend one baseline mammogram between the ages of 35 and 40, one every year or two between 40 and 49, and every year after age 50, since that is the age after which most breast cancers oc cur. "The American College of Obste tricians and Gynecologists has a slight variation on these recommen dations," Creasman said. However, the National Cancer Institute policy states that unless a woman is consid ered high risk? she or an immediate family member has had breast can cer?she shoul not have routine mammograms before age 50 because the risk of radiation exposure during screening may outweigh th benefits. "The amount of radiation a woman receives is virtually harmless? it's safer than smoking 10 cigarettes or driving 60 miles in a car," Creasman note. "It is hoped that the various or ganizations can arrive at a consensus concerning screening mammo grams." The ACS also suggests that every woman receive a breast exam from her physician? every three years be tween ages 20 and 40 annually there after. "the physician exam is impor tant, because a mammogram is not foolproof? it detects about 90 percent of cancerous masses." The larger and denser the breast, the more diffi cult it is to detect cancer by mammo graphy. If a woman finds an unusual lump, she should see her physician immedi ately. "If it's a suspicious lump, we recommend a mammogram followed by a biopsy," Creasman said. The mammogram is especially helpful to the doctor if there are multiple le sions or other changes in the breasts." Physicians prefer to use needle bi opsies whenever possible, since they can be performed easily without sur gery. "If it's positive, we know the results quickly," Creasman said. "If it's negative, we'll usually perform a biopsy as outpatient surgery." If the lump proves cancerous, seve ral treatment options are available. When the cancer is small, a lumpec tomy, where the tumor and some sur rounding tissue are excised along with the lympnodes under the arm, may be performed instead of a mas tectomy. A modification of the lum pectomy is the quadra ntectomy (also called the partial or segmental mas tectomy), where a quarter or seg ment of the breast containing the tu mor is removed along with the lymph nodes. When modified radical mastec tomy is required, some patients opt to undergo breast reconstruction dur ing the same operation. Combining the two procedures produces greater psychological benefits for the pa tient, allowing her to adjust more easily to the effects of the surgery. Following surgery, patients are re ferred to Duke's Breast Clinic for fur ther evaluation, which may involve radiation treatments or chemothe rapy. "We hope that all women realize that early detection is our best weapon against breast cancer," Creasman said. North Carolina Power working to imDrove service in N.C. ? Elizabeth City, NC? North Caro lina Power spent over $2.3 million in its Elizabeth City District in 1966 on major projects to maintain and to im prove reliability of service to its cus tomers. "We must continually work to maintain and inprove our facilities to provide customers with reliable elec trical service, while planning for fu ture growth," said North Carolina Power Elizabeth City District Man ager Emmett Toms. Elizabeth City District employees serve approxi mately 13,000 customers in Pasquo tank, Perquimans, Camden Curri tuck, Chowan and Gates counties. "We are continually working on projects to improve reliability of service to our customers," Toms said. "Six major construction pro jects totalling approximately $485,000 were completed in 1986 to im prove reliability of service and to en able us to provide additional capacity for load growth." Toms said that four of those con struction projects involved installing new conductors in the Sunbury, Weeksville, Waterlilly and Aydlett areas, while two projects involved re placing conductors across the Inter coastal Waterway at Coinjock and South Mills. LIMITED TIME OFFERS ? New subscrib ers who tske the two stsr 28 chan nel line-up csn NOW hsve it in stalled for only 99' plus first month's service cost of ONLY *14.95 ? No converter de posit or purchase required with C4Media Cable ? There's never been e better time to see the greet enter tainment value cable TV has to offer!!! Supervised patients learn to cope with lung disease DURHAM, N.C.? Researchers at Duke University Medical Center say preliminary data involving 61 pa tients confirms that medically super vised excercise can help people cope with chronic lung disease. All of the patients increased their stamia and breathing capabilities through exercise, according to Dr. Neil Maclntyre, assistant professor of pulmonary medicine and director of Duke's Comprehensive Pulmo nary Rehabilitation Program. "The results have been heartening, "Maclntyre said in a recent inter view. "Patients average a 20 percent increase in measured exercise, such as leg and arm strength. And they improved their speed and distance walking around around an indoor track." Maclntyre and his colleagues make no claims for the curative pow ers of exercise. "We didn't expect exercise to cure chronic lung disease, "he said, "but we have been encouraged to see how much it has helped people do things that many of us take for granted." He said the 1-year-old program represents a fairly new approach to the management of such chronic lung disease as asthma, bronchitis and emphysema, which affect about one in every 10 Americans. Participants spend four hours a day for at least a month undergoing tests, receiving treatment, exercis ing and attending anatomy lectures, lung disease processes, medications and other topics. Sixty-one patients went through the program during ts first year, making it one of the largest of its kind in the Sountheast, When they entered the program, some of the patients could hardly walk a city block without be ing winded. {? "Everybody increased their dis- ?' lance in the 15-minute walk," Macln- ?! tyre said. "The average increase was " from half a mile to three quarters of a mile." As they gradually increased their level of exercise, many of the pa tients came to realize their bodies , could cope with lung disease better ;? than they thought, he said. A valuable aspect of the program is the sense of accomplishment it ;; gives." Maclntre said. "It can be a real psychological boost." Some patients who thought they , needed to be on oxygen all the time found they could do without it except , when exercising. Others found they needed oxygen only for certain kinds of exercise. " Learning about their medications and possible side effects also gives patients a greater feeling that they are in control, "Maclntyre said. A 49-year-old woman from Norfolk, Va. , who suffered from chronic bron- I chitis and asthma was so pleased by her progress she performed a hula dance for the staff and fellow pa- ?, tients. "She had been a professional hula dancer when she was young but hadn't been able to dance for 15 years," Maclntyre said. After completing the program, a 62-year-old man from North Carolina sent a videotape of himself singing an original song to show that he could now hold a note. "He has interstinial fibrosis, a lung ,' disease we don't understand well," Maclntyre said. "Motivation is a key ingredient in rehabilitation, and his song proved that he has the right atti tude about it." Film screening scheduled A premier public screening of the award winning film documentary "A Singing Stream" will be held Feb ruary 15, 1987 at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Oxford, North Carolina. Recently honored by the National Black Programming Con sortium, "A Singing Stream" is the first film to trace 20th century black history through the musical and cul tural traditions of a Southern black family. The film was produced and di rected by Tom Davenport and the Curriculum in Folklore at the Uni versity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Funds for the project were pro vided by grants from the North Caro lina Arts Council, the National En dowment for the Arts, the American Film Institute and other sources. "A Singing Stream" chronicles the lives and music of the Landis family of Creedmore, a small community lo cated in Granville County, north of Durham. The matriarch of the fam ily, eighty-six year old Bertha M. Landis, inspired and taught her eleven children and nineteen grand children to enrich their lives through gospel music and singing. Her exam ple and skill helped to prepare the family to successfully meet the diffi cult challanges posed to rural black Southerners over the past several de cades. Dr. Daniel Patterson, a UNC folklorist and one of the film's pro ducers, notes that "the documentary illustrates how the Landises used music to promote family loyalty and purposefulness as they progressed from tenant farmers to land owners, and to cope with the dispersal of fam ily members to northern jobs after the war. Much of the musical excitement of the film revolves around scenes fea turing the dynamic singing of the popular and long-lived male gospel group known as the Golden Echoes. The group includes several of the Landis sons. The director of the Folklife Section ofthe North Carolina Arts Council, George Holt, has commented that "the film contributes much to our un derstanding and appreciation of the cultural resources of black family and community life in North Caro lina. It presents a well balanced and always honest treatment of its sub ject with a warm and engaging style." The Granville County premier of "A Singing Stream" is sponsored by the North Carolina Arts Council, the Granville Arts Council and the Uni versity of North Carolina Curriculum in Folklore. It will be attended by the film makers anmd several members of the Landis family, including Mrs. Bertha Landis. A reception hosted by St. Pet er's United Methodist Church of Ox ford will follow the screening. The gathering will be held at the Gran ville County Museum and Cultural Center, located near the Orpheum Theatre on Court Street. The public is cordially invited to at tend the premiere festivities. There is no admission charge to see the film. For more information please con tact the Folklife Section, North Caro lina Arts Council, Raleigh (919) 733 7897, or the Granville Arts Council, Oxford (919) 693-8272. Pat's Upholstery Serving the Hertford Area Quality Work Free Estimate 335-0747 - office Licensed facility providing residential care for the aged. A home which provides 24 hour supervision and personal care. All meals, laundry, transportation and planned activities provided for one monthly fee. Newly renovated home with glassed sunroom, fireplaces, all modern conveniences, beautiful grounds. - i
The Perquimans Weekly (Hertford, N.C.)
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Feb. 12, 1987, edition 1
11
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