I'm Mad

Posted November 19, 2009, 8:56 am

I’m Mad…..

In fact, I’m fighting mad---and you know I don't get angry easily.

What right did government agencies have to tell us this week to forget our mammograms and that we can wait until we're 50? They reason that even if they found cancer, it would only be in a small percentage of women. I guess that means if you fall into that category, you don’t matter! And, that you can wait until you’re 50 to find out that you have full-blown cancer! This is ludicrous!

For 17 years, Women Playing For T.I.M.E’s mantra has been "be vigilant about self- breast care examinations" and "early detection/screenings saves lives." What do we say now? Who do we believe?

Thankfully, our friends at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Orlando are sticking with their current breast screening guidelines and recommends three approaches to breast cancer screening.

* Breast Self-Examination: Monthly, beginning at age 20

* Clinical Breast Examination: Every one to three years from age 20, and every year after age 40

* Mammogram: Every year beginning at age 40 to be continued as long as patient remains in reasonably good health.

Doesn’t this approach make the most sense?

The most critical issue before us now will be what moves the insurance industry makes as a result of this recommendation. I’ll be working with my community colleagues to find out what our organization can do to let our voices be heard. When I find out, I’ll let you know how you can help us. We need to set the record straight about monthly self-exam’s and early detection saves lives.

Here’s the bottom line. Your life is valuable to me, even if you fall into the 3-5% category that the task force discounts as “expendable”. We’re talking about our Grandmother’s, Mothers, Daughters, Sisters, Aunts and our female friends.

This is about you and all the women you know! We must protect the future of our health and our right to be screened for cancer appropriately, and not for the benefit of financial savings for the insurance industries and other related parties who think 3-5% of women don’t matter. But they DO—they matter to ME—and all the women who play for T.I.M.E.

I love you all dearly,

Pin It

»post comment

» close window

Andrea Eliscu
- » view
- » report
Posted 11:52pm November 21st, 2009
One of the values of joining our group of volunteers at WPFT is that we can come together to make our voices heard. We are not alone. We are informed. We reflect many in the community.
Jill Nadler
- » view
- » report
Posted 12:53pm November 20th, 2009
Here here!

Jill
greensfee
- » view
- » report
Posted 11:27am November 20th, 2009

Bravo Elaine my feelings exactly. We must not let the Goverment rule our lives. Why can't the insurance companies get it through their thick heads that early detection will not only save lives it will save them money. We will keep up the fight and let our voices be heard.

Marcia