October, A Time For Pumpkins, Brightly Colored Leaves... And A Mammogram

October is an exciting month for most people with the cooling of the weather, the changing of the leaves and the festive activities surrounding Halloween. Since October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, it is also a good time for women to schedule a mammogram.

Scientists and other breast cancer experts estimate that if women follow screening guidelines, breast cancer deaths would fall by 30%. That translates into 11,000 lives which could be saved each year. Mammography plays a crucial role in that process, because it can find a breast cancer tumor up to two years before it can be felt by a woman or her health care provider. With the advent of mammography and improved treatment techniques, a woman's chance of surviving breast cancer has improved dramatically: more than 90% of those who are diagnosed in the earliest stages of cancer can be treated successfully.

Medical experts agree that mammography screening done at regular intervals, together with clinical breast exams and monthly breast self-examination, are the three techniques that provide the best means of protection against breast cancer.

A woman's lifetime risk of developing breast cancer is one in nine. Every woman is at risk for breast cancer, no matter her age, family history, or current health. However, mammograms are especially important for older women. As a woman ages, her chances of developing breast cancer increase. It is recommended that all women age 50 and older receive mammograms annually. Unfortunately, only about one-third of women over age 50 are receiving regular mammograms.

For many uninsured and under-insured women, the cost of a mammogram is prohibitive. In an effort to increase access to screening for women in this group, Georgia has funded a public health initiative called BreasTest. This program allows women over the age of 50 to receive free mammograms. Women who receive Medicare are eligible for free screening in the years in which Medicare will not reimburse for a mammogram. In addition, women who are privately insured, have not met their deductibles, and cannot afford a mammogram are also eligible for referral. The program also provides free services to women between the ages of 40 and 49 who have symptoms of breast cancer or have a family history of breast cancer. The BreasTest program is coordinated through local health departments in each Georgia county.

There are two cancer information lines which Georgia residents can call to ask questions. The National Cancer Institute has a toll free service: 1-800-4-CANCER. The American Cancer Society also has a telephone service: 1-800-227-2345. Both of these telephone services will connect you with a counselor who is trained to answer questions about cancer.

Of course, screening for breast cancer begins at home. All women, regardless of age, should make a habit of examining their breasts once a month. Women who practice Breast Self Exam (BSE) usually find their own lumps and at an earlier stage while they are small and before they have spread. The major goal of BSE is to get the feel of your breasts, then if a change occurs you will recognize it. When you do BSE, you are looking for a lump or an unusual thickening that feels different from the rest of your breast. Your local health department can again be contacted for detailed instructions with pictures for conducting BSE.

In 1972, Shirley Temple Black went public with her diagnosis of breast cancer. In 1974, Betty Ford went public with the disclosure that she also had been diagnosed with this disease. The topic of breast cancer is now one of the most widely discussed issues in America. We still don't know what causes breast cancer, but we do know how to improve a woman's opportunity for beating this disease. More and more women are becoming aware of the importance of monthly breast self exams, annual physician exams and annual mammograms. It is a fact that when breast cancer is found early, a woman increases her chances for successful treatment.

Your Relationships

Safety Precautions for Young Holiday Visitors

Did you know that more than 3,000 children die and 5 million are injured in home accidents each year? Do you have young grandchildren coming to visit for the holidays? If you do, please pay attention to the following suggestions for "baby proofing" your home in hopes of decreasing these frightening statistics.

• To prevent choking, look for and remove small, round, hard objects such as nuts, hard candy, marbles, beads and other ornaments. If these objects are attached to something, be sure they cannot be easily removed by a determined youngster.
  
• Find an alternative to tablecloths. Toddlers losing their balance often grab on to anything within their reach. If the draped edges of tablecloths are accessible, children can pull sharp utensils or hot food on to themselves.
  
• To avoid strangulation, put up or remove all electrical cords, drapery cords or appliance cords within reach of children. Also, look for sharp objects such as scissors, razors, and letter openers and place them in a safe location.
  
• To prevent burning or scalding, lower the temperature on the hot water tank to 120°. Also, turn pot handles towards the back of the range and put lighters and matches out of reach.
  
• Use plastic childproof latches to lock all lower cabinets, especially those cabinets holding cleaners, deodorizers and other hazardous substances. These latches are available at most supermarkets and hardware stores.

• Child-proof your medicine cabinets by removing medications and storing them temporarily in a locked cabinet. Do the same with any mouthwash, cough medicines or other beverages containing alcohol.
  
• Cover all unused electrical outlets with plastic plates or outlet caps. These are available at hardware stores.
  
• Children can drown in as little as ½ inch of water. To avoid a drowning tragedy, never leave a child unsupervised around a sink or bucket full of water, in or around a bathtub filled with any water, or around an adult or baby-sized pool. Also, install childproof toilet lid locks (available in some hardware stores and mail-order catalogues).
  
• If you have stairs, avoid a tumble by blocking access to stairways. If you use any type of gate, be sure it meets all safety regulations.
  
• Even if a great Aunt Emma slept in the family cradle, do not use antique cribs, cradles or toys. It is likely these items would not meet present safety standards and may place a young child at risk.
  
• Unload and lock all guns and store any ammunition separately.
  
• If you will be using a fireplace, make sure the hearth is clean and free of debris, no flammable materials are within reach of flying sparks and there is a screen or glass door enclosing the flames. Also check the batteries in your smoke detector and be prepared with a charged fire extinguisher.
  
• If you will be having a crawling infant or toddler visit, try to picture your home from the child's perspective. If possible, get down on the floor and look for anything which may be a danger or an attraction to a young child. For example, exposed nails under loose carpet, dangling cords, splinters in wood, lost objects under furniture, and plastic bags are risks.
  
• Post emergency numbers (fire, police, poison-control) by the telephone, as well as your address and phone number. In times of crisis, panicked adults often do not think clearly.

Bathroom Grab Bars

Grab bars were once thought of as being needed only by people with disabilities. However, as we age, we may lose strength in our arms and legs and find grab bars helpful in providing support when using bathroom fixtures. They are also a safety feature in that they help prevent falls on wet floors. Some people object to the institutional appearance of chrome or stainless steel grab bars, but today, grab bars are available in a variety of shapes, colors, and materials including metal, nylon, and plastic. Some are an integral part of a shower or tub wall with colors that match the fixtures. With greater choices in grab bar design, owners can now coordinate the grab bars with interior finishes and styles.

Building codes require that grab bars be capable of withstanding a 250- pound load. Because grab bars must be screwed into studs or wood blocking to be sturdy enough, owners should plan ahead when building or remodeling a bathroom. Studs will probably not be located exactly where the grab bar is to be screwed to the wall. A grab bar mounting area can be reinforced by installing solid wood blocking between the studs and fastening the blocking securely to the studs. The solid wood reinforcing is installed flush with the face of the stud so finish materials can be applied to the studs and blocking in the normal manner.

Some people may want the flexibility of locating grab bars in several places on a bathroom wall. Heavy plywood applied to the studs over a larger reinforced area can support grab bars and provide a base for the installation of finish materials such as ceramic tile or plastic wall panels. Plywood applied to the face of the studs must be of sufficient thickness and securely attached to the studs. Anchors for securing the grab bars to the reinforced walls should be through-the-wall type.

Fiberglass and acrylic bathtubs and showers with integral wall panels are common in both new construction and remodeling. The panels alone are too thin to support grab bars, and because they do not touch the stud wall except at the top, there is a space between the panel and the stud wall. To attach grab bars to these surfaces, an area of solid wood blocking must be installed in the cavity between the fiberglass or acrylic wall and the wall studs. The blocking must contact the plastic panel over the entire reinforced area. Some fiberglass and acrylic tubs, showers, and wall sections are now made with reinforcing already in the walls to stiffen the fixture. Look for a label specifying that the fiberglass or acrylic wall is built for grab bars and meets the load requirement.

The University of Georgia and Ft. Valley State College, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and counties of the state cooperating. The Cooperative Extension Service offers educational programs, assistance and materials to all people without regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex, or disability. For large print, taped or braille editions of this publication, contact the author.

An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Organization Committed to a Diverse Work Force

DP-RMHD-081 September, 1995

Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, The University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and the U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating.

Gale A. Buchanan, Dean and Director