Project Pink

FOOD & HEALTH: CUCUMBER

Did you know?

Cucumbers are incredibly hydrating, low-calorie fruits packed with essential nutrients, fiber, and antioxidants. Eating them—especially with the skin on—promotes whole-body hydration, aids digestion, supports healthy bones, and may assist in weight management and blood sugar regulation.

PROJECT PINK – Dedicated to the empowerment of men & women in the on-going fight against Breast Cancer in Bermuda.

TESTIMONIAL

“When I first was diagnosed, my gut reaction was, ‘This is a terrible thing.’ But as my journey has progressed, I feel so blessed because I’ve experienced the most incredible outpouring of love you can imagine.”

—Victoria Lavine

PROJECT PINK – Dedicated to the empowerment of men & women in the on-going fight against Breast Cancer in Bermuda.

PARTNERSHIP

Diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer places significant stress on survivors, their partners and their relationships.

Interpersonal relationships play an important role in adaptation to serious illness. During the time of need, many have addressed good communication with a partner has been based on high empathy and low withdrawal, reducing psychological distress.

Avoiding conversations may make your partner feel like you’re not interested in how they’re feeling.

Open communication can help you to understand and support each other and bring you closer together.

PROJECT PINK – Dedicated to the empowerment of men & women in the on-going fight against Breast Cancer in Bermuda.

Saying the quiet part out loud…

Although Black women have a 4% lower breast cancer incidence rate than White women, they are still between 40% - 42% more likely to die of the disease. In addition, Black women younger than age 50 have a mortality rate twice as high as White women that age.

But the concerning issue, still today, is the disparities in mortality rates partially attributable to socioeconomic inequality, delays in diagnosis, and inadequate access to timely quality cancer treatment resulting from systemic racism.

It's an uncomfortable truth to swallow, but the reality for many black women is that their experience of cancer – from the support they receive at home, to the way they're treated in hospital – is entirely different to the experience of white women.

This is a fact.

Ultimately, the goal is to make experiences of discrimination as never events in oncology care.

We need to address discrimination in any form the same way we address other patient safety issues in our health-care systems—by promoting staff education and training, effective communication between providers and patients, engaging patients in their care, and monitoring and reporting incidents to learn and improve practices.

Here on island, roughly 26% of the population is made up of Black women. Our healthcare system en masse typically provide exceptional quality care with advance screening technologies that are on par with the world stage. However, even isolation in incidence is not to be overlooked as care and compassion is deserved by all.

PROJECT PINK – Dedicated to the empowerment of men & women in the on-going fight against Breast Cancer in Bermuda.

Hormone receptors and breast cancer…

Breast cells contain special proteins called hormone receptors. These receptors receive messages from hormones in the body and respond by telling the cells what to do. The hormone receptors found in breast cells are called oestrogen and progesterone receptors.

Some breast cancers use hormones in the body to help them grow, the main hormone being oestrogen, however progesterone can be a contributor.

This type of breast cancer is called hormone receptor positive breast cancer.

If your breast cancer has no hormone receptors, it is hormone receptor negative. Therefore, hormone therapy will not be of any benefit, unlike offered hormone therapy for ER-positive and PR-positive breast cancers.

PROJECT PINK – Dedicated to the empowerment of men & women in the on-going fight against Breast Cancer in Bermuda.

NEVER JUST ONE PATH…

“There are many limitations in medicine, this is why research is so important. Although there have been incredible advances, we have a long way to go.”

PROJECT PINK – Dedicated to the empowerment of men & women in the on-going fight against Breast Cancer in Bermuda.

LIGHTBULB MOMENT

Light at night (LAN) may alter estrogen regulation through circadian disruption and inhibit melatonin production. Although many documented studies differ in findings, there are indicators that highlight breast cancer risk.

If a consensus eventually emerges that LAN does increase risk, then the mechanisms for the effect are important to clarify for intervention and mitigation.

A continuous rabbit hole of studies, analogies and conclusions can leave us with more questions. But, until there is a definitive line between research, data and findings there is more to be done and every stone must be unturned.

PROJECT PINK – Dedicated to the empowerment of men & women in the on-going fight against Breast Cancer in Bermuda.

UNCOMMON SIGNS

Developing an eczema-like rash or redness on the ni**le or the surrounding area is a very rare symptom of breast cancer.

In a small number of cases it is linked to a disease that is associated with breast cancer called Paget’s disease. While its cause remains unknown, Paget’s disease causes an eczema-like itchy red rash on the ni**le or surrounding area.

PROJECT PINK – Dedicated to the empowerment of men & women in the on-going fight against Breast Cancer in Bermuda.

SUPERHUMAN

‘You’re so strong’. A phrase you many have heard many times over.

Every breast cancer journey is different. The key to remaining strong during the battle is being YOUR kind of strong. Whether you’re a nervous wreck sitting anxiously in a cancer centre, sobbing uncontrollably while being comforted by loved ones or staring at yourself in the mirror with tears in your eyes—You are strong!

PROJECT PINK – Dedicated to the empowerment of men & women in the on-going fight against Breast Cancer in Bermuda.

Could GLP-1 drugs help breast cancer patients live longer?

In a recent study published in JAMA, researchers link GLP-1 receptor agonists to potential improved survival and lower recurrence risk in women with breast cancer. However, it is still unclear.

Researchers say clinical trials are needed before these drugs can be considered part of cancer care. Further research is required to determine the optimal timing, tailoring, and potential risks of GLP-1RA* treatment in breast cancer patients.

* GLP-1RAs are established treatments for weight loss and T2D.

However, this underscores the relentless research and scope in the fight against breast cancer.

PROJECT PINK – Dedicated to the empowerment of men & women in the on-going fight against Breast Cancer in Bermuda.