Dr. Makhoul, Breast Cancer Awareness and Racing for a Cure

 As you can’t help but know that October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  In fact, this year is the 26^th year that we as a nation have set aside this month to bring awareness, education and empowerment about breast cancer issues.  And while many great strides have been made in breast cancer awareness and treatment, there remains much to be accomplished in terms of finding a way to prevent this nasty disease from invading our lives – and that goes for all cancers too.  As Dr. Makhoul says, “There is no good cancer.  All cancers are bad.” 

Everybody knows how much I admire my brilliant oncologist Dr. Issam Makhoul.  With that said, I’m sharing with you a video interview with him by KTHV-Channel 11 from last October.  The good doctor tells us more about the importance of early detection, the dangers of hormone replacement therapy, the importance of Vitamin D, the sharp decline in breast cancer incidents, and the increased breast cancer cure rate.  Did you know that only 5% of breast cancers can be linked to predisposition?  Makhoul also talks about breast cancer in men.  Here's the link to the interview.  I know you will agree with me that Arkansas and UAMS are quite lucky to have this brilliant doctor treating and curing so many cancer patients.  

Here's another great web site for the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month organization.  I am also pleased to see that this organization has a separate link on the home page for more information about Inflammatory Breast Cancer.  We must do a better job of letting women know that not all breast cancers are lumps, and not all can be found by a mammogram.  

I guess life gets away from us sometimes.  While my friend Sue Farris is a role model for taking care of business, it was only today that I registered for Saturday’s Komen Race for the Cure.  Shame on me!  If you have not registered to be a participant, there is still time to do so, and you can do it online by clicking here.  

HOWEVER, if you don’t plan on making the race and have not yet made a contribution to this very worthwhile organization, maybe you’ll consider making a donation towards my race effort.  You can log onto my personal Komen Race page by clicking here.  To paraphrase Dr. Makhoul, “any donation is a good donation, no matter the size.” 

Tim and my brother will join me Saturday for what will be the 17^th Little Rock race.  While my legs are still not as strong as they used to be, I’m going to give this race my best shot.  And I'm certainly going to participate in the Survivor's Parade as it's only a few short blocks.  No matter the distance, my heart and soul will be totally immersed as a Komen Warrior supporting the cause to create a world without breast cancer.