A lot of people have fears. Getting cancer is one of them.
And why not? Cancer kills over half a million people (more than 560,000) every year. That’s about the entire population of Milwaukee dying annually.
Fear of cancer can be justified though, especially for African-Americans and Hispanic/Latinos. They suffer the most mortality of all races mainly due to a lack of cancer education. READ MORE
Finding out that you have a life threatening illness is scary. Not knowing how to handle the news can cause a major ripple in your life resulting in depression. African-Americans have a higher prevalence of depression than other races, but only 16% of African- Americans get treatment for the disease.
If you have experienced prolonged sadness associated with a medical condition there is help. The first step in treating depression is to be seen by a medical professional for a proper diagnosis. There are certain risk factors that play a key role in depression diagnosis: family history, low self-esteem, stressful events, illness, and substance abuse. Research shows that 80% of people treated for depression see improvement in their symptoms. If you’re experiencing any of the following symptoms, please seek medical attention to determine if treatment is necessary.
Pfizer wants you to remember that depression, is by no means a sign of weakness. It is a chemical imbalance in the brain that may be hereditary. If you think you may have an issue with depression contact your doctor. Remember, you are not alone!
Girlfriends, did you know that breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women of color? When one of our GIRLFRIENDS is diagnosed with breast cancer, it not only affects her, it affects all of us! Here at GIRLFRIENDS we are dedicated to providing hope, awareness, education, social, and emotional support to breast cancer survivors, their families, and the community.
Throughout the years, millions of women who have survived breast cancer have provided information to help us better understand what is most helpful in assisting them in their continued fight against this disease
As a breast cancer survivor, you have been given the divine opportunity to celebrate life boldly through mind, body & spirit!
Here are some very important suggestions!!
Remember Girlfriends, you are beautiful, and deserving of everything this universe has to offer…so continue to celebrate life boldly through mind, body, & spirit!
Dr. Lia Knox Ivey
Psychologist
Licencesd Clinical Professional Counselor
Then I first sat down to write this story, my objective was to educate the readers about breast cancer in men. I wanted to list the statistics, make our readers understand that even though breast cancer is 100% more likely to occur in women, according to The American Cancer Society approximately 2030 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed among men in the United States. I wanted to walk through the facts, and the figures, the diagnosis and the prognosis, but then I had the pleasure of meeting two of the most inspirational people I have met in a very long time, Unis and Vida Matthews. This couple changed my mind. After such an inspiring interview, I could only focus on the positives.
Unis Matthews has been diagnosed with cancer on four individual occasions. In 2003 Vida and Unis remember thinking “here we go again” when doctors informed them that the hard knot that Unis had discovered in his chest while exercising was breast cancer.
Fortunately, surgery was done quickly. This would prove advantageous for Unis as the mass was 2.5 centimeters away from his chest wall. If prompt action hadn’t been taken Unis risked the cancers rapid advancement.
Throughout all of Unis’ primary health events, the couple have been active partners- key word being partners- in their recovery process. Vida said that staying informed, doing research and discussing treatment options has played a major role in their progression through trying times, but that wasn’t the only thing they did
Vida said,
“My focus is on thriving, not just surviving.”
During all of her husband’s health issues, focusing on something unrelated to Unis’ health gave them an outlet. “During Unis’ breast cancer bout, I chose to focus on the color purple because it denotes power and royalty,” Vida said. “We asked everyone we knew to eat, wear, burn candles, buy or just think and say purple on the day of the surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation treatments.” Vida has used this as well as self-talk, dance and exercise to avoid fear and frustration from taking over. Vida said her spirituality also kept the family grounded, “Through all of it, I had to remember that my God says that no matter what happens, it’s going to always be alright.”
Many of us face trials and tribulations throughout our lives. Educate yourself about your options, surround yourself with motivating people and have belief in a higher power.
“I am a firm believer in what you speak about, you bring about. One of my mottos is ‘fake it ’til you make it,”
says Vida.
“I always arm myself with a positive confident attitude and keep in mind the words of my oldest daughter, even a pillar needs support”.
Despite the odds, despite the physical and mental anguish, Unis and Vida Matthews have managed to remain positive and bring their testimony to others. Unis and Vida are currently active members of ABCD (After Breast Cancer Diagnosis), a mentoring organization that provides support for patients diagnosed with breast cancer. Unis admits that he is the only male in these groups and he encourages women to get their mates involved. “You need your significant other to be here with you”! Unis says emphatically. The key to beating this thing is having a support system and having faith in GOD! God will not let you endure more than you can handle and he is with you every step of the way.
-Sherice Holliman
Finding out that you have cancer is hard. Getting information to help you should not be. Please call the American Cancer Society for help. 800.227.2345 or locally at 414.374.9445.
The diagnosis of cancer is a scary thought. Cancer awareness among women has risen dramatically in the last decade, coming a long way to empower women through education and community support. According to national statistics, a large number of women still believe cancer is the leading cause of death among women. What many people don’t know is that nearly twice as many women die of heart disease and stroke than from all other forms of cancer combine.
Heart disease is an umbrella term used to describe a number of conditions, heart attack, stroke, chest pain, all of which affect the heart and blood vessels. For many people, heart disease is more closely
one in three female deaths are due to heart disease
associated with men than with women. It’s estimated that 8 million American women are living with heart disease today and that one in three women die due to heart disease. When compared to Caucasian women, African American and Hispanic American women are more likely to develop heart disease as they typically have a higher prevalence of obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
There are a number of factors that increase the likelihood of developing heart disease. Things such as increasing age, family history, smoking, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes all contribute.
While heart disease is a life long condition, it can be controlled. It’s important to discuss heart disease with your doctor and the specific steps you can take to reduce your risk.
Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death for American women. There are several factors that increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. One of these factors is race. Black women have a greater risk of heart disease and stroke than white women. Compared with whites, African-American women are more likely to die of stroke.
What can you do to prevent heart disease?
- See you doctor for a full exam at least every year.
Your doctor can identify additional risk factors and
treat underlying conditions such as high cholesterol,
high blood pressure and diabetes.- Stay away from Tobacco smoke. Don’t smoke and
stay away from people who do.- Be active. At least 30 minutes of physical activity per
day will make you feel great, look better & help
prevent heart disease. (Why not come to the next
Girlfriends exercise event to get some activities ideas?)- Keep your weight down. Five fruits and vegetables
a day. Low fat & high fiber foods. Yum!- Go easy on alcohol. Although one glass of wine
a day can be beneficial to heart health, more than
that can be dangerous to your health.
African American women are at risk for all sorts of health problems. This column is designed to give them the tools they need to get healthy and/or to stay healthy. We know the problem. We need some sound advice on what to do.
You hear about men having heart attacks…. many women are the caretakers for those men, but they don’t know that heart attacks and heart disease are permanent among women. I love the theme “Take Wellness to heart.” Women take so many things—-we take our responsibility of being wives, being daughters, being members of the community——but not frequently, not seriously enough, do we take our own wellness to heart. READ MORE
Hey Girlfriends!!! Do you encounter negative stress daily? Are you confronted with difficult people or challenging situations? Is someone or something getting on your “last nerve?” Do you struggle to keep your head above water?
If you answered YES to any of these questions, you are at risk of developing heart disease.
Ladies…Did you know that stress is one of the biggest risk factors of heart disease? Heart disease is killing women of color daily and we need to do something about it! It is suggested that we carefully monitor our physical health but what about our mental health? Women of color have a history of ignoring their emotional and psychological health and that has to change NOW!! READ MORE
veryone knows a healthy heart is important for a healthy life. Some basics for keeping your heart healthy are eating right, exercising regularly, and avoiding tobacco. As simple as that seems, we still have a big problem with cardiovascular disease, more commonly known as heart disease. Each year in Wisconsin, heart disease causes more deaths than cancer, AIDS, car crashes, and alcohol abuse combine. In Wisconsin, African American and Native American adults have the highest death rates due to heart disease, and Asian American adults have the lowest heart disease death rate.
Heart disease is a major woman’s health issue. While once considered a “mans disease”, the truth is that the past 10 years in Wisconsin, more women than men died from the disease. Women often have a different symptom pattern than men, such as shortness of breath, exhaustion, nausea, vomiting, or back and jaw pain. So trust the messages your body sends you and seek regular care from a healthcare provider who values your input.
Tobacco is killing our mothers, friends, and daughters. It’s important to know the enemy. Tobacco use is not a habit – it’s an addiction. The deadly product makes billions of dollars in profit coming from the money and lives of our loved ones. We need to fight back individually and as a community against the power of tobacco.
There are three foundations to beating tobacco - treating addiction, preventing our kids from starting, and protecting our families from the dangers of smoking and secondhand smoke.
• Get Help on How to Quit Successfully. If you or somebody you love is trying to overcome tobacco, she should consult her health care provider and/or call the Wisconsin Tobacco Quit Line at 1-800-QUITNOW. Most smokers know “why” they need to quit. Once smokers decide it’s time, they’ll need help in knowing “how” to beat this powerful addiction.
• Support a Significant Increase in the Tobacco Tax. Significantly raising the price of tobacco is the most effective way to prevent young adults from starting and becoming addicted.
• Support Smoke Free Workplaces. Wisconsin’s historic legislation proposed to make all worksites smoke-free. Not only do smoke-free workplace laws protect employees and customers from the dangers of secondhand smoke, these laws help remove smoking from our social fabric. The tobacco industry spent billions of dollars making tobacco glamorous and a passage to adulthood. It’s time to make this change because tobacco is deadly and has no business with the hearts of our future generation.
Remember, your heart needs you to take care of it. You need to have a heart, because tobacco doesn’t.
-Sheri Johnson, PH.D., State Health Officer
Wisconsin Division of Public Health
Ladies, spring is a perfect time to emerge from winter’s hibernation and renew your mind, body and spirit, so get up, get out, and do something good for yourself!
As women of color, we rarely make time for ourselves, and more times than not, our health suffers for it. There are so many simple and fun ways to start your fitness regimen while you enjoy the great state of Wisconsin. In Door County, a stroll through the Ridges Sanctuary in Bailey’s Harbor provides you with 1,440 acres of native wildflowers along rustic trails and bridges. In Baraboo, Devil’s Lake State Park offers miles of hiking trails and mountain biking for every degree of ability. In many of Wisconsin’s coastal cities, you are sure to find some great spots to walk along Lake Michigan. Learn more about Wisconsin’s State Parks at www.wiparks.net. READ MORE
Arthritis in Women Provided by the Arthritis Foundation
(Wisconsin Chapter)
Nearly 46 million Americans have some type of arthritis or a related condition. That’s one in three people! The term “arthritis” encompasses more than 100 diseases and conditions that affect joints, the surrounding tissues and other connective tissues. Arthritis can cause mild to severe pain in the joints, as well as joint tenderness and swelling.
The various forms of arthritis and related conditions can affect anyone, no matter what your race, gender or age. However, it is especially important for women to be educated about these diseases since they affect women at a much higher rate than men. Sixty percent of all people who have arthritis are female, and several of the more common forms are more prevalent in women. READ MORE