Office of Internal Communications
|
October 12, 2004 TO BREAST CANCER SURVIVAL Susan Rosthal had a mixed reaction after being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2000. “On the one hand, I was glad it was caught early,” said Rosthal, director of the University of Houston’s Women’s Resource Center (WRC) and director for Advancement Outreach. “On the other hand, the word ‘cancer’ carries a very emotional impact, especially when it’s directed toward you.” October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Rosthal will share her own experience with the disease during a brown bag lunch presentation from noon to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 13, in the Women’s Resource Center. Joining her will be two other survivors: Delores Crawford, advertising sales manager at the Daily Cougar, and Jessica Slessinger, a college student representing the Collegiate Cancer Council. “Anybody can get breast cancer. It’s not just older women,” Rosthal said. “Even younger people should be checking their breasts for lumps.” Also on Oct. 13 in the WRC, the University Wellness Center will hand out pink ribbons and breast cancer literature while volunteers from the Cougar Peer Education Program (PEP) will offer pink fingernail painting for a donation of $2 to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. The information table and fingernail painting will be available from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. “We want to increase awareness and get both men and women to understand their risk for breast cancer,” said Gail Hudson-Gillan, director of the UH Wellness Center. Across campus at the UH Health Center, free breast examinations will be available from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. (See FREE BREAST CANCER EXAMS) Rosthal is living proof that early detection is key to survival. She encourages the campus community to be proactive in educating itself about the disease and performing regular self-examinations. “If breast cancer is caught early, it is very survivable,” she said. “If it is not caught early or is ignored, then it can be fatal. A friend of mine was informed by a physician that a lump on her breast was just a cyst and not cancerous. She’s dead now.” The Wellness Center and Cougar PEP will continue
spreading the word through pink ribbon and literature giveaways
and $2 pink fingernail paintings from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Oct.
20 at the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center. Also on that day,
the Health Center will offer additional free breast exams from 9:30
a.m. to 3 p.m. Mike Emery
|