Oct 2, 2009 12:43 pm US/Eastern
4 The Cure: Stressing Self-Tests For All
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
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One local organization educates special needs populations on how to perform self breast exams.
CBS
There has been a lot of time and effort devoted to teaching women about breast self examination. Recently, advocates for the mentally challenged became aware that segment of society also has a need for education regarding breast cancer.
One local organization has done a lot to bring awareness to some very special people. Susan Reilly lives in a group residence operated by a nonprofit organization called the ARC, which is dedicated to helping individuals with developmental disabilities.
With instruction from Nurse Deena Silverthorn, Susan learned how to do a breast self exam.
"Three fingers, circular motion, lightly, harder," Silverthorn said.
According to ARC Program Administrator Sarah Alloway, "We work with people with disabilities. One of these disabilities is mental retardation. And unfortunately we lost one of the females who we work with to cancer. She had breast cancer and it was discovered with Stage IV. So we wrote a grant to the Susan G. Komen For the Cure and fortunately we were able to receive funding."
That funding was used to hire a nurse to train the residents to do their own breast exams.
"If you are doing your monthly breast exam and you feel a lump what would you do?" asked Silverthorn.
"Consult a staff right away about it," answered Reilly.
Now Susan understands the importance of doing a self exam each month.
"Susan, can you explain why you're doing the monthly breast exam?" Silverthorn asked.
"To detect breast cancer because my mother had it and my grandmother had it," Reilly replied.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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