Assemblyman McKevitt
WHAT EVERY WOMAN
     should know
TO PROTECT THEIR HEALTH
A message from Assemblyman
Tom McKevitt


Dear Neighbor:

NYS Seal

Fighting breast cancer is among my top priorities not only as a lawmaker but also as a concerned citizen and husband.

An estimated 12,000 women throughout New York state are diagnosed with breast cancer annually.

Breast cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer-related deaths, with an estimated 3,500 women dying each year. Breast cancer does not discriminate. Women of all ages, backgrounds and races are vulnerable to breast cancer. Women over the age of 50 are three-quarters more likely to get breast cancer.

Education is the key to fighting breast cancer.

It is crucial that women as young as 20 be alertto early warning signs and schedule regular examinations.

Enclosed is information regarding health insurance, signs and risk factors related to breast cancer, and reasons to have mammograms. I hope you find this life-saving information useful in increasing your awareness of breast cancer. If you have additional questions or need assistance, please contact me anytime.
Best wishes,
signature
Tom McKevitt
Assemblyman, 17th A.D.


breast cancer
Risk Factors
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Factors you CAN control:

  • having more than one drink of alcohol per day

  • being overweight after menopause or gaining weight as an adult

  • never having children

  • having your first child after age 30

  • currently or recently using combined estrogen and progesterone hormone replacement therapy

  • being exposed to large amounts of radiation, such as having frequent spine X-rays during scoliosis treatment or medical care for Hodgkin’s disease at a young age.

Factors you CANNOT control: ribbon

  • getting older - the older you get, the greater your risk of developing breast cancer

  • a family history of breast or ovarian cancer

  • having a mother, daughter or sister who has had breast cancer

  • having a previous biopsy showing atypical hyperplasia or carcinoma

  • having been under 12 years old at the time of your first period

  • onset of menopause after the age of 55

  • having an inherited mutation of the BRCA1 or BRCA2 breast cancer gene*.

*American Cancer Society, Breast Cancer Facts and Figures, 2001-2002

Why should I have a mammogram?

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Mammograms can find a tumor years before you can. If the tumor is cancerous, it is much better to find it early.Early detection may alsoreduce the extent of surgery needed. For example, early stages of cancer can often be treated with a lumpectomy (removal of only the lump and surrounding tissue) instead of a mastectomy (removal of the entire breast).

how do I get screened?
     what coverage is available?

  • Health insurers must pay for mammograms for women 40 and older. Check with your health insurance provider

  • Mammogram costs are covered under Medicaid for program recipients

  • In every county of New York state, there are special screening programs that offer low-cost or free mammograms. For more information, call the Cancer Information Service (CIS) toll-free at (800) 4CANCER (422-6237) or visit http://cis.nci.nih.gov. The CIS is a program of the National Cancer Institute.
early signs of
Breast Cancer

  • Detection of a lump that is usually firm and painless

  • Veins on the skin surface become more noticeable on one breast

  • A section of skin on the breast or underarm has an unusual appearance or swells

  • The breast nipple becomes inverted, develops a rash, changes in skin texture or has a discharge other than milk

  • A depression is noticed in an area of the breast surface

  • Abnormal mammogram results

contacts on prevention
     and treatment of Breast Cancer
Gerri Barish
1 in 9/Hewlett House
tel:(516) 374-3190
Adelphi University
tel:(800) 877-8077
Cancer Care, Inc.
tel:(800) 813-4673
Susan G. Komen
Breast Cancer
Foundation
tel:(800) 462-9273
Contact Assemblyman McKevitt:

534 Legislative Office Building • Albany, NY 12248 • tel: (518) 455-5341
224 Seventh Street • Suite 200 • Garden City, NY 11530 • tel: (516) 739-5119
email:


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