Research shows that our zip code can be just as important as our genetic code (DNA) in shaping our health. Where we live, work and learn affects our opportunities for physical activity, access to healthy and affordable foods, potential for social engagement and support, and exposure to stressful circumstances.

Este blog ha sido resumido de un artículo en el boletín de invierno 2019 del Estudio Pathways.

¿Has escuchado el término Chemo Brain o Quimiocerebro? Hasta la última década, cuando las mujeres informaban problemas de memoria y pensamiento durante o después de recibir tratamiento para el cáncer de mama, a menudo se las ignoraba. Ahora sabemos que el cáncer y el tratamiento del cáncer pueden causar estos cambios y se están realizando investigaciones sobre cómo ayudar a las personas que tienen quimiocerebro, también conocido como deterioro cognitivo relacionado con el cáncer (DCRC). Nos anima saber que la mayoría de nosotras recuperaremos nuestra función cerebral y que hay cosas que podemos hacer para lidiar con los problemas de memoria y pensamiento.

For the past year I have been working as the Communications Coordinator for Zero Breast Cancer from Southern Oregon. From the start, the mission statement of focusing on breast cancer prevention stood out to me as a unique perspective, as so many breast cancer organizations overlook these root causes. While I have forged strong relationships with my colleagues and an understanding of the organization from a distance, by recently attending the 16th Annual Dipsea Hike I gained a deeper sense of the wonderful work that ZBC does and the people they serve.

BEACON (Beneficial, Empowering, Accessible, Cancer Online Network) is a free, self-paced online system that provides cancer patients, caregivers, and survivors tools to reduce stress, cultivate joy, and practice wellness. This program was developed by Wellness Within, a nonprofit dedicated to helping people navigate the fog of information and emotions surrounding cancer diagnosis; their goal is to give space to focus on your quality of life while letting the doctors focus on the disease.

Cristine Albert is one of ZBC's champions and works tirelessly on our behalf for the Dipsea Hike and more. Working with Cristine has been such a pleasure because she is so very enthusiastic and reliable, plus witty to boot! Learn more about her below.

Anyone who has ever been diagnosed with cancer has had their lives changed and may have needed new ways to cope . The Covid-19 pandemic is also changing lives. Many of us dealt with wildfire smoke in the summer and the shorter winter days can be another challenge. Breast cancer survivors on the Pathways Study Community Advisory Board (CAB) decided that understanding our risk of Covid-19 and taking care of ourselves are important and timely topics for us to address.

This is the second of two parts about what we can do for our health and wellness during the Covid pandemic, from breast cancer survivors on the Pathways Study Community Advisory Board. Here they share how they cope: connecting with people; taking a break; breathing deeply, meditating or praying; asking for support; getting sleep; gratitude; and focusing on moving forward. Research has shown that all of these can help our mental and our physical health. (Check out the first part for ideas on moving our bodies and eating well.)

Shoe Stories of Sausalito, a brand new luxury shoe and bag boutique in downtown Sausalito, is generously donating 10% of their proceeds through the end of October to the Roni Peskin Mentzer Memorial Fund of Zero Breast Cancer.

ZBC is truly inspired by the teen cooks of the Ceres Community Project who prepare delicious and nutritious meals for breast and other cancer patients and their families. They do so under the supervision of expert nutritionist and chefs. The teens sign up for a regular schedule of prep and cooking sessions for a few months to several years. All of these young people make a commitment and have an impact. Meals are delivered to the patients and their families weekly – infused with love and messages of support prepared by elementary school volunteers. The Ceres Community Project is being recognized as the 2016 Healing Partner Award at our upcoming Honor Our Healers event on May 10th. You can learn more here.

The Zero Breast Cancer Team, and Board of Directors would like to thank all of you who generously gave of your time, resources and energy to make our Dipsea Hike a tremendous success!

Well over 200 participants showed up on that bright, chilly Saturday morning. Our hikers were greeted with bagels, yogurt, fruit and local Equator Coffee. Once nourished, they had the energy necessary to complete the both beautiful and challenging hike up the steps and over the hill, before returning to have lunch with us back in Old Mill Park where everything started.

You are not alone if the social distancing requirements and complying with the need of living in a social bubble has left you feeling anxious, socially isolated and feeling depressed. You are among millions of people who are bearing the brunt of Covid-19’s psychological effects. Our exposure to the continuous feed of stimulating news and notifications over wifi devices, television and social media has made many of us, myself included, worry about the future. As a result, it has made us vulnerable emotionally and mentally. Adjusting to the new normal of being isolated was not easy. I found the thought of following the mundane routine daily with little or no avenues of recreation or in-person interaction made me anxious.

The Breast Cancer and the Environment Research Program (BCERP) website aims to make the latest scientific findings on the relationship between environmental exposures and breast cancer both accessible and actionable. Consisting of a transdisciplinary consortium of scientists, the BCERP is funded by the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) National Institute of Environmental Sciences (NIEHS) and National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). With community partners, the BCERP researchers look at how environmental exposures during key life stages may increase risk of breast cancer. (Full disclosure: ZBC was a community partner in the past.)

When dealing with breast cancer, and looking to prevent breast cancer, the vast amount of information and the decisions that need to be made can be overwhelming. In 1999, Dr. Marisa Weiss, a renowned breast oncologist, founded breastcancer.org to address these needs. As a non-profit organization, breastcancer.org is dedicated to providing the most reliable, complete, and up-to-date information about breast cancer. It is an excellent resource.  Their mission is to help women and their loved ones make sense of the complex medical and personal information about breast health and breast cancer so that they can make the best decisions for their lives. The people behind breastcancer.org bring with them a diverse set of skills and experience, from medical experts, writers, editors, and business development experts, to designers and web producers. A Professional Advisory Board (PAB) reviews all the medical information on the website. The PAB includes over 70 practicing medical professionals from around the world who are leaders in their fields. Breastcancer.org also provides a Spanish translation of its pages on the website.

This Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Zero Breast Cancer materials have made their way to Washington, DC via a request from Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. – Xi Omega Chapter.

ZBC educational fliers were shared with over 100 attendees at their Pink Table Talk: Breast Cancer Risks and Realities panel with speakers Dr. Regina M. Hampton and Dr. Carolyn B. Hendricks. The event took place on October 7th and was livestreamed on Facebook. Check out the recording of this very informative talk here.

Sixteen years ago, Zero Breast Cancer’s Dipsea Hike was founded in memory of Andrea “Annie” Fox. Annie worked for the county, was an active athlete—a member of the Tamalpa Runners—and she loved Mt. Tamalpais. She was a founding board member of Marin Breast Cancer Watch, which is now Zero Breast Cancer. Annie was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 31 and died of her disease at age 35 in 2002 just before the first hike. Amongst others, Annie was survived by her mother Marjorie Bonner and her significant other at the time, Chris Stewart—a tireless organizer and volunteer who makes our annual hike possible.

Marjorie was a donor to Marin Breast Cancer Watch since 2001, she founded the Andrea Fox Fund managed by the Marin County Board of Supervisors and continued to support Zero Breast Cancer for over 15 years.

Reducing stress is a key component in helping manage daily tasks. It doesn’t matter if you are in high school, college, or an adult, it can always be a battle to deal with stress. Specifically, the stress that comes with a breast cancer diagnosis can be the biggest battle of them all.

One of the best things to do is to take your mind off of whatever is bothering you. For example, when my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer five years ago, she would attend weekly yoga classes and would go to any seminars offered at the hospital in order to gather information and meet others going through the same battle as her. She felt that attending weekly events really helped her through her treatment and post-treatment stages.

There are many different ways to reduce the risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer, one of which is living a healthy lifestyle. One factor of a healthy lifestyle includes having daily exercise. Anyone can reduce their risk at any age, but it is especially encouraged to have an early start to prevent breast cancer.

Cristine was introduced to ZBC in 2016 by Molly Schmidt, Community Engagement Coordinator, at the Center for Volunteer and Non Profit Leadership (CVNL). Cristine has an impressive track record in non-profit volunteering. She has served on boards, raised funds, engaged communities and led outreach efforts. She is no stranger to business either and brings her strategic consulting skills to for profit and non-profit clients alike. Cristine is currently enjoying a new career experience working with grade schools students in their classrooms while still keeping up her volunteer activities.

As well as volunteering, Peter is an engaging writer and blogger and his writing is at its finest and most impassioned when it gets most personal. It doesn't get more painful than the story of how his mother died of breast cancer when he was 10 years old and how he came to understand her death. With his permission, we have his piece titled "Mom's Gone" here:

An avid advocate and a talented writer, Ruth Baillie has dedicated her time to helping survivors of breast and other cancers navigate the emotions, challenges, and treatment decisions associated with overcoming the often overwhelming disease. In September 2016 Ruth reached out to ZBC to volunteer as a blogger.