Mamafest

Mamafest is a youth-focused breast cancer awareness and fundraising organization based out of Seattle, Washington.

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Mamafest: Educate Yourself About Breast Cancer

What Is Breast Cancer?
Who Gets Breast Cancer?
What Are The Warning Signs Of Breast Cancer?
How Can I Protect Myself From Breast Cancer?
I am a cancer survivor, what do I do now?
If I Support Mamafest, Where Does my Money Go?

What Is Breast Cancer?

Cells in the body normally divide (reproduce) only when new cells are needed. Sometimes, cells in a part of the body grow and divide out of control, which creates a mass of tissue called a tumor. If the cells that are growing out of control are normal cells, the tumor is called benign (not cancerous.) If however, the cells that are growing out of control are abnormal and don't function like the body's normal cells, the tumor is called malignant (cancerous).

Cancers are named after the part of the body from which they originate. Breast cancer originates in the breast tissue. Like other cancers, breast cancer can invade and grow into the tissue surrounding the breast. It can also travel to other parts of the body and form new tumors, a process called metastasis.

Who Gets Breast Cancer?

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women other than skin cancer.

Breast cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer death in women after lung cancer -- and is the leading cause of cancer death among women ages 35 to 54. In 2001, 192,200 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and approximately 40,600 will die. Although these numbers may sound frightening, research reveals that the mortality rate could decrease by 30% if all women age 50 and older who need a mammogram had one.

Only 5-10% of breast cancers occur in women with a clearly defined genetic predisposition for the disease. The majority of breast cancer cases are "sporadic," meaning there is no direct family history of the disease. The risk for developing breast cancer increases as a woman ages.

What Are The Warning Signs Of Breast Cancer?

Lump or thickening in or near the breast or in the underarm that persists through the menstrual cycle
A mass or lump, which may feel as small as a pea
A change in the size, shape or contour of the breast
A bloodstained or clear fluid discharge from the nipple
A change in the feel or appearance of the skin on the breast or nipple (dimpled, puckered, scaly or inflamed)
Redness of the skin on the breast or nipple
An area that is distinctly different from any other area oneither breast
A marble-like hardened area under the skin

These changes may be found when performing monthly breast self-exams. By performing breast self-exams, you can become familiar with the normal monthly changes in your breasts.

Breast self-examination should be performed at the same time each month, three to five days after your menstrual period ends. If you have stopped menstruating, perform the exam on the same day of each month.

How Can I Protect Myself From Breast Cancer?

Follow these three steps for early detection:

1. Get a mammogram. The American Cancer Society recommends having a baseline mammogram at age 35, and a screening mammogram every year after age 40. Mammograms are an important part of your health history. If you go to another healthcare provider, or move, take the film (mammogram) with you.

2. Examine your breasts each month after age 20. You will become familiar with the contours and feel of your breasts and will be more alert to changes.

3. Have your breast examined by a healthcare provider at least once every three years after age 20, and every year after age 40. Clinical breast exams can detect lumps that may not be detected by mammogram

If I support Mamafest, where does my money go?

With no paid staff, Mamafest has been able to operate on a shoe string budget that allows over 75% of the money raised go directly to it's benefactors. Mamafest hand selects local and national organizations to donate the proceeds from the Mamafest events. One of the main organizations Mamafest has been supporting is the University Of Washington Medical Genetics Clinic. The clinic offers information and options for early identification of cancer and risk reduction based on family history. The Cancer Genetic Clinic staff also offers educational lectures and programs.

The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center is another benefactor of the money raised. Some of the programs Mamafest's contribution has gone toward, can be found by clicking on this link .

I am a cancer survivor, what do I do now?

An excellent resource for cancer survivors is Team Survivor Northwest (TSNW). TSNW is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing a broad range of fitness and health education programs to enable women cancer survivors, in any stage of treatment or recovery and at any fitness level, to take an active role in their ongoing physical and emotional healing.
For more information about TSNW, call the office at 206-732-8350, or check out the website at www.teamsurvivornw.org.