STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Most people would find a cancer diagnosis to be an adverse event, something negative that overshadows the positive in one?s life. Not Cathy R. Williams.
When the Stapleton resident was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2001, it gave her a higher purpose. Even through chemotherapy, multiple surgeries and a mastectomy, she knew that with cancer came her calling.
Active with the American Cancer Society ever since, she now is a Community Champion for the Cancer Prevention Study-3 (CPS-3), a nationwide initiative of the cancer-fighting organization that aims to identify factors that play a role in the disease.
?It?s a continuous journey for me,? said Mrs. Williams of the time she spends educating people about cancer. ?I?m always looking to hone my skills and the CPS-3 comes at just the right time for me.?
Organizers of the study aim to recruit 300,000 people of diverse backgrounds nationwide, with at least 1,000 from the Island. Participants ? who must be between the ages of 30 and 65 and never have been diagnosed with cancer ? can register to participate by visiting cancer.org/cps3statenisland.
An in-person portion of the study will take place Sept. 12-15 at designated partner sites. Participants will undergo a brief written survey and provide physical measurements and a small blood sample.
They then must complete an at-home survey that asks about lifestyle, behavioral and other factors related to their health. Once finished, participants receive follow-up surveys in the mail every two years for at least 20 years.
After Mrs. Williams was diagnosed with cancer, she made a vow to God that if He brought her through this trying time, she would do everything in her power to help others avoid the devastating diagnosis.
She became involved with the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk, Relay For Life and the Reach to Recovery program, which pairs breast cancer survivors with newly-diagnosed patients.
When the chance to help with CPS-3 arrived, Mrs. Williams didn?t hesitate. She began recruiting people right after the kick-off last month at Borough Hall. On her mile-and-a-half walk home, she handed out study fliers to anyone who would listen.
?I wanted something that was ongoing and when CPS-3 came up, I said this is my prayer answered,? said Mrs. Williams, whose husband also is a cancer survivor. ?I wanted a way to communicate with everyone the importance of cancer awareness.?
Additionally, she is working to recruit family members and friends, like Tanya Michelle Debose, a member of Mrs. Williams? church. Although Ms. Debose doesn?t have any immediate family members with the disease, she knows others who have witnessed cancer?s effects and quickly signed up.
?I think the only way to get down to a problem is to study it,? said Ms. Debose, a Coram, N.Y., resident. ?If I knew I had it in my power to help someone else from going through this pain, then why wouldn?t I do it??
The new study comes on the heels of three previous studies. The Hammond-Horn Study, conducted in the1950s, was among the first to link cigarette smoking to lung cancer deaths in men, explained Dr. Susan Gapstur, vice president of Epidemiology for the American Cancer Society.
Cancer Prevention Study-I ran from 1959 to 1972. This larger-scale study included women and taught researchers more about smoking and cancer risk. It also linked obesity to overall, as well as cancer deaths.
Cancer Prevention Study-II began in the 1980s and is ongoing. Building on the findings of the previous two, it has shown the role of low-tar cigarettes in lung cancer and helped clarify the role of obesity in more than 10 cancer sites throughout the body, among other findings.
With an ever-changing community, CPS-3 is expected to build on its predecessors.
?The fight needs to continue,? Dr. Gapstur said. ?We need to better understand what happens in a society when we are living with being overweight and obese much longer. We need to track the relation to cancer.?
Additionally, the new study will allow researchers to identify whether other factors might affect cancer. For example, data is being collected so researchers can better understand whether certain medications might reduce or increase risk for the disease. With the blood sample, researchers can take a deeper look into how some biologic factors are linked to cancer risk.
Enrollment for CPS-3 began in 2006, and initially was done at Relay For Life events. To get to their goal of 300,000 participants by December 2013 ? more than 137,000 already have signed up ? the American Cancer Society began working with community partners around the country.
Although the findings from CPS-3 may not effect the current population, it potentially can have a profound impact for future generations, with the goal of one day finding a cancer cure.
?Despite the progress that has been made at reducing cancer mortality rates, the fight against cancer has to continue and we just can?t stop,? Dr. Gapstur concluded. ?It?s important to continue with studies like CPS-3 so we can improve the health of the next generation.?
Source: http://www.silive.com/healthfit/index.ssf/2012/07/staten_islanders_urged_to_sign_up_for_cancer_prevention_study.html
celtics josh hamilton nba playoffs rosario dawson young jeezy world wildlife fund gsa
? delicious: 
? reddit: 
? Digg: 
? 
