Nu Omega Psi Sorority, Inc.

History

Sisters Network® Inc. (SNI) is the leading voice and only national African American breast cancer survivorship organization in the United States. SNI promotes the importance of breast health through empowerment, support, breast education programs, resources, information and research. Membership is 3000, which includes over 40 affiliate chapters nationwide.

The organization’s purpose is to save lives and provide a broader scope of knowledge that addresses the breast cancer survivorship crisis affecting African American women around the country.

As a nationally recognized organization among leading medical establishments and breast cancer physicians, Sisters Network is also recognized as a critical information resource for African American women.

Under the direction of Founder & CEO, Karen Eubanks Jackson, SNI outreach initiatives continueto promote the importance of breast health through personal empowerment, support, breast health education projects, advocacy and research through its strong affiliate chapter base.

Charting new territory is not uncommon for the innovative organization. In 1999, Sisters broke new ground by hosting the nation’s first national Breast Cancer conference to specifically address the impact of breast cancer among African American women. Now in its eighth year, the conference, which

attracts more than 500 participants, including nationally recognized medical experts, has been held in metropolitan cities such as Houston, Atlanta, Detroit and Richmond, VA.

Among the organizations trademark and successful national community outreach programs are “The Gift for Life Block Walk®,” “The Pink Ribbon Awareness Project,” STOP THE SILENCE®: Changing the Face of Breast Health Intervention. These initiatives are implemented through Sisters’ affiliate chapters and are generously underwritten through federal funding, corporate partnerships and private contributions.

Sisters’ national branding campaign, “STOP THE SILENCE,” speaks directly to the nation’s African American communities longstanding history of not discussing cancer and other life threatening health concerns. In 2005, this initiative was expanded to include an alliance with HealthTalk Communications through nationwide community educational forums. The national slogan has been used in billboard and bumper sticker campaigns.

This level of keen understanding of the African American community mindset continues to allow the organization to effectively educate and heighten breast health awareness and survivorship in the African American community.

For more information and membership in the Sisters Network Inc. please visit

www.sistersnetworkinc.org

What are the risk factors?

	Gender
	Age
	Heredity/Genetic Factors
	Long menstrual history
	Never having children
	Hormones
	Personal history of breast or ovarian cancer
	Environmental factors
	Early Menopause

*Over 74% of breast cancers are diagnosed in women with no identifiable risk factors.

What are the warning signs?

	Lump, hard knot or thickening in the breast
	Swelling, redness or increased warmth in the breast
	Change in the size or shape of the breast
	Itchy, sore or scaling area on the nipple/areola
	Nipple discharge (particularly if bloody) that starts suddenly
	Pulling in of the nipple (inverted nipple) or nipple change direction (retracted nipple)
	Dimpling or puckering of the skin on the breast
	Unusual pain in an area of the breast

What should you do?
The best defense against breast cancer starts with you!

Sisters Network Inc. recommends these steps for early detection:

	Monthly breast self-exam (BSE) starting at age 20*
	Clinical breast examination by a trained medical professional every 2-3 years beginning at age 20, and annually after age 40
	Mammography screening every one to two years for women ages 35-40 (If your mother or sister has had breast cancer, you may need to get mammogram earlier and more frequently)
	Annual mammography screening for women age 40+**

*BSE should be done just as your period ends or for post-menopausal women, the same day each month. Most women discover breast masses during monthly breast self-examination. This simple and easy to follow examination allows a woman to become more familiar with her breast, making the detection of subtle changes or abnormities easier.

**Women receiving annual mammography screening are 30% less likely to die from breast cancer compared to unscreened women.

***Breast ultrasound is frequently useful in evaluating breast and mammographic abnormalities, especially in young women.

What are the factors that place a woman at increased risk for breast cancer?
Every woman has some risk for developing breast cancer during her lifetime, and that risk increases as she ages. However, the risk of developing breast cancer is not the same for all women. The following are the some factors known to increase a woman's chance of developing this disease:

	Personal History: Women who have had breast cancer are more likely to develop a second breast cancer.
	Family History: The risk of getting breast cancer increases for a woman whose mother, sister, or daughter has had the disease; or who has two or more close relatives, such as cousins or aunts, with a history of breast cancer (especially if diagnosed before age 40). About 5 percent of women with breast cancer have a hereditary form of this disease.
	Genetic Alterations: Specific alterations in certain genes, such as those in the breast cancer genes BRCA1 or BRCA2, make women more susceptible to breast cancer.
	Abnormal Biopsy: Women with certain abnormal breast conditions, such as atypical hyperplasia or LCIS (lobular carcinoma in situ), are at increased risk.
	Other conditions associated with an increased risk of breast cancer: Having children at a later age or never having children at all, early onset of menses, taking hormones over an extended period of time, and exposure to environmental hazards. return to topic list

What is the best method of detecting breast cancer as early as possible?
A high-quality mammogram, with a clinical breast exam, is the most effective way to detect breast cancer early. Using a mammogram, it is possible to detect breast cancer that cannot be felt. However, like any test, mammograms have both benefits and limitations.

How much does a mammogram cost?
Most screening mammograms cost between $50 and $150. Most states now have laws requiring health insurance companies to reimburse all or part of the cost of screening mammograms. Details can be provided by insurance companies and health care providers.
Medicare pays 80% of the cost of a screening mammogram each year for beneficiaries age 40 or older. There is no deductible requirement for this benefit, but Medicare beneficiaries are responsible for a 20% co-payment of the Medicare-approved amount. Information on coverage is available through the Medicare Hotline at 1-800-MEDICARE. Some state and local health programs and employers provide mammograms free or at low cost. Information on low-cost or free mammography screening programs is available through the NCI's Cancer Information at 1-800-4-CANCER.

*BSE should be done just as your period ends or for post-menopausal women, the same day each month. Most women discover breast masses during monthly breast self-examination. This simple and easy to follow examination allows a woman to become more familiar with her breast, making the detection of subtle changes or abnormities easier.

**Women receiving annual mammography screening are 30% less likely to die from breast cancer compared to unscreened women.

***Breast ultrasound is frequently useful in evaluating breast and mammographic abnormalities, especially in young women.

What are the factors that place a woman at increased risk for breast cancer?
Every woman has some risk for developing breast cancer during her lifetime, and that risk increases as she ages. However, the risk of developing breast cancer is not the same for all women. The following are the some factors known to increase a woman's chance of developing this disease:

	Personal History: Women who have had breast cancer are more likely to develop a second breast cancer.
	Family History: The risk of getting breast cancer increases for a woman whose mother, sister, or daughter has had the disease; or who has two or more close relatives, such as cousins or aunts, with a history of breast cancer (especially if diagnosed before age 40). About 5 percent of women with breast cancer have a hereditary form of this disease.
	Genetic Alterations: Specific alterations in certain genes, such as those in the breast cancer genes BRCA1 or BRCA2, make women more susceptible to breast cancer.
	Abnormal Biopsy: Women with certain abnormal breast conditions, such as atypical hyperplasia or LCIS (lobular carcinoma in situ), are at increased risk.
	Other conditions associated with an increased risk of breast cancer: Having children at a later age or never having children at all, early onset of menses, taking hormones over an extended period of time, and exposure to environmental hazards. return to topic list

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Information Sources:

Sisters Network Inc. Website- www.sistersnetworkinc.org