Breast cancer delivers a shocking blow to your body, your emotional state and your wallet.
The WED WEB CHAT — Breast Cancer: Beyond Survival had two cancer survivors on the panel, who spoke about their journey with the big C.
For Irene Kang and Amelia Tan, the cost of taking back control of their lives ran into hundreds of thousands of dollars. Their respective journeys of pain and discomfort from treatment led to a positive outcome.
Dr Steven Tucker, Founder & Medical Director of Tucker Medical, a Singapore-based multi-disciplinary medical centre, explained that while the incidents of breast cancer are on the rise, it is a treatable disease when caught early.
He explained the various stages and costs involved when it comes to treating cancer.
Journalist, Marie Wee, had an ex-colleague who succumbed to the disease and felt compelled to help raise awareness of the disease.To raise awareness of the disease, she started Ride With Me, an in-your-own-time bicycle activity.
There’s an increasing trend of patients aged under 50, Dr Tucker notes.
An impact of urbanisation and the shift from a rural existence to the rat race in the city, Dr Tucker says that a change in lifestyle could help prevent cancer.
Drink and smoke less. Move and sleep more. And fast 13 hours overnight.
It also helps to build a family tree to see who you can shake from the branches who has diseases that could affect you.
Men, to a lesser extent, can also get breast cancer.
Video excerpts from the discussion follow. You can watch the full discussion at the foot of this article.
Breast Cancer Is A Pandemic
From 25 per 100,000 cases in the 1970s to 75 per 100,000 cases today, breast cancer incidence has grown significantly. And it’s a global phenomenon says Dr Steven Tucker. But don’t lose hope.
Love Story
Amelia was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 28. The day of her biopsy is one she will always remember. That’s the day her boyfriend proposed to her.
A Vicious Cycle
Understanding your genetics plays a role in managing cancer, but our lifestyles are contributing in a big way to the breast cancer pandemic. Dr Tucker says we should drink and smoke less, and move and sleep more.
Grow Your Family Tree
Use festive family gatherings to map your family tree, as this will help identify where the genetics might play a significant part in your illness, explains Dr Tucker. But most people would rather feast.
The Cost Of Treating Cancer
Cancer is an expensive disease to manage, with costs running into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Survivors Irene and Amelia share their experiences, while Dr Tucker explains why the costs are high.
Watch the full discussion of WED WEB CHAT — Breast Cancer: Beyond Survival below.
Watch our previous wedwebchats: https://storm-asia.com/category/wed-web-chat/
If you have a topic that is of interest, or have someone who would make a good panellist with a thought-provoking perspective on a subject, please email editor@storm-asia.com with your details and a short summary.
