Seating the odds through awareness Drusilla Dunshee says the most important BREAST Cancer survivor Drusiila Dunshee says that women must take controi of their jives and their heaith by following the rec- NEWS photo Paul McGrath ommendations of the Canadian Cancer Sosiety and educating themselves about the disease. TO MOST of us, the slogan “Cancer can be beaten’’ is just that — a slogan. By A.P. McCredie News Reporter But to a North Shore woman, the catch phrase is a life-affirming reality. Five years ago this next month, Drusilia Dunshee of West Van- couver went to her Seattle doctor to get her ‘‘clean bill of health’’ before moving to Canada. Following the American Cancer Society’s recommendation that all women over the age of 40 should have a mammogram every year, Dunshee, then 4!, included a mammogram in her checkup. An hour before she left to catch her piane to Vancouver, her doc- tor calied her and told her that she had breast cancer. “7 just remember thinking ‘I'm still going to go to Canada,'”’ recalls Dunshee. ‘‘! didn’t ever think [ was going to die, because it was caught so early.’’ After getting the opinion cf three doctors — the first suggested a mastectomy, where the whole breast is remceved — she opted for a lumpectomy, in which the can- cerous tumor is removed from the breast. Thirty radiation treatments over six months followed the surgery, and Dunshee was given a clean bill of health. “My hair didn’t fall out, ! didn’t get sick,” said Dunshee of the radiation treatment. “If Ud had a job at the time I could have worked.”’ Dunshee continued to have a mammogram every six months for a few years and is now back to the recommended one-year checkup. She also has a new lease on life. “ft feel like 1 now lead a much fuller and more rewarding life since this has happened,’ she said. *‘1 honestly believe my life has changed for the better.” Dunshee became involved in the Cancer Society as an active volun- teer in the Reach-to-Recovery program. “1 hate to admit it, but before this happened, 1 had never volun- teered for anything in my life,’ Dunshee said. She continues to do public speaking engagements to women’s groups in the hope of raising awareness about breast cancer, the leading killer of wornen aged 35 to 54. By the year 2600, 51% of Ca- nadian women will be in that age group. In 1992, breast cancer will be diagnosed in over 2,000 B.C. women. The disease will claim the 4 e2 RODEO aX4 The best looking sport utility vehicle on the market, loaded with standard equipment and priced thousand’ of dollars below the competition ‘92 TROOPER XS thet! See ‘ ‘weapon against breast cancer is education lives of 500 B.C. women this year. “The most important weapon against this disease is education,’* Dunshee said. ‘‘The message is that women should take responsi- bility for their health. Don’t count on doctors or fate.’” What this means is that all women over the age of 20 should be practising breast self-examina- tion (BSE) monthly and should visit a doctor annually. Women over 40 should have a yearly mammogram. Exercise and diet are also very important to a healthy life. “Sometimes it’s too. easy for. women to be afraid,’? Dunshee | observed. ‘“‘They say, ‘If I have breast cancer 1 don’t want to know.’ Well, it won't go away, and if it goes unchecked it will kill you.’ October is breast health month, and the B.C. chapter of the Ca- nadian Breast Cancer Foundation is kicking off the month on Sept. 27 with a ‘Walk for Survival’’ to raise awareness of the prevalence of breast cancer. The walk starts at il a.m. at the Denman and Georgia entrance to Stanley Park, and finishes with a rally at the Brockton Point totem poles. For information call 253-8470. Drusilla Dunshee will be there, walking, vibrant proof that cancer can be beaten.