Please read the messages below to see what has transpired on a National and International level (Canada being directly involved) over the past few days. When you are done reading, please post your comments on our message board or email them directly to Lyn Wasserman and they will be posted here in an ongoing discussion forum...
July 31,2001
On June 26, 2001, a Canadian panel published a study suggesting that BSE's
were not really saving lives and in fact could be harmful in the fight agaist breast
cancer. The results were published on msn.com on the 27th, the link for which I have
provided below. I invite you to read this study. I am sure you will be as
angered as I am!!! Especially you survivors out there who did find your tumors
early, via BSE!
Yesterday, I received a call from NBC in New York, asking if we knew women who had
discovered their tumors via BSE and would be willing to give their point of view on this
controversial topic. I told her I knew many women who had found their lumps via BSE,
and I related my own my story, which included finding BOTH my breast cancers, via
BSE, and she thought it would be a great
story to use!!! I also told her that a few weeks ago when I read the story myself, I
wrote the MD who did the study, told him I was spared twice because of BSE and lambasted
him for being so utterly irresponsible (no I did not get
a response)!!!
We are scheduled to be interviewed today at 1:30pm at my home in Sandy Springs, and then I
believe they are moving the interview here to the BF office.
I am forwarding you the letter I wrote to this doctor for your review! I am also
asking for help from any of you who have a working VCR to please set it tomorrow
(Wednesday) for 6:30 on your NBC station and tape tomorrow night's NBC Nightly News with
Tom Brokaw. This will be a segment with Medical Report Robert Bazell. Now, as
you are all aware, TV is fickle, and unpredictable,
so who knows if I really get on the air. But they have scheduled an interview today
at 1:30pm, so we will see. I give this caveat, cuz we all know TV stations have
changed their minds at the last minute about a story, or changed the players in the story
at the last minute if someone else has a more compelling tale. So I am excited, but
reserving it!!!!
Also, any of you survivors who DID find your lump on BSE and went to check it out quickly
and were detected early, which resulted in a great prognosis, please call me today, in
case they want to talk to anyone else this afternoon at the office. I know it is
short notice, and they may not even need anyone else, but I would love to be prepared if
they do, with folks already lined up. So let me know!!!!!
WooHoo!!! Cool, Huh?
Okay here is the study, and below this is my response:
Click here: Canadian panel urges halt to
breast self-exams
Lyn's Response to
the study sent 6/27/01:
Dear Dr. Feightner:
Today, a colleague of mine e-mailed the MSNBC news story regarding your study on the
benefits of breast self examination and your recommendation that "doctors stop
routinely advising women aged 40 to 69 to examine themselves
for breast cancer." After reading the article, I was so disturbed, I felt
compelled to contact
you.
I am a two time breast cancer SURVIVOR. I would not be a survivor, were it not for
the fact that I practiced monthly breast self examination and found both my tumors early.
I am living, breathing proof that this method of examination DOES save
lives......Everyday!
Not only do I think the information you are imparting is irresponsible, I think it is
dangerous. Perhaps if you were a woman like me, who has had cancer in both breasts,
endured the painful surgeries and treatment and lived to talk about it, you might feel a
little differently about this outrageous recommendation.
Perhaps if you were a director of a non-profit breast cancer support network ike myself,
who hears horror stories everyday about women who went to their doctors about something
they "felt" on BSE and the doctor said "its nothing, lets watch it for six
months", only for that "nothing" to turn into cancer, then maybe you could
recognize how ridiculous this claim is!
How dare you recommend the cessation of a simple practice that could mean the difference
between an excellent prognosis (detected early) and one that could bring about such
devestation to a family. You have the audacity to suggest that BSEs "can cause
harm by bringing unnecessary stress and medical attention over benign growths." Sir, I
assure you, the stress and terror
one feels when told she has breast cancer, is far worse than the stress caused by BSE or
medical attention to a benign growth.
So if I am hearing you correctly, your assertion is that we just stop examining ourselves
and give a possibly unnoticed or new lump, that may have come up between mammograms, an
entire year to grow into a really dangerous breast cancer. And you are recommending this
to your own wife?
Dr. Feightner, I am appalled at this recommendation, and will continue, wholeheartedly, to
recommend BSE and educate women on breast self examination as an important tool in early
detection of breast cancer.
Finally, our organization is unbelieveably busy taking care of the support needs of women
with breast cancer here in Atlanta and around the country. We already have more work
than we can handle. We would appreciate it if you would try and not create more work
for us, by persuading women to ignore their bodies.
Thank you.
Lyn C.
Wasserman, Director
AUGUST
02, 2001
Dear Friends:
First, I would like to say thank you for all the kind words of encouragement I received
before and after the broadcast last night. Needless to say, I am very distressed regarding
the writing, content and presentation of the NBC piece. I assure you, the NBC crew
was with me for almost two hours, both at my home and in the office, and the message I
imparted was consistent with what so many of you echoed to me in your e-mails and calls,
prior to the broadcast.
I feel let down and upset that our (overwhelming) opinion about the value and
importance of BSE was not given the proper amount of time to be presented. I felt the
story was confusing, rushed, and sensationalized, which has, historically, been the way
medical reporting has been done for years.
The local NBC associate producer who did such a wonderful interview with me, called about
one hour before broadcast, to tell us the piece was still a "go" and that she
had read the script and we had 2 sound bytes! This morning I spoke with her and she
was just as upset as me, and told me the piece had obviously been cut, and just before air
time. I will say, that if the story was shortened to give more attention to
President Bush's announcement re: reaching a deal about the Patients Bill of Rights,
then I feel better, since that is just important to all of us as this issue is.
However, if it was cut to make room for Marilyn Monroe or the Mount Etna eruption,
well then, I am really disturbed. Breast cancer affects hundreds of thousands of
women all over this country every year. Not to give proper time to a story about a
technique that is currently practiced by millions of us, and could save the life of
even one of us, is just not acceptable to me.
In an effort to make sure the women of Atlanta and around Georgia hear a full and accurate
accounting of the BSE controversy, I have asked our NBC producer to use her influence and
pitch the story to Mark Pickard at Channel 11 so we can have a venue, a platform to speak,
and the proper amount of time to present our side. Meg Reggie has also indicated she
will talk to 11 Alive on
our behalf.
I welcome anyone who feels BSE is not worth doing or promoting anymore to
join us for a debate, discussion, round table, town meeting, interview..whatever venue
they want. You can help. If you feel as strongly as I do about the
value of breast slef examination, contact 11 Alive (or the local NBC affiliate in your
state) and let them know your feelings. All of us, as one voice, can make this
happen. Those of us whose lives were saved because of the early detection of our
cancers beginning with our own
discovery of the lump during breast self examination, can join together and
present a pretty compelling argument.
This morning I woke up with a heavy heart. Somewhere out there a woman, having
viewed the program, may not perform her scheduled BSE today, and not feel a new lump,
because the "talking heads" told her it might not make a difference. TV is
powerful, almost hypnotic. It influences us, far beyond what we should allow.
Two minutes of information on TV can change opinions
and actions overnight. Knowing this, I say lets use it to influence in a positive
and common sense way...if you are with me, just let me know.
Thank you all for your support and friendship.
Lyn C. Wasserman, Director