42 October 2015 www.womanthismonth.com PEOPLE | interview WTM talks to ladies dealing with the disease and shares tips on keeping yourself safe. Battling Breast Cancer THE SUPPORTER Galiana Verton, 43, a Dutch mum of two from Zallaq. I’ve been in Bahrain seven years and before that I was in the Czech Republic with my husband’s job. I’m a physiotherapist with a bachelor’s in physiotherapy and dermatology specialising in rehabilitation for cancer patients. When I was in Czech I worked for an oncologist, who specialised in breast cancer patients and I built up the rehabilitation facility. At the end of five years it had its own ward and a team of physios and specialist nurses. We had a coffee lounge and an area for wigs and bras. In fact it was a full-service centre. There isn’t anything like it in Bahrain and I have approached various hospitals and the Ministry of Health about setting up something similar. Nothing has happened yet but I’m hoping… Currently, I’m the co-ordinator for the Breast Cancer Support Group. We’re a networking group for breast cancer sufferers and their families. We’re unfunded and non-profit, though we do sometimes sell things to raise funds for Think Pink Bahrain. We can offer advice on everything from dental care (treatment can adversely affect the teeth) to hair loss. I can even help with explaining the treatments and, because of my medical background, can advise of specific massage when women are suffering lymphoedema (swelling) after surgery. We have a Whatsapp group with around 15 members who meet and talk regularly, sharing experiences and offering advice. There’s also a Facebook page through which people can contact me. Not everyone wants to be part of the Whatsapp group but they may just want to chat or to ask questions. If I don’t know the answers, I can always find someone who does. In some ways Bahrain is very advanced, for example the equipment that’s available. But in other ways, there is much more that could be done. One of the things I find here is that there is nowhere to get mastectomy bras, I bring them in from Holland and I can bring in a batch of 50 and they’ll be gone in a week. As a group we work together but it would be a dream come true for lots of these women to get a proper support centre in the future. BREAST EXAM 101 Regular self-examination is the key to early detection, but how to go about it? STEP 1: Begin by looking at your breasts in the mirror with your shoulders straight and your arms on your hips. Look for any of the signs included in the Be Aware section. STEP 2: Now, raise your arms and look for the same changes. STEP 3: Next, feel your breasts while lying down, using your right hand to feel your left breast and then your left hand to feel your right breast. Use a firm, smooth touch with the first few finger pads of your hand, keeping the fingers flat and together and working in small circles. STEP 4: Cover the entire breast from top to bottom, side to side — from your collarbone to the top of BE AWARE We all know about checking our breasts regularly but lumps are not the only sign of cancer. Early breast cancer usually doesn’t cause symptoms but, as the tumour grows, it can change how the breast looks or feels. What to Look for • A lump or thickening in or near the breast or in the underarm area. • A change in the size or shape of the breast. • Dimpling or puckering in the skin of the breast. • A nipple turned inward into the breast • Discharge (fluid) from the nipple, especially if it’s bloody. • Scaly, red or swollen skin on the breast or nipple. • The skin may have pitting so that it looks like an orange. These symptoms do not automatically indicate breast cancer. But, if you have any of these conditions, you should get checked out without delay.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy Mjk0MTkxMQ==