Whidbey General Hospital is sponsoring Daughters of Women with Breast Cancer: Defining the Odds, an educational program on breast cancer and risk factors on Jan. 26. The free program is for women who have a family medical history of breast cancer. It will be from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Service Alternatives in Coupeville.

Women who attend the symposium will learn about their personal risks and risk factors.

Besides risk factors for cancer, there are health hazards linked to cancer. Smoking is a health hazard linked to lung cancer. While there are no health hazards that are linked to breast cancer, knowing her risk factors may cause a woman to be more rigorous in following through with early detection and breast screening.

Vulnerability to breast cancer is heightened for any one who has a close blood relative diagnosed with the disease. Having one first-degree relative (mother, daughter, or sister) with breast cancer approximately doubles a woman’s risk.

Women who attend the symposium will learn about their personal risks and risk factors, how to go about decreasing some of them, and how to put these into perspective. Cathy Goetsch, nurse practitioner from the Cancer Prevention and Hereditary Cancer Risk Community Program of Virginia Mason Hospital of Seattle will address these issues in depth. Dr. Nancy Neubauer, medical director of radiology at Whidbey General Hospital will teach about the early detection triad, including mammography, looking at imaging today and tomorrow. Carla Jolley, ARNP, oncology clinical nurse specialist will share an update and overview of breast cancer treatment. Dr. John Eggers of Whidbey Women’s Health in Coupeville will address the pros and cons of hormone replacement therapy and the breast cancer risk.

Break out sessions will address how to decrease risk factors. Denise Perkins, nutrition educator, will cover nutrition and weight management. Cindy Smith, Whidbey General Hospital physical therapist will cover the importance of activity and creating a personal activity program. Erica Sanders, writer, will address stress reduction through journaling. Lindy Benjamin, Whidbey General Hospital radiology technologist will display the hospital’s mammography equipment and teach attendees how to do breast self examination.

The symposium is free but pre-registration will be required through Whidbey General Hospital Community Relations. Once a woman register the hopsital will send a confidential risk assessment questionnaire to be filled out and returned prior to the symposium. Call 678-7656 ext. 4005 to register.