The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation’s recent luncheon at the Toronto Star gave the paper’s employees food for thought about breast cancer risk and left some with the determination to do their own part to help raise awareness

To mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation and the Toronto Star hosted a recent luncheon to engage employees in a discussion about breast cancer risk reduction. Among several dozen women who participated was Star advertising account executive Liz Marzari, who said that the event was both a memorable learning experience and “a shock” for her.

At the luncheon, Marzari and her co-participants learned significant facts and stats about breast cancer factors from guest speakers Jim Brophy and Margaret Keith, adjunct faculty at the University of Windsor. According to Brophy and Keith—occupational and environmental cancer researchers for three decades—at least 100 workplace chemicals are suspected of being possible causes of cancer. They presented findings from their own studies as well as research results from around the world showing that women in various occupations—including those in agriculture, automotive, textile and paper manufacturing, and healthcare—have an increased risk of developing breast cancer due to chemical exposure and, in some cases, more than triple the risk. Some of these toxic chemicals are not only in our work environments; they are also in our homes and can be found in various consumer products such as household cleaners and even food containers. One such chemical is bisphenol A—or BPA—a compound widely used to make plastic and the inner lining of tin cans, as well as microwaveable dishes and water bottles. Many of these chemicals accumulate in our body fat and remain in breast tissue for decades.

More stringent regulations are required to protect consumers. “Something has to change,” Keith warned. “The cancer rates are too high.” Today, one in nine women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime—a statistic that has jumped 25 per cent in the past 30 years.

“I didn’t realize what an impact environmental risk might play and how many years down the road it can be linked to breast cancer,” says Marzari, the mother of two young daughters. After the luncheon, she made the decision on the spot to stop buying bottled water. “Even though there are so many things we can’t control, that’s something I can do.” She also decided to find out more about how to reduce breast cancer risk.

“I came right back to my desk and went to the website,” she says, referring to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation’s Reduce Your Breast Cancer Risk site (reduceyour breastcancerrisk.com), which offers extensive information on ways to protect your health, from increasing your activity level and decreasing the amount of alcohol you consume to eating a balanced diet and using the precautionary principle to reduce your chemical exposure.

Marzari says she was surprised at her reaction to what she learned—“It really moved me, more than I thought it would,” she admits—and it has inspired her to help get the word out. She has arranged for information from the website to be distributed to her fellow union members for their upcoming 9th National Women’s Conference of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada, to be held December 4–6 in Ottawa.

The Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation encourages everyone to follow Marzari’s lead, whether it’s organizing an awareness-raising event at our workplace, community centre or at a school, or making breast cancer risk awareness part of the discussion at, say, a book club or exercise class, or simply talking to family and friends about it—with follow-ups by posting our stories, pictures and videos on the campaign’s Facebook page or on Twitter. “Women need to band together on this,” Brophy said at the luncheon event.

Learning about the risk factors for breast cancer is an important step in protecting our health, and passing on that knowledge is a way to reduce everyone’s risk. “That was certainly something I took away from the presentation,” Marzari recalls, “how important it is to spread the word and advocate for change.”

Spread the word. Join the campaign. Knowledge can be powerful. Organize your own event at your workplace, or arrange a get-together with the important women and men in your life. Here are some recommended topics for discussion.

Life lessons According to the World Cancer Research Fund one-third of the most common cancers Canadians face, including breast cancer, can be prevented with regular physical activity, a more balanced diet and a healthier body weight. Research has also indicated that by reducing our alcohol consumption, quitting smoking and avoiding second-hand smoke, we help to reduce our breast cancer risk, as well as the risks of other cancers and chronic diseases.

Take precautions The precautionary principle is an approach to preventing harm to human health and the environment from chemical use and exposure, when the scientific evidence is not conclusive. Discuss how you can practice this at home and work.

Pass it on Inspire others to take up the cause. However you decide to spread the word in taking steps to reduce breast cancer risk, share it with others. Post your stories, pictures and videos on the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation’s Campaign Facebook page or on Twitter. Post this week and you might be profiled on the site’s top-10 list at the end of the month.

To learn more or share your stories, visit the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation at reduceyourbreastcancerrisk.com. Follow us on Twitter @reduce_risk or visit us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/reduceyourrisk.