The White Falcon - 20.10.2004, Blaðsíða 4

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month
Submitted by Naval Hospital Keflavlk's Health Promotions Office
Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed among American
women, and it claims approximately 40,000 lives each year. However,
most women with breast cancer are now living much longer lives, thanks to
advances in early detection and treatment. Primary prevention still remains
somewhat elusive, though researchers have identified many risk factors
related to the disease.
Current research suggests that breast cancer is caused by a combination of
factors, many of which influence risk by only a small amount. Most estab-
lished risk factors are related to hormone levels, and researchers believe that
breast cancer is driven largely by estrogen, which affects the proliferation of
breast cells and is believed to be an important cancer promoter. Factors that
increase estrogen exposure (such as alcohol use, obesity after menopause,
and postmenopausal hormone use) increase breast cancer risk, while factors
that decrease estrogen levels (such as physical activity and breastfeeding)
tend to reduce breast cancer risk. In addition to estrogen, several other hor-
mones are also being studied, such as progesterone, prolactin, and insulin-
like growth factor (IGF).
Although lung, breast, and colorectal cancers have become increasingly
common among women, there are steps that can be taken to reduce the
burden of these diseases. On a population level, more emphasis needs to be
placed on raising women’s awareness of their cancer risk and facilitating
healthy behavior change. On an individual level, women can reduce their
risk of these cancers (and many other chronic diseases) by exercising regu-
larly, maintaining a healthy weight, avoiding tobacco use, limiting alcohol
use, and getting regular screening tests.
Source: The Newsletter of the Harvard Center for Cancer Prevention
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/cancer/publications/source/
For more information on screening tools for better health or questions
related to healthier lifestyles, please contact Health Promotions x3230.
5K Walk or Run
Date: October 30th
Time: 10:00 a.m.
Register By: October 25th
Contact: Health Promotions 3230
Child Care Rates Increase 1.5% For Navy Region Europe
By JOl Eileen Kelly Fors
Commander Navy Region Europe Public Affairs
Childcare fees in the European Theater will
increase by an average of $1.33 per week beginning
Nov. 1.
The increase of 1.5 percent reflects the regional
state of inflation and continues to keep Navy
Region Europe at the lower end of the band of
childcare prices Navy-wide. This and a few other
policy changes affect all families who use the Child
Development Center, School Age Care and Child
Development Homes programs for full or part-time
care.
“Every year DOD takes a look at inflation and all
of those kind of factors and gives us some param-
eters on how to adjust the fees. And in the last two
years the increase has been 1.5 percent,” says Larry
Warnken, Regional Program Manager for Morale,
Welfare, and Recreation.
“Since 1988, the Europe Theater has been the low-
est of all the regions in the Navy,” says Warnken.
“Our region has always been in the lowest band — at
the very bottom. You couldn’t charge any less. And
that’s just what we’ve done this time as well.”
For families earning $34-44,000 per year, child-
care fees will increase from $67 to $68 per week.
The Navy Personnel Command (NPC) also
changed various childcare administrative policies.
In the European Region, all families currently
receive a 20 percent discount for any additional
children in daycare. As of Nov. 1, the 20 percent
discount will only be applied to the two lowest
income categories; and a 10 percent discount will
be applied for the third lowest category. Families
in the three upper categories, incomes ranging from
$44,001 to more than $70,000 will not receive
multi-child discounts.
The vacation policy also has updates that affect
the theater. In accordance with the new NPC poli-
cies the vacation time has been cut from 4 weeks
to 2 weeks.
“What we had to do, according to the new policy,
is reduce from four weeks to two weeks on the
vacation freebie. And that is only if you choose to
hold your spot,” says Warnken. “You can take your
four-week vacation. No one is stopping anyone
from doing that, but the discount enables you to
keep your spot and not pay for up to two weeks.”
The hourly drop-in fee will increase from $2.75 to
$3 throughout the Navy.
According to Warnken, Navy Region Europe has
maintain its child care fees below the Navy average
in recognition of it forward deployed status and
higher costs of living overseas.
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The White Falcon
October 20, 2004