Breast Cander Awareness

Participants begin Malmstrom’s breast cancer awareness 5K run Oct. 10. The event brought Team Malmstrom Airmen and members of the community together in support of breast cancer awareness, survivors and the relatives of loved-ones who lost their battle with breast cancer. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Collin Schmidt)

Breast Cancer Awareness

Lt. Col. James Tanner, 341st Medical Operations Squadron chief of physical therapy, finishes first in Malmstrom’s breast cancer awareness 5K run. Tanner was diagnosed with liver failure in 2012 and finished chemotherapy in June. Despite all odds, he earned a perfect score on his last physical fitness assessment. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Collin Schmidt)

Breast Cancer Awareness

Col. Robert Stanley, 341st Missile Wing commander, runs to the finish line during Malmstroms’s breast cancer awareness 5K event Oct. 10. According to the American Cancer Society, one in eight women and one in 1,000 men in the United States will suffer from breast cancer in 2013. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Collin Schmidt)

Giving cancer the boot

Published Oct. 17, 2013
By Airman 1st Class Collin Schmidt
341st Missile Wing Public Affairs

MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. -- Malmstrom Airmen and members of the Great Falls community rallied together in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month during a 5K run at the Grizzly Bend on Oct. 10. The theme for this year's event was "Give Cancer the Boot."

More than 600 participants took part in the 5K to show support for those who are dealing with breast cancer, as well as the family members of loved ones who lost their battle with this disease.

"I was thrilled to see so many of Malmstrom's team members show up for the run," said Col. Marné Deranger, 341st Missile Wing vice commander. "It was a great cause and we had great weather, and we all needed to do something athletic. It's been a rough couple of months, and it was great to get out there in the sunshine for a few minutes and enjoy each other's company.

"The fact that we were wearing pink just made it that much more fun," she continued. "Breast cancer is such a life-changing diagnosis and events like these are a great way to celebrate life. It also reminds us all of the importance of prevention and advocacy."

According to the American Cancer Society, one in eight women and one in 1,000 men in the United States will develop invasive breast cancer during their lifetime. Approximately 40,000 women will die from breast cancer in 2013.

"Breast cancer deaths have declined since 1989 due to increased awareness," said Maj. Ingrid Ford, 341st Medical Group health care integrator. "Breast cancer awareness events like this and early detection screenings such as annual exams and mammograms along with improved treatment greatly reduce the risk of developing breast cancer."

There are more than 2.8 million breast cancer survivors in the United States today. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, growing evidence suggests that women who get regular physical activity have a 10 to 20 percent lower risk of developing cancer compared to women who get little exercise. Doing even a little physical activity beyond one's regular daily routine can have many health benefits.

Breast cancer is about 100 times less common among men than among women. While development of the disease in men is rare, in 2013 alone more than 2,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed and more than 400 men will die in the U.S. from the disease, according to the CDC.

"This disease affects so many people," Ford said. "This is a great cause to stand for and I am very excited that so many people attended. Next year, during our second annual breast cancer awareness event, we plan to expand our ideas and make this an even bigger success. Thank you very much to everyone who attended to show support for breast cancer awareness."