Statistics Don't Lie

Last week I attended a professional briefing and was struck by a fact included in the speaker’s presentation. By 2013, cancer is expected to surpass heart disease as the leading cause of death in the United States. I don’t know why I was startled. The American Cancer Society reported 1.5 million new cases of cancer in the United States in 2010. Most weeks I hear about cancer affecting someone I know; just this month, several people have asked me about the pancreatic center at Johns Hopkins.

It’s no surprise then, that so many women responding to the recent Woman’s Journey survey of health interests identified Strategies to Prevent Cancer as their top choice. So, in response to the survey outcomes, the annual Johns Hopkins women’s health conference November 12, 2011 will include four sessions related to cancer:

• Advanced in Diagnosing Breast Cancer
• Ten Ways to Reduce Your Risk of Cancer
• What You Eat Can Save Your Life
• Changing the Outcomes for Pancreatic Cancer

Johns Hopkins faculty speakers also will focus on dozens of other topics, but from my perspective, I will be sure I learn about cancer prevention. For myself and my family I want to do everything possible to reduce the likelihood of having cancer as well as know about advances in diagnoses and treatments. Perhaps after hearing about the projected rate of cancer, you will too.

Be Well,
Leslie

Conflict Resolution

Many years ago I received brief training on conflict resolution. It was insightful and gave me skills I continue to use. It hasn't however, helped me resolve some important questions.

Consider the facts. This summer we read about cardiovascular risks from a diabetes drug now more tightly controlled in the United States. Another study questioned new risks associated with calcium supplement that many women use to increase bone density and ward off osteoporosis. Increasingly we read evidence that contradicts prior medical advice.

Sometimes it's hard to know how to stay healthy.

Fortunately, the annual Johns Hopkins Medicine women's health conference,A Woman's Journey, will address many of these and other significant health issues at the November 20 conference. Vitamin specialist Dr. Benjamin Caballero, cardiologist Dr. Wendy Post and endocrinologists Drs. Suzanne Jan de Beur and Deborah Sellmeyer will provide insights into vitamin supplements, cardiovascular, and bone mineral health.

I hope you will join us at this exceptional forum on women's health. It will be an extraordinary opportunity to resolve some conflict between health information. I know my friends and I will be looking for some answers.

Stay well,
Leslie

Time

Someone asked me if anything has changed since Mollye Block, Harriet Legum and I began the annual Johns Hopkins Medicine women's health conference in 1995. The answer is simple: a lot.

Each year we ask thousands of women about health topics and issues that are important to them. In the 15 years since we began the day-long conference, we have seen a surge in new topics. Many of us share these concerns. In the mid-90's women were focused on the benefits and risks of hormone replacement therapy. As new research has helped to answer those questions, women increasingly have been keen to better understand heart disease--the number 1 cause of death among women. Today we are all focused on staying well; that can mean eating well, exercising, and learning more about antioxidants, vitamins and supplements.

What hasn't changed is the compelling need to learn about medical advances. I hope you will join us at this year's conference, Saturday, November 14. Johns Hopkins physicians will teach 32 classes about issues that are important to you. If you can't attend this year, be sure to check our web site and sign up for the monthly newsletter about women's health. It is a terrific way to learn about new discoveries and see how women's health has changed since 1995.

Leslie