Clinton Mills clothmaker. [volume] ([Clinton, South Carolina]) 1984-198?, April 15, 1986, Image 7
About Your Health
Page?
Facts About Cancer
Women Need to Know
Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is one of the leading cancer
killers among women in this country with
38,400 deaths each year. The number of
new cases is approximately 119,000.
However, through early detection and
prompt treatment, about 87 percent of
breast cancer patients could be saved.
About one out of 11 women will develop
breast cancer at some time during their
lives. That's why a monthly breast self-
examination should be a lifelong habit from
teenage years on, even though this disease
occurs most often in women over 50.
If you're age 50 and over, you should have
a breast X ray (mammogram) every year; be
tween ages 35-39, have a baseline breast X
ray; from ages 40 to 49, you should have this
X ray every one to two years depending on
your physician’s judgment. It is also impor
tant to have a physician examine your
breasts every three years from ages 20 to 40,
and every year after 40. You could be at risk
for breast cancer if you have a personal or
family history of this cancer, have never had
children or had your first child after age 30.
At any time, if you find a lump, nipple
discharge, or other changes in your breasts,
see your physician without delay.
Lung Cancer
Lung cancer is the number one cancer
killer of American women with about
38,600 deaths each year. Yet nearly half of
these deaths could be prevented if women
did not smoke. Cigarette smoking is the
largest single, preventable cause of death
and disability in this country.
Smoking accounts for nearly 75% percent
of lung cancers among women in this coun
try, and for about 10 percent of all cancer in
women. Women who smoke one or more
packs of cigarettes a day have a risk of dying
from this cancer almost five times as great as
a nonsmoker's. Since the chest X ray as a
routine screening procedure, and other tests
do not detect lung cancer early enough, pre
vention is the best step to take.
Don’t smoke. No cigarette is “safe,"
though switching to low tar and nicotine
cigarettes may help if you can’t quit yet —
provided you don't smoke more of them.
Quitting completely lowers your risk, over
time, almost to that of nonsmokers as long
as no irreversible disease is already present.
Uterine Cancer
Uterine cancer is fourth in the number of
new cases (52,000) but deaths (under
10,000) have dropped sharply over the
years, mostly because of the Pap test, which ■
helps detect cancer of the uterine cervix
early. The five-year relative survival rate is
over 85 percent with early detection.
Every woman should have a Pap test at
least once every three years, after two initial
negative tests one year apart, from age 20 on
(earlier if sexually active). Also from 20
years on, women should have a pelvic exam
every three years, and yearly after age 40.
Endometrial cancer, in the lining of body
of the uterus, occurs mainly in women over
40. You could be at risk forthis cancer if you
are obese, take hormones, or have abnormal
bleeding, infertility or failure of ovulation. If
you have reached menopause and are at risk,
your physician should examine an endomet
rial tissue sample.
Any abnormal uterine bleeding should al
ways be reported promptly to your physician.
Colon and Rectum Cancer
Colorectal cancer is the third major cancer
in annual deaths (30,900) and second in
new cases (72,000). It occurs slightly more
often in women than men and mostly in
women over age 50.
Three out of four of these cancer patients
could be saved with early detection. Three
Your Health
Your health is your business ... and no
body can take care of your business but you.
You’ve worked long and hard to make a bet
ter life for yourself and your family. Don’t
throw it away because taking care of your
health is too much trouble.
Taking care of your body means that you
should have regular checkups. They should
include exams to be sure you don’t have
cancer. Cancer is a great threat to men of all
ages and the older you get the more chance
you have of getting it. Men in particular have
to worry about certain types of cancer. The
most common types of cancer that strike
men are cancer of the lungs, cancer of the
colon and rectum and cancer of the prostate
gland.
Cancer can be treated and cured ... but
only if it is found early enough ... and only a
doctor can do that. So if you haven’t had a
health checkup in the last year, you're play-
During the coming months, Clinton Mills
will make available many types of useful
health related data designed to increase ev
ery employee’s awareness of the importance
of “staying well."
Many South Carolina service organiza
tions have offered health related literature to
the company for employees to use. The
material provided will offer emolovees tips
on staying well as well as early warning sig-
effective early detection tests are: (1) the
digital rectal exam, which should be part of
your yearly health checkup after age 40; (2)
the stool blood test every year after age 50;
(3) the procto, after age 50, every three to
five years following two negative tests one
year apart.
Only your physician can assess your risk
level and whether you need to have any of
these tests earlier or more often. Risks in
clude personal or family history of colon and
rectum cancer, personal or family history of
polyps in the colon or rectum and ulcerative
colitis. Symptoms such as bleeding from the
rectum, blood in the stool, persistent
change in bowel habits, or cramping abdo-
ing a dangerous game. A game you can’t
really afford to lose.
Don’t gamble with your life. Follow these
few simple steps. They just may save your
life.
Have a health checkup regularly. Ask the
doctor to check you for those types of cancer
that strike men, especially cancer of the
rectum and prostate. The doctor, after ex
amining the chest area with a stethoscope,
may advise a chest X ray.
Know cancer's warning signals: (1)
Change in bowel or bladder habits. (2) A sore
that does not heal. (3) Unusual bleeding or
discharge. (4) Thickening or lump in the
breast or elsewhere. (5) Indigestion or diffi
culty in swallowing. (6) Obvious change in
wart or mole. (7) Nagging cough or hoarse
ness.
Now none of these signals mean that you
have cancer. You probably don’t. But if you
nals for many common illnesses and health
related problems.
In cooperation with Upper Savannah
River Health Districts Education Coordina
tor Sandra Sparks, Clinton’s employees will
benefit from Clothmaker articles, bulletin
boards, posters and pamphlets on subjects
such as safety belt usage and cancer con
trol, (April); diabetes, (May), nutrition,
(June); drinking and driving, (July); and
minal pain should be reported to your physi
cian without delay.
Skin Cancer
Most skin cancers are highly curable.
They are more common among women with
lightly pigmented skin. Melanoma, a serious
form of skin cancer, strikes about 11,000
women each year and causes about 2,300
deaths.
If you notice any unusual skin condition,
especia I ly a cha nge i n a mole or other growth
or spot, see your physician without delay.
Use sense in the sun. Avoid overexposure
by wearing protective clothing or sunscreen
preparations.
have a signal, it does mean that maybe
something is wrong and that you need to see
a doctor.
Remember that cigarette smoking is the
major cause of lung cancer and can cause
other diseases. Folks who don’t smoke are
healthier, feel better and better yet, live lon
ger. Even if you’ve been a heavy smoker for
years, chances are it's not too late to stop.
Another thing is that if you smoke, your
children are most likely to follow your ex
ample.
Remember! Serious conditions can’t be
cured with home remedies. There just aren't
any secret cures for cancer. Only a doctor
can treat and cure cancer. You can’t wish
away cancer, it won’t just disappear. If you
have any of the warning signals, then every
day you put off seeing a doctor, you're lower
ing your chances of being cured if you do
have cancer.
Presented
smokeless tobacco, (August).
Other scheduled subjects are hyperten
sion, (Sept.); drugs and alcohol, (Oct.);
emphysema, (Nov.); holiday safety, (Dec.);
exercise, (Jan.); and cholesterol, (Feb.).
While some of the subjects may apply to
some individuals more than others, the total
package of health subjects is designed for
the majority of employees.
If a subject doesn't apply to a particular
employee, this material along with others,
should be passed along to other family mem
bers or a friend.
“We’re trying to reach as many em
ployees, their dependents, family members,
and others as possible," stated Mack Par
sons who is coordinating the program.
“It would be very difficult to develop a
program to apply strictly to a specific group.
That's why we’re encouraging everyone to
read and understand the materials they re
ceived and then pass it along to others," he
added.
The plant nurses are available to counsel
employees on any particular health problem
for which there may be concern.
Bailey Plant Renovations.
(Continued from page 1)
ping.
“This project allows the Bailey Plant to
increase the number of different fabrics
being manufactured, having the versatility
of processing two separate blends,” noted
Vice President of Manufacturing J. R.
Swetenburg. “Our weaving flexibility and
our ability to produce a wider range of yarn
counts enables us to respond more rapidly to
the changes in marketing requirements,” he
added.
“We are very pleased with the interest and
enthusiasm the Bailey Plant employees have
shown during the modernization project. As
we move toward a continuous operating
schedule with the latest manufacturing
equipment, I’m confident the Bailey Plant
will be able to serve additional markets and
provide steady employment for the people of
Laurens County and of the surrounding area
who are, and will be Bailey employees.”
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