First lady didn't donate to breast cancer fund; Gov. Beshear announces collaboration to fight many cancers

Though First Lady Jane Beshear made headlines Monday when it was discovered neither she nor Gov. Steve Beshear had checked off a donation box to support breast cancer research on their state income tax returns — something the first lady has encouraged taxpayers to do — the governor announced Tuesday the formation of a foundation exclusively committed to reducing the rates of several types of cancer.

Gov. Beshear, who was treated for prostate cancer in 1994, joined members of the newly-formed Kentucky Cancer Foundation to announce their plans

to reduce lung, colon, breast and cervical cancer rates. To do so, foundation members will raise private funds and pursue grants to pay for services like mammograms, pap smears, smoking cessation programs and colon cancer screenings.

The public-private collaboration would focus first on screening 4,000 uninsured Kentuckians for colon cancer. Beshear has put $1 million for the screenings in his current budget proposal.

"Our most recent information shows more than 24,000 new cases of cancer in Kentucky each year and of those, more than 9,500 Kentuckians die from these cancers," Beshear said. "This is a real problem in our state that is affecting the lives of every family. As a cancer survivor, I know firsthand that screenings and an early diagnosis will help save our citizens from this horrible disease." (Read more)

As for the tax gaff, the Lexington Herald-Leader's Jack Brammer reports the 2010 returns show the Beshears did opt to check the box to donate at least $2 of their taxes to the Kentucky Democratic Party.

Diane L. Brumback, a Northern Kentucky breast-cancer survivor and Democrat who participated in a news conference with Beshear in January to promote the state-run Breast Cancer Research and Education Trust Fund, said Monday the first lady should stop promoting the cause "if she is not going to do as she says."

A Beshear spokeswoman underscored that the governor and first lady are very charitable. "On their 2010 tax return, you'll see they donated nearly $19,000 of their gross income — that's more than 11 percent of their before-tax income," said spokeswoman Kerri Richardson. "Not only do they donate money to many worthy causes, including those that support breast-cancer research, but they give their time and energy to promoting those charities and non-profit organizations." (Read more)

New technology at UK allows for more comprehensive breast imagery, especially for women with much dense or fatty tissue

Technology that will enable radiologists to see individual breast structures without overlapping tissues obstructing their view will begin being used at the breast care center at the University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center. It will be the only center in the state to use the 3-D technology known as tomosynthesis.

"In addition to providing the traditional top and side images of the breasts taken during a regular mammogram, tomosynthesis also allows the technician to take multiple X-ray pictures of each breast from many angles," a UK press release said. "A computer than combines all this information into one 3-D image."

The technology is expected to be especially useful for women who have dense or fatty breast tissue. More than 50 percent of women under the age of 50 have dense tissue and more than 30 percent of women over 50 have dense tissue. (Read more)

UK expert available for interviews today on National Mammography Day

A University of Kentucky expert is available for interviews this afternoon to discuss the importance of mammograms. The opportunity is in honor of National Mammography Day, which is today.

Dr. Margaret Szabunio, associate medical director for the UK Markey Cancer Center's Comprehensive Breast Care Center and division chief of women's radiology for UK HealthCare, is available for interviews from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2:45 to 4:30 p.m.

National Mammography Day is part of national Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The purpose of the day is to encourage women to get or make an appointment for a mammogram, which can sometimes detect a tumor up to three years before it can be felt.

A mammogram is an X-ray of the breast tissue. For every 1,000 women screened, about 80 will be called back for more evaluation. Of those, 15 will be recommended for a biopsy, and about one third of those women will be diagnosed with breast cancer.

To set up an interview, contact Allison Perry at 859-323-2399 or allisonperry@uky.edu or Teri Timmons at 859-323-2406 or teri.timmons@uky.edu. (Read more)

Public health champion bravely fights cancer, inspires many

Dr. Rice Leach, who has championed public health in Kentucky for decades, is inspiring many by the upbeat way he is battling cancer. "He has talked about it at Lexington-Fayette County Board of Health meetings and at Rotary Club meetings. His hat of choice, a gift his son John bought at Cracker Barrel, reads 'I'm having a no hair day,'" the Lexington Herald-Leader's Mary Meehan reports.

Leach was Kentucky's commissioner for public health from 1992 to 2004. He is now commissioner of Fayette County's health department, which has undergone a tumultuous transition after the very public replacement of Dr. Melinda Rowe. "I've really admired his dedication to the job," Geoff Reed, a senior adviser to Mayor Jim Gray, told Meehan. "He's just that kind of person who shows real passion in everything he does."

Leach, 71, has lymphoma, a cancer of the lymph nodes for which he is being treated with several rounds of chemotherapy and radiation. Meehan reports how Leach drew inspiration from the example set by his daughter, Mary Leach Whitcomb, who bravely fought breast cancer until her death in 2007. "If that 37-year-old can handle that big mess, you better believe I can handle this," he said. Meehan's piece provides a good example of how to write sensitively and informatively about a difficult subject. (Read more)