Andrea Ivory | |
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Alma mater | Barry University |
Occupation | Educator |
Andrea Ivory is an educator and an award-winning promoter of breast cancer awareness and heart health for women.
Ivory was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004. After receiving treatment and recovering fully, she wanted to help women like herself. [1] [2] The Women's Breast and Heart Initiative (WBHI) was founded by Ivory in 2005 with the goal of encouraging early detection and treatment for breast cancer and heart disease, especially among socioeconomically disadvantaged American women. [3]
During the first WBHI campaign, launched in 2006, representatives did door-to-door campaigning at 70,000 homes in South Florida. WBHI has provides referrals for women living in other neighborhoods. Over 500 at-risk women receive services through WBHI each year. [4]
In 2013, the Women's Breast and Heart Initiative started to tackle issues of heart disease as well as breast cancer. [3] WBHI serves door-to-door awareness and education, nutrition classes and work-out sessions, and breast cancer screening and care coordination for females. [1] [5]
WBHI collaborates with the Jackson Health System in Miami-Dade County for mammograms, cholesterol tests, and blood pressure screenings. [4]
In 2013, Ivory graduated as a notable alumna from Barry University's School of Professional and Career Education. [2] In addition to founding WBHI, Ivory has been a delegate in the Florida Division of the American Cancer Society's 2nd Summit on Breast Cancer and the National Breast Cancer Coalition's Advocacy Conferences and Lobby Days located in Washington, DC. [2]
Ivory has been honored for the name of a Top 10 CNN Hero and the recipient of a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Community Health Leader Award. [2]
Breast cancer is a cancer that develops from breast tissue. Signs of breast cancer may include a lump in the breast, a change in breast shape, dimpling of the skin, milk rejection, fluid coming from the nipple, a newly inverted nipple, or a red or scaly patch of skin. In those with distant spread of the disease, there may be bone pain, swollen lymph nodes, shortness of breath, or yellow skin.
Mammography is the process of using low-energy X-rays to examine the human breast for diagnosis and screening. The goal of mammography is the early detection of breast cancer, typically through detection of characteristic masses or microcalcifications.
The Women's Health Initiative (WHI) was a series of clinical studies initiated by the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 1991, to address major health issues causing morbidity and mortality in postmenopausal women. It consisted of three clinical trials (CT) and an observational study (OS). In particular, randomized controlled trials were designed and funded that addressed cardiovascular disease, cancer, and osteoporosis.
Susan G. Komen is a breast cancer organization in the United States.
Breast Cancer Action (BCAction) is a U.S.-based grassroots education and activist organization driven by and supporting people living with breast cancer. It was founded in 1990 by Elenore Pred, Susan Claymon, and Linda Reyes. Based in San Francisco, BCAction is known for understanding breast cancer not as an individual crisis, but a public health emergency, and for their commitment to social justice. The organization's mission is to achieve health justice for all women at risk of and living with breast cancer. BCAction is known for its Think Before You Pink campaign, launched in 2002, which encourages consumers to ask critical questions before buying pink ribbon products and holds corporations accountable for pinkwashing.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month (BCAM), also referred to in the United States as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month (NBCAM), is an annual international health campaign organized by major breast cancer charities every October to increase awareness of the disease and raise funds for research into its cause, prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and cure.
The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network is a nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate of the American Cancer Society. It was founded in September 2001 to directly lobby the goals of the American Cancer Society, which is subject to restrictions on advocacy activities because of its tax classification. ACS CAN works to make cancer a national priority. Specifically, it advocates for better access to care, cancer prevention and early detection programs, cancer research funding, regulation of tobacco by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, better quality of life for cancer patients, and attempts to raise awareness of and reduce cancer disparities. Members include cancer survivors, caregivers, patients, volunteers, and students, including Colleges Against Cancer.
The "war on cancer" is the effort to find a cure for cancer by increased research to improve the understanding of cancer biology and the development of more effective cancer treatments, such as targeted drug therapies. The aim of such efforts is to eradicate cancer as a major cause of death. The signing of the National Cancer Act of 1971 by United States president Richard Nixon is generally viewed as the beginning of this effort, though it was not described as a "war" in the legislation itself.
Breakthrough Breast Cancer was a United Kingdom charity whose mission was to "save lives through improving early diagnosis, developing new treatments and preventing all types of breast cancer". In 2015, Breakthrough Breast Cancer merged with another UK charity, Breast Cancer Campaign, to form the UK's largest breast cancer research charity - Breast Cancer Now. In 2019, Breast Cancer Care merged with Breast Cancer Now and the two organizations together became known as Breast Cancer Now.
ICanServe Foundation, Inc., formerly Information on Breast Cancer and Other Services, is a non-stock, non-profit organization that advocates early breast cancer detection through breast self-examination. Based in Manila, Philippines, and co-founded in 1999 by journalist Kara Magsanoc-Alikpala, a breast cancer survivor, the advocacy group empowers women with breast cancer and women cancer-related information so they can have a voice in their own health care. Its mission is to arm women with breast care health and breast cancer information so they can make informed decisions about their health. It also provides access to special services that will help the breast cancer survivor recover and heal more effectively.
SHARE is a "highly regarded New York City peer support" organization of women affected by breast or ovarian cancer. SHARE is a professionally managed volunteer organization. Trained volunteers and staff who are breast or ovarian cancer survivors operate telephone hotlines in English, Spanish and ten other languages, lead support groups, and offer an array of educational services in 18 sites and in every borough of New York City. SHARE does not charge for any of its services, and has been praised for "their extensive outreach programs to underserved communities in New York City." The organization cooperates with several major hospitals in the New York City area.
Breast cancer awareness is an effort to raise awareness and reduce the stigma of breast cancer through education about screening, symptoms, and treatment. Supporters hope that greater knowledge will lead to earlier detection of breast cancer, which is associated with higher long-term survival rates, and that money raised for breast cancer will produce a reliable, permanent cure.
A well-woman examination is an exam offered to women to review elements of their reproductive health. The exam includes a breast examination, a pelvic examination and a Pap smear but may include other procedures. Hospitals employ strict policies relating to the provision of consent by the patient, the availability of chaperones at the examination, and the absence of other parties.
Breast cancer diagnosis and treatment is influenced by different cultural backgrounds. Factors include differences in beliefs, attitudes, and treatment options that impact diverse populations throughout the world.
The Pinkathon, India's biggest women's run, is an initiative of the United Sisters Foundation and organised by Maximus Mice and Media Solutions Pvt Ltd. It was created with the specific purpose of getting more and more women to adopt a fitter lifestyle and to highlight the need for increased awareness about Breast cancer and other health issues that put women's lives at risk. State Bank of India took up the title sponsorship of the Pinkathon in 2014. The founders of Pinkathon are Milind Soman and Reema Sanghavi.
Project Pink Blue, registered as Health & Psychological Trust Centre is a cancer nonprofit engaged in raising cancer awareness, patient navigation, advocacy and free breast and cervical cancer screening for women living in poverty. The organization launched Nigeria's first patient navigation in 2015 and a toll- free telephone centre 08000CANCER in 2016 Project PINK BLUE won the SPARC Metastatic Breast Cancer challenge grant by Union for International Cancer Control and Pfizer Oncology in Lisbon, Portugal.
Vassar Brothers Medical Center (VBMC) (formerly Vassar Brothers Hospital) is a 350-bed not-for-profit hospital overlooking the Hudson River in Poughkeepsie, New York. It is part of the Nuvance Health healthcare network and is the major medical center in Dutchess County, New York.
Princess Dina Mired is a Jordanian humanitarian and health activist. She is a leading global advocate for cancer control and non-communicable diseases (NCDs). She was the President of the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) from 2018 to 2020 and was the first Arab Muslim elected to lead in such a prestigious global post. Princess Dina is the former Director-General of the King Hussein Cancer Foundation. Princess Dina Mired was also recognized as one of the 100 Influential Women in Oncology by OncoDaily.
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