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Tag: Irish Cancer Society

  • Breast Cancer Awareness Month

    Breast Cancer Awareness Month

    Why is exercise so important for breast cancer survivors?

    October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and we want you and your loved ones to be breast aware. Breast cancer is the second most common cancer in women in Ireland, after skin cancer. It also has one of the highest rates of fatalities caused by cancer in women, second to lung cancer. Every year there are around 3,244 cases diagnosed in Ireland and 723 women die from the disease. For further break down, 1 in 9 Irish women will develop breast cancer and 1 in 1000 Irish males in their lifetimes. 

     

    Most of the women diagnosed with breast cancer are over 50 years old. However, one can be diagnosed at a younger age. In fact, 15% of women that are diagnosed are between 20 and 40 years old. Another 49% are diagnosed between 45-65 years old. The remaining 36% are diagnosed over the age of 65. It is important that you encourage the woman in your life to be aware of changes in their breasts and get mammograms as frequently as their doctors suggest. 

     

    The awareness of breast cancer and breast screenings in Ireland during recent years has increased the survival rate to 85% and decreased the mortality rate of breast cancer patients by 2%. These numbers are improvements from the past, but can be better. In combination with breast screenings and awareness, one can reduce the risk of developing breast cancer by diet, exercise, and control of alcohol consumption. Specifically, many studies have shown that an increase in exercising decreases one’s risk of developing breast cancer.  

     

    It is important that you and your loved ones take preventative action, but it is also important to support others and take care of yourself if you are diagnosed with breast cancer. Simple things, such as offering a humorous distraction or letting them know you are there for them, can help immensely.

     

    After women have finished treatment, it is essential that they are active in keeping the cancer away. The American Cancer Society recognises physical activity is vital to breast cancer survivors as increased activity can reduce cancer reoccurrence rates as well as increase survival rates. The American College of Sports Medicine researched the connection between breast cancer and exercise, and concluded that exercise is safe during and after all breast cancer treatments. However, one must take any needed precautions and keep the intensity low for practicing safety is necessary. The exercises you did prior to being diagnosed may not be the ones you should be doing post-treatment. The many benefits of exercise are improvements of physical functioning, quality of life, and cancer-related fatigue and depression. It also helps to strengthen muscles, lessens the risk bones will weaken, controls weight, and improves balance. Nutrition is also a huge component of feeling better after treatment. Proper eating habits have been shown to positively impact survivor’s health and improve their quality of life. 

     

    Here at Siel Bleu, we are aware of the benefits exercise can provide for survivors. This is why we developed the 14-week Empower! Programme. It was designed in partnership with the Irish Cancer Society and funded by Nutricia. It includes exercise and nutritional workshops to keep women fit after they’ve finished breast cancer treatment. The programme is being piloted in Dublin-South, Dublin-West, Kildare and Wicklow. We hope to have the results of the programme around January and look forward to sharing them with you!  

     

    ***Disclaimer: The information in this post is for reference only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical expertise or advice. If you have any concerns about your own or another’s health then please contact your doctor. 

     

    Sources:

    https://www.drinkaware.ie/latest/breast-cancer-awareness-month-2019-take-action-to-reduce-cancer-risk gclid=Cj0KCQjwl8XtBRDAARIsAKfwtxCs05mZkcyrDjtHamyg19MxGTk9wy6WWVC0oARmHVzgoryluDI8VSIaAknuEALw_wcB

    Facts and Figures

    https://www.cancer.org/latest-news/get-moving-to-help-reduce-your-risk-of-breast-cancer.html

    https://breastcancernow.org/information-support/facing-breast-cancer/living-beyond-breast-cancer/your-body/exercise-breast-cancer

    https://www.breastcancer.org/tips/exercise

  • Keeping up with Siel Bleu

    Keeping up with Siel Bleu

    The past week has been a time of joy and celebration for Siel Bleu Ireland! We are continuing to take steps forward in adding life to years with two important events we wanted to share with you.  

    On September 18th members of the Siel Bleu Ireland team gathered in the Morrison Hotel to celebrate our partnership with the Medtronic Foundation as part of the Healthy Communities Fund. The Medtronic Foundation’s three other partners, the Irish Cancer Society, the Irish Heart Foundation, and Marie Keating Foundation, were also represented alongside stakeholders from government, industry, and community. The blueprints of a new plan, called “Building Healthy Communities: Strategic Partnership from Concept to Delivery” were announced. This plan is a continuation of the ideals that comprised  €1 million Medtronic Healthy Communities Fund. The fund awarded grants for important projects to its four national charity partners, one being Siel Bleu Ireland.

    Siel Bleu Ireland was awarded multi annual funding through the Healthy Communities Fund to scales our Exercise, COPD & Me across the country. Through the fund we also expanded our world in the community to encompass Exercise for Shedders, with six Men’s Sheds and with the Irish Wheelchair Association in Sligo and Waterford. Over the course of the Fund Siel Bleu Ireland along with the other three national charities realised their shared learnings of implementing a partnership approach to combat non-communicable diseases in communities of all ages throughout Ireland. Through the final year of the fund, the four national partners came together to develop the “Building Healthy Communities – Strategic Partnership from Concept to Delivery” working document which can act as a guide to the establishment of a partnership approach to answering a need in the community.  

    Louise Smith, a member of the Exercise, COPD & Me class in Whitehall in Dublin shared her experience of the programme. The Whitehall class was established with funding from the Medtronic Healthy Communities Fund in 2015. Louise spoke of how the exercise class has kept her out of a hospital for nearly an entire year.  

    Non-communicable diseases are diseases that are not passed from person to person and are responsible for 91% of all deaths in Ireland. These diseases include cancers, cardiovascular diseases, and chronic respiratory disease. Tina Roche, Chief Executive, The Community Foundation for Ireland, addressed the audience and noted that “While Ireland has a strong tradition of charitable giving, strategic and structured giving on the part of trusts and foundations is less developed.” It is for this reason that the work of €1 million Medtronic Healthy Communities Fund is important for charitable organisations, such as Siel Bleu Ireland, and communities throughout Ireland.

     

    Social Enterprise Awards, Dublin City, Siel Bleu Ireland Social Enterprise Awards, Dublin City, Siel Bleu Ireland, Irish Cancer Society, Irish Heart Society, Marie Keating Foundation, active, 1 million Social Enterprise Awards, Dublin City, Siel Bleu Ireland

    Yesterday, September 25th, Siel Bleu was awarded a Dublin City Social Enterprise Award from Inner City Enterprise (ICE) and Dublin City Council with the support of the Local Enterprise Office (LEO). The Award bestows grants to a few social enterprises in Dublin City who are in a start-up or developmental phase. ICE has helped establish over 1000 non-profit and social enterprises in Ireland, therefore number of organizations applying for the grants is high. The goal of this award is to allow social enterprises to further develop and bring the benefits of the social enterprise to more communities. Siel Bleu is honored to have been awarded. 

    The fund will allow us to scale our “Move More, Stay Active” programme which was piloted in the Mansion House last year. With the funding from the Social Enterprise Awards we will be able to offer the programme to 200 older adults living in the Dublin City area. 

    The awards ceremony took place yesterday in the Wood Quay Venue of Dublin City Council Offices in Civic Quay. Dierdre Mortell of Social Innovation Fund Ireland addressed the audience as keynote speaker and Minister Ring and the Deputy Lord Mayor of Dublin City presented the awards to the six awardees. Our National Manager Thomas McCabe accepted the award on behalf of Siel Bleu Ireland.

    Siel Bleu is excited for what is to come from these two opportunities!