Arkansas Yarn Co. to host Breast Cancer Self-help Workshop

Arkansas Yarn Company at 202 S. Main St. will host a Breast Cancer SelfHelp Workshop on Saturday, March 23, from 3:00 – 5:00 p.m.

Lorri Helberg, owner of AYC, will provide information on the Knitted Knockers nonprofit service, which provides light-weight knitted prosthesis to women who have had a mastectomy. She also will present information on skincare products that are paraben-free and non-gmo as a healthier option for women’s skincare.

Knitted Knockers are special handmade breast prostheses for women who have had breast cancer and undergone mastectomy or lumpectomy.

Traditional breast prosthetics can be hot, heavy and sticky. They typically require special bras or camisoles with pockets and can’t be worn for weeks after surgery. Knitted Knockers are soft, comfortable, beautiful and when placed in a regular bra they take the shape and feel of a real breast. They are adjustable, washable and can even be worn while swimming. Compassionate volunteer knitters provide these FREE to those requesting them.

Maryjane Sy, DPT and Cindy Veazey, OTD will be at the workshop representing Healing Hands Physical Therapy and Functional Rehab Clinic to discuss therapy options to address common side effects after breast cancer treatment including neuropathy, lymphedema, chronic pain, and reduced movement of the arms and shoulders.

Breast cancer treatment, which varies based on the type and stage of cancer, is designed to target and eliminate cancer cells. While treatment of breast cancer is required and helpful in most cases, each type of treatment can cause both temporary and long-term side effects.

If you or a loved one is undergoing treatment for breast cancer, it helps to be prepared for potential side effects so that they can be better understood, mitigated, and managed.

The most common treatment options for breast cancer today are chemotherapy radiation, hormone therapy, targeted therapy, and surgery. Most treatment plans include a combination of these options. Depending on the specific treatment and your individual health history, side effects may vary.

You should always talk with your doctor about your risk factors for side effects, any side effects you experience, and options for mitigating, or relieving, those side effects.

Remember that everyone experiences a cancer diagnosis, treatment, and treatment side effects differently—what may greatly affect one patient may not affect another. It is important to keep in constant contact with your care team to discuss any treatment side effects that may come up for you.

Andrea Emerson, owner of Blossom Garden Boutique, is a certified fitter for prosthetic bras and will be at the Self-care Workshop to talk about options for clothing for women after mastectomy and custom fitting services.

This workshop is an initiative to uncover needs and provide current options to help individuals who face challenges of breast cancer treatment and recovery.

As we’re sure most of you know, Breast cancer is a disease in which cells in the breast grow out of control.

There are different kinds of breast cancer. The kind of breast cancer depends on which cells in the breast turn into cancer.

The most common kinds of breast cancer are—

• Invasive ductal carcinoma. The cancer cells begin in the ducts and then grow outside the ducts into other parts of the breast tissue. Invasive cancer cells can also spread, or metastasize, to other parts of the body.

• Invasive lobular carcinoma. Cancer cells begin in the lobules and then spread from the lobules to the breast tissues that are close by. These invasive cancer cells can also spread to other parts of the body.

There are several other less common kinds of breast cancer, such as Paget’s disease, medullary, mucinous, and inflammatory breast cancer.

Breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women in the United States (some kinds of skin cancer are the most common). Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States, exceeded only by heart disease. One of every five deaths in the United States is due to cancer.

In 2020, the latest year for which incidence data are available, in the United States, 239,612 new cases of Female Breast cancer were reported among women, and 42,273 women died of this cancer. For every 100,000 women, 119 new Female Breast cancer cases were reported and 19 women died of this cancer. Black women die from breast cancer at a higher rate than White women.

Self-care is crucial for breast cancer patients. For more information about the Breast Cancer Self-help Workshop, call Arkansas Yarn Co. at 501-332-4292, or reach out to Healing Hands Physical Therapy & Rehab Clinic by calling 501-701-8617.