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Breast Cancer Awareness Month
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"It was easier to talk with my doctor after reading this booklet. And I was glad to learn that most breast changes are not cancer."
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| About Us | |
A not-for-profit ministry of
Church of the Brethren Benefit Trust Inc.
Church of the Brethren Insurance Services provides ancillary coverage for ministers and other employees of congregations, districts, and camps.
Medical and ancillary plans are available to Brethren-affiliated employer groups.
Long-Term Care Insurance is available for all members of the Church of the Brethren, their family and friends, and employees of Church of the Brethren-affiliated agencies, organizations, colleges, and retirement communities.
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Contact Us
1505 Dundee Ave., Elgin, IL 60120
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Greetings!
October is the first full month of autumn, and this new season may bring an end to some of your favorite summertime outdoor activities, like walking or bicycling. Later this month, Brethren Walk @ Lunch Day will hold its final lunchtime walking event for the year. Click here to learn more about this monthly workplace fitness program.
With the prominence of pumpkins this time of year, you may think that orange is October's signature color. But really, it's pink --- that's the color commonly associated with National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is honored nationwide during October. This month is a time to increase awareness and access to health services related to this disease. Insurance Update is featuring two resources to help women perform self-exams --- a short article below and a comprehensive overview for this month's health guide.
Don't forget that next month is open enrollment through Brethren Insurance Services. Your human resources team will help you through the process of choosing which services you may be eligible for in 2013. We've identified the insurance products Brethren Insurance Services is offering during open enrollment below.
Have a safe and satisfying fall!
Scott, Tammy, and Connie
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Monthly Brethren Walk @ Lunch Day pairs fitness and fun
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 Making time for consistent physical activity throughout the week is crucial to maintaining a healthy body and mind. But between work life and home life, who has time to devote to exercise?
Employees at Church of the Brethren General Offices did --- on their lunch breaks.
After the success of the annual Blue Cross Blue Shield-sponsored event National Walk @ Lunch Day in April, the human resources representatives from Brethren Benefit Trust (the parent organization of Brethren Insurance Services) and Church of the Brethren Inc. teamed up with Brethren Insurance Services staff to create Brethren Walk @ Lunch Day --- a monthly opportunity to gather with colleagues and walk around the office building or in the Elgin, Ill., area.
And walk they did --- each month, participating employees would soak up the sun (and the record-setting heat) while conversing and walking at a brisk pace.
"It was good for me overall --- walking at lunch gave me a break from my work and helped keep me active," said Ovi Catanescu, accounting manager for Brethren Benefit Trust. "If you walk regularly, it will become a habit."
Brethren Walk @ Lunch Day will end for the season on Oct. 18, and Brethren Insurance Services will offer some autumnal snacks to participants after the walk.
How can you start your own Walk @ Lunch Day event at your workplace? Talk to your human resources supervisor about planning a monthly or annual event at your workplace.
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Take charge of breast health
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Breast exams are extremely useful in detecting cancer early. Clinical exams, breast self-exams, and mammograms should be completed regularly so that it's possible to determine if there are changes in breast tissue, indicating breast cancer or other potentially harmful conditions.
Clinical exams and mammograms
The American Cancer Society recommends clinical breast exams every three years for women between 20 and 40, and annually for women 40 and older. Starting at age 40, healthy women should have yearly mammograms.
Performing self-exams
In between clinical exams and mammograms, women should complete BSEs to become familiar with the look and feel of their breasts when healthy, so that changes can be detected as early as possible.
The American Cancer Society recommends the following steps for conducting a BSE ---
- Lie down and place one arm behind your head.
- Use the pads of your middle three fingers on the opposite hand to check your breast tissue in overlapping, dime-sized circular motions.
- Use an up-and-down pattern starting at your underarm and moving all the way to the middle of your breastbone to feel for changes.
- Standing with your hands on your hips, look in a mirror for changes in size, shape, contour, or coloring of your breasts.
Breast tissue changes
Contact your doctor if you notice any of the following changes to your breast or nipple tissue while doing a BSE ---
- Lumps
- Dimpling, red, or scaly skin
- Nipple discharge or pain
It is normal for breast tissue to change during menstrual cycles, pregnancy, menopause, or while taking birth control pills or other hormone therapy. However, if you notice changes at other times in your life, it is strongly suggested that you visit a doctor immediately.
More in-depth information on how to perform a BSE is available at ww5.komen.org. This website also provides a Breast Self-Awareness Interactive Tool that you can view. Or, check out this diagram on www.breastcancer.org, which illustrates how to perform a thorough self-exam.Did you know ...? Breast cancer is the seventh leading cause of death for women in the U.S.
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What's being offered during
2013 open enrollment through Brethren Insurance Services?
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Medical: Open enrollment will take place in November for currently enrolled Brethren Medical Plan participants. Specific details will be provided by your employer's human resources representative just prior to open enrollment.
Dental: Choose from one of three dental plan options for you or your family. These plans can cover checkups and other preventive services, as well as fillings, oral surgery, and orthodontia. This coverage is offered in partnership with Delta Dental of Illinois.
Vision: Three plan options are available to you and your family through EyeMed Vision Care. These plans offer various levels of coverage for eye exams, lenses, and frames.
Supplemental Life: This insurance is available to members who already have Life insurance coverage through Brethren Insurance Services. This age-rated product is available for up to $10,000 of additional insurance for those who have not yet reached their maximum Life insurance benefit amount.
Short-Term Disability: This product covers most of the gap between the onset of disability and the start of Long-Term Disability coverage. This plan will pay up to 60 percent of your salary - up to $1,250 per week. (Note: Any sickness or injury for which you received medical treatment, consultation, care, or services - including diagnostic procedures - or took prescribed drugs or medicines to treat during the three months immediately prior to your effective date of insurance is not covered for the first 12 months the policy is in effect.)
For eligibility requirements specific to your employer, please contact your employer's human resources representative. For general information, visit brethrenbenefittrust.org/insurance.
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