TurningPoint Breast Cancer Rehabilitation
Newsletter
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 July 2016  Top
Care. Compassion. Clinical Excellence.
In This Issue


I confess.  I'm passionate about gardening in Georgia.  You get results!  Gardening success is just easier here. I grew up in Texas, where there is just a thin spattering of top soil over deep layers of hard unwelcoming rock.  And proper tools really help!  I now have the best hand pruner ever and a wonderful weeder. 
 
Of course, much in life is enhanced when the right conditions exist for flourishing.  TurningPoint offers a proven combination of services and specially trained staff.  This provides the optimum environment and tools to help our patients through the difficulties of the breast cancer experience and return to a full life.  While breast cancer treatment can be a rocky road, patients at TurningPoint find an oasis where the rich soil of care, compassion and clinical excellence is watered in with expertise, experience and encouragement.  At TurningPoint a patient can learn how to take care of her health and move beyond the side effects of cancer treatment.  I wish I had found TurningPoint earlier in my experience with breast cancer.  Our education events, staff expertise and exercise offerings continue to provide me with important information on survivorship topics that benefit my health today.
 
As you read this month's newsletter you'll see evidence of the fertile ground at TurningPoint and how we can help a patient get back to what she is passionate about.
Karen
Karen Burpo
Community Outreach and Development Manager
PATIENT PERSPECTIVE
Cara Inman
Cara with her husband Scott
  
When I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I was scared and in shock.  I was so lucky to be surrounded with a dream team of doctors - breast surgeon, plastic surgeon, and oncologist - who were fabulous.  My role with them was to be the most compliant patient possible while they took care of business.
 
Physical therapy was my opportunity to take an active role in my recovery.  I knew physical therapy would be critical to putting my world back together again.  My doctors told me about TurningPoint and I booked my first appointment from my hospital room.  It's hard to express how important this partnership has been.
 
EVIDENCE UPDATE
TurningPoint Study Hot Off the Press!

This month's evidence update features a study published this week by TurningPoint and our research partners at The Avon Breast Center at Grady Hospital and Emory University.

The study examined the benefit of early identification and treatment of the physical side effects of breast cancer treatment, such as pain, limitation in motion and function and lymphedema (chronic arm swelling). Participants were 120 patients being treated for breast cancer at the Avon Breast Center at Grady Hospital. Grady is a safety net hospital in downtown Atlanta. Study participants were primarily underserved and minority women who would not typically be able to access this type of care.

Pain, range of motion, arm volume and function were evaluated by a physical therapist at designated intervals. These assessment intervals were: pre-op, early post-op (2-4 weeks), 6 weeks and 3, 6, 9 and 12 months after surgery. All patients received range of motion exercise and education. Patients with identified impairments such as significantly limited range of motion, axillary cording or lymphedema received more intense individualized rehabilitation. One third (36) of the patients required this more intense intervention. Sixteen patients developed lymphedema during the first post-operative year. In 12 patients, lymphedema was identified and treated early and managed at low levels (<10% greater than baseline measure). In just four patients, lymphedema progressed to more severe levels, defined in the study as 11% greater than baseline.

Of interest is that participants who needed more intense rehab intervention had significantly lower arm function and more pain in the early post-operative phase as well as more nodes removed and higher stage of breast cancer. This finding may help us to identify early which patients will require more intense rehabilitation and plan their care accordingly.

Our research team concluded that health care providers should have heightened awareness for rehabilitation intervention and that early identification and management of lymphedema, range of motion and functional issues appear to benefit breast cancer patients.

The work exemplifies TurningPoint's commitment to evidence-based practice and reducing barriers to breast cancer rehabilitation and exercise.
 
Lai L, Binkley J, Jones V, Kirkpatrick S, Furbish C, Stratford P, Thompson W, Sidhu A, Farley C, Okoli J, Beech D and Gabram S. Implementing the Prospective Surveillance Model (PSM) of Rehabilitation for Breast Cancer Patients with 1-Year Postoperative Follow-up, a Prospective Observational Study. Ann Surg Oncol. 2016 Jun 22. [Epub ahead of print]
PATIENT EDUCATION EVENT
Grilling 101:  Summer Sizzles
Monday, July 18, 2016
10:00 - 11:00 am
Join us as Lisa discusses safe grilling of meats and vegetables, while Chef Wendy reviews some important knife skills and shares some delicious marinade and light summertime salad dressing recipes.
 
Presented by: 
Lisa Eisele, RD, LD
TurningPoint Dietitian
&
Wendy Gay, Graduate of Culinary Institute of America
Culinary Instructor, Art Institute of Atlanta

This program is open to TurningPoint patients, their families and  their friends.

TurningPoint's monthly educational programs are offered free of charge through the support of our community partners and donors.  
RSVP Required by
Thursday, July 14, 2016
Email RSVP or call 770-360-9271
Class size is limited.
Event Location:
TurningPoint Clinic
8010 Roswell Road, Suite 120
Atlanta, GA  30350
QUESTIONING NUTRITION 
July Nutrition Q&A
by Lisa Eisele RD, LD, TurningPoint Dietitian

Q:  
I'm trying to be good and stay hydrated this summer. Out of convenience, I've been grabbing a water bottle out of the fridge on my way out the door and refilling it all day.  I know that I should be avoiding BPA, but can you tell me which recycling codes on the bottom of my bottles I need to avoid?
 
A:  Smart Plastics!
  
BPA stands for Bisphenol A, an industrial chemical used to make polycarbonate plastic resins, epoxy resins, and other products.  It is an organic compound that possibly acts similarly to estrogen when ingested into the body. A growing number of health experts and consumers are becoming concerned about the adverse health effects that can be caused from high-dose or long-term exposure to BPA.
QUILTING GROUP 
Quilting Group Reminder:
Next meeting of the TurningPoint Quilting Group is
Saturday, July 16 from 9:00 am to Noon at TurningPoint's clinic.  
All are welcome, no experience needed.  
The group meets on the 3rd Saturday of every month.

Contact Amy Glass for more information.
MONTHLY SUPPORT GROUP 
Coffee & Conversation
Monday* July 25, 2016
10:00 am - 12:00 noon
 
Looking to live well with advanced breast cancer?  Join us for a social and supportive meeting.  

 
Open to all women in the community with advanced or metastatic breast cancer.

Facilitated by:
Karen Whitehead, MS, LMSW
TurningPoint Counselor
*Please note:  Coffee & Conversation is changing to Mondays, beginning this month.*
RSVP required. Call TurningPoint 770-360-9271 or email your RSVP.
 
Contact TurningPoint Counselor Karen Whitehead  with questions or for more information.
 
This group is complimentary and supported by our community partners and donors.
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 WEEKLY EXERCISE CLASSES AT TurningPoint 
Yoga Class
Monday Mornings 9:00 am - 10:00 am
Mat Pilates Class
Wednesday Mornings 8:00 am - 9:00 am
 
Mat Pilates
This class is appropriate for women who have started basic core strengthening and have good range of motion in their extremities.
This class is appropriate for women who have started basic core strengthening and have good range of motion in their extremities.
Please bring a mat, a water bottle and wear comfortable clothing.

Class size is limited for both offerings.  RSVP required.
Call TurningPoint 770-360-9271 or email us at staff@myturningpoint.org

 Classes are complimentary and supported by our community partners and donors.
Our Mission
TurningPoint Breast Cancer Rehabiltation is a non-profit 501(c)3 community-based healthcare organization.  TurningPoint improves quality of life for women with breast cancer by providing, promoting and advocating evidence-based and specialized rehabilitation. TurningPoint was founded in 2003 and has served over 3,000 women with breast cancer in the Greater Atlanta community and educated hundreds of healthcare providers in the United States.
Thank You to Our Community Partners!

Komen Atlanta Race
Walmart Logo

Georgia Baptist Health Care Ministry Foundation

Athena logo
www.myturningpoint.org  |  770-360-9271

8010 Roswell Road, Suite 120, Atlanta, GA 30350

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