Tons of Chicago restaurants are helping to find a cure. more ›

Results of a new study show that women who take calcium supplements and a multivitamin have reduced breast cancer risk. The findings were presented last Saturday to the America Association of Cancer Research in Washington by researchers at Ponce School of Medicine in Puerto Rico. The study analyzed 744 women, including 278 with breast cancer and 466 healthy controls, using blood tests and questionnaires about dietary intake of specific vitamins and minerals. The women taking calcium supplements had a 40% reduced risk of breast cancer, while those taking a multivitamin showed a 30% reduced risk. "We found that taking multivitamins and calcium supplements were strongly protective against breast cancer," said Dr. Manuel Bayona, a professor in the public health program at the Ponce School of Medicine. "Which vitamins exactly? We don't know because they were multivitamins." According to study co-author Dr. Jaime Matta, a professor of pharmacology, physiology and toxicology, “It's possible that the vitamins work better together than individually." more ›

Considering October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, now seems as good a time as any for Illinois' Medicaid program to begin covering genetic testing for the breast cancer gene. The test detects mutations of the BRCA gene, which often play a role in hereditary breast and ovarian cancer. This test is one of the earliest forms of detection, giving women the ability to know they are at a higher risk for developing the disease before any symptoms appear. Per the Trib:

Illinois First Lady Patti Blagojevich, who pushed for the new Medicaid coverage, said in a statement: "It is important to me that we protect our daughters from hereditary forms of breast and ovarian cancer by identifying it as early as possible." more ›

The month of October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Chicago-area restaurants are helping raise awareness by participating in the Lynn Sage Foundation's Chicago's In Good Taste campaign. The Foundation is committed to the discovery of a cure for breast cancer and has partnered with Northwestern University's Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center to further this goal. more ›

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Anxious to work off those Memorial Day grill-outs before Beach Season? We can't think of a more perfect opportunity than this weekend's Avon Walk for Breast Cancer. The walk will cover a marathon's worth of ground (26.2. miles) on Saturday and then cover an additional 13.1 miles on Sunday. The event begins at the crack of dawn Saturday morning with the Opening Ceremonies at Soldier Field. The route winds its way along the Lakefront and the North Side before spending the night at Warren Park, then working its way back to Soldier Field for the Closing Ceremonies on Sunday afternoon. more ›