Breast cancer victim offers insight

Geralyn Lucas was not prepared for her doctor's diagnosis of her breast cancer last summer, at the age of 27. But a self-examination enabled the 1989 Penn graduate to discover the cancer early in its growth. "I never knew it could happen to someone my age," she said last Thursday, as part of the Breast Health Fair co-sponsored by the Panhellenic Council and Self magazine. "I saved my own life," said Lucas, who is now 29. "The most courageous thing I could do was return to my life." About 250 students attended screenings of the video, "Geralyn's Story," held throughout the day. "The event was held to promote breast cancer awareness and the importance of early detection of breast cancer," Panhel President and College senior Jessica Schreck said. As the largest women's organization on campus, Panhel has both the responsibility and the resources to educate women at Penn about women's health issues, said Panhel Vice President for Publicity Hayley Lattman. "I am thrilled at the turnout," Self editor-in-chief Rochelle Udell said. "Sororities can really get the message out that women are responsible for their own health." Lucas's video documentary about her fight against breast cancer was a complete with footage of her chemotherapy sessions and doctor's visits. "In the video, we're seeing a young woman who is practically a peer, describing her experiences with breast cancer," said Lattman, a College senior. College senior and Pi Beta Phi sister Michal Kleinlerer said Lucas's video helped her realize that breast cancer affects people of all ages. "I had always thought of breast cancer as far removed from my life," Kleinlerer said. Lucas explained that while the video offered a "very emotional" look at the disease, "we wanted students to follow that up with knowledge." To that end, the associated Breast Health Fair featured two self-examination seminars, which emphasized that monthly breast self-examinations, periodic mammograms and yearly visits to a clinician can increase the probability of early detection and treatment of breast cancer. "If women walk away from this event with the sense that they can help themselves, we have accomplished our goal," Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs Director Scott Reikofski said. And Schreck, a Sigma Delta Tau sister, added that the fair was not meant to "scare people. We just want them to know the facts." The fair offered a message relevant to men, as well as women, Pi Beta Phi sister Lattman explained. "We want men to be aware that though breast cancer mainly affects women, 10 percent of breast cancer victims are men," she said. "And if a man's mother, sister or wife has breast cancer, it affects him as well." Campus groups including Facilitating Learning About Sexual Health and HUP's Women's Health Service offered pamphlets about various health-maintenance options available. College junior and Phi Sigma Sigma sister Amy Gross said she attended the fair to find out if "breast cancer could happen to me or anyone I know." "I wanted to find out more about breast cancer, and what I could be looking for," Gross said. Udell said Thursday's event served as a "pilot program" that will eventually travel to other college campuses.