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Methodist urges Dallas women to think pink with this breast cancer quiz

Don't wait until October to get tested for breast cancer.

Photo by Marija Zamurovic, EyeEm/Getty

With COVID-19 garnering most of the medical attention this year, other health and wellness issues may have fallen by the wayside. This includes preventative care such a mammograms and yearly well-woman exams, two of the most important appointments adult women should make and keep.

Excluding skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer in American women. Currently, there is a one in eight, or 13 percent, chance that a woman in the United States will develop breast cancer sometime in her life. Men aren't exempt either — even though their risk of this type of cancer is low, it's certainly not non-existent.

So even though Breast Cancer Awareness Month is typically October, it's not a bad idea to think pink a little early this year.

Methodist Health System has an easy online quiz that can help determine your risk, as well as actions you can take now to help reduce your chances in the future.

In the meantime, be aware of these common risk factors:

Being overweight. Being overweight or obese has been found to increase breast cancer risk, especially for women after menopause.
Not exercising enough. Evidence is growing that physical activity in the form of exercise reduces breast cancer risk. The American Cancer Society recommends 45-60 minutes of intentional physical activity five or more days a week.
Heavy alcohol intake. Compared with non-drinkers, women who consume one alcoholic drink a day have a very small increase in risk. Those who have 2-5 drinks daily have about 1.5 times the risk of women who drink no alcohol. Excessive alcohol use is also known to increase the risk of developing cancers of the mouth, throat, esophagus, and liver.
Not having birthed a child. Women who have had no children or who had their first child after age 30 have a slightly higher breast cancer risk, whereas having many pregnancies and becoming pregnant at a young age reduce breast cancer risk. Pregnancy reduces a woman's total number of lifetime menstrual cycles, and therefore exposure to the hormones estrogen and progesterone.

You'll also find out how race impacts a woman's chances, and why it's so important to perform breast self-exams in addition to having a clinical exam from your doctor.

And speaking of doctors, it's important to discuss with yours when you should begin receiving mammograms. Depending on family history and density of breast tissue, it might be earlier than the common rule of 40 years old.

Once you take Methodist Health System's free risk assessment, you can opt to receive a personalized report with information about your health, periodic health-related emails, and a free screening and consultation by a certified clinician (only available to higher-risk individuals).

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Politics News

Dallas narrows down field for new city manager to 4 candidates

Photo by R K on Unsplash

This is an Dallasite's sign to launch that small business they've been dreaming of.

After six months without a city manager, the city of Dallas has narrowed down the field of replacements to four semifinalists including one serving as current interim city manager, plus candidates from Fort Worth, Michigan, and Georgia.

Dallas has been without a city manager since May, when previous city manager T.C. Broadnax left to take a job with the city of Austin. Since that time, Broadnax's former chief of staff Kimberly Bizor Tolbert has served as interim city manager.

The city retained Baker Tilly, a consulting firm, to recruit and compile candidates. (Baker Tilly famously erred in the brochure it created for the position by featuring a photo of the Houston skyline instead of Dallas; they've since replaced it with Dallas.)

A spokesperson for Baker Tilly did not respond to inquiries but according to D Magazine, an email listing the candidates has been sent to the Dallas City Council.

The semifinalists include:

Kimberly Bizor Tolbert, Dallas’ current interim city manager
William Johnson, an assistant city manager in Fort Worth
Mark Washington, the city manager of Grand Rapids, Michigan
Zachary Williams, a county chief operating officer in Georgia

All have more than 25 years' of public administration experience and have worked in similar capacities in their respective cities.

Before working in Fort Worth, Johnson was Baltimore’s transportation director and Atlanta’s deputy chief operating officer and public works commissioner.

Washington worked in Fort Worth and Austin before becoming Grand Rapids’ city manager.

Williams has mostly worked in Georgia at the county level, including serving as county manager in Fulton County and chief operating officer in DeKalb County.

Tolbert began working for the city in 1998, first as the city manager’s assistant and later in the aviation department. Broadnax hired her as his chief of staff in 2017.

Unlike the Mayor and the Dallas City Council, the city manager position in Dallas is not elected but is instead appointed by the city council, and is tasked with executing policies, overseeing the annual budget, and managing staff at city hall.

The council’s Ad Hoc Committee will choose finalists, introduce them to the public, and make an offer in early 2025.

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