Girl With a Purpose (GWAP)

World Mammography Day: Have You Done Your Mammogram as Yet?

Today, October 17,2008, is being celebrated as World Mammography Day....

(October is also Breast Cancer Awareness month.)

Today, women over 40 years old are being encouraged to do their annual mammograms and women between ages 30-39 are being encouraged to do their baseline mammograms.

These terms are explained below:

According to sites: advancedbreasttreatment.com/glossary.html and medicineworld.org/cancer/descriptions.html, a mammogram is an X-ray of the breast. It is a method of detecting breast cancers that cannot be felt. Mammograms are done with a special type of X-ray machine that is used only for this purpose.

...The machine works similarly to the X-ray machine used for doing chest X-rays and exposes the breast to very low doses of radiation.

Breast tumors, because of their higher density compared to normal tissues, are seen as abnormalities on a mammogram.

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A baseline mammogram is the first X-ray of the breast that shows what your normal breast tissue looks like.

It acts as a reference point for future mammograms, so that the doctor can see how your breast tissue changes over time, when compared with the first X-ray of the breast.

According to site: Breast cancer Facts from About.com's Women's Health:

1) Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in women between the ages of 15 and 54, and the second cause of cancer death in women 55 to 74.

2) The first sign of breast cancer usually shows up on a woman's mammogram before it can be felt or any other symptoms are present.

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Breast cancer affects one in every 23 Jamaican women and one in every 8 women, globally.

Regular breast-self exams - done once per month, regular annual visits to the doctor and in the case of women over 35, mammograms) are the best ways to detect cancer early.

Studies show that 96% of women who find and treat breast cancer early will be cancer-free after five (5) years.

Please see our previous post from October 2006, here, re how to do your breast self-exams.

While you're there, you can also take a look at the previous post - "Little Known Facts About Breast Cancer" written on October 23, 2006.

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 ....So have you done your mammogram as yet?

You should do it to today - it could save your life!

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Screening for Mammograms, in Jamaica can be done at:

The Jamaica Cancer Society,

16 Lady Musgrave Road, Kingston 5. 

(It is recommended that persons wishing to have this test done make an appointment by calling 876-927-4265.)

For our friends outside of Jamaica, you can check your local Cancer Societies to see where they do the screenings.

Here are some helpful links:

1) The American Cancer Society

2) The Canadian Cancer Society

3) International Directory of Cancer Societies & Organizations.

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Please see the inset YouTube video, above, which gives a simple and helpful explanation of what the mammogram involves and how doing one can save your life!

Gillian

Sources Include:

1) Breast Cancer Facts, by Tracee Cornforth, About.com's Women's Health section, December 1,2003

2) Myths and facts about breast cancer, Prevention Magazine-The Indian Edition, October 2008

Jamaica Public Health Alert - Measles Alert!

Jamaica is on a Public Health Alert tonight, for Measles, a very contagious respiratory disease that is spread by breathing in the droplets from an infected person.

Jamaican Public Health authorities issued a release this evening.

They are requesting that all passengers that came into Kingston, Jamaica, from London Gatwick Airport (LGW) on May 1, 2008, on Virgin Atlantic flight no. 69, immediately report to your nearest Health Centre.

A nine (9) year-old girl from Europe, who was travelling on that flight, has Measles and it is feared that she may have passed it on to the rest of passengers on the flight.

(Measles is 90% contagious. According to the Directors of Health Promotion and Education website, Measles symptoms usually show up in two stages:

The first stage begins with a runny nose, cough, and a slight fever. As the infection progresses, the person's eyes become red and sensitive to light, and the fever rises.

The second stage begins after 3 to 7 days. The fever reaches 103^oF-105^oF, and a red blotchy rash appears.

The rash usually starts on the face and then spreads to the chest, back, and arms and legs, including the palms and soles of the feet. The rash lasts for 4 to 7 days. Small white spots might also appear on the gums and inside of the cheeks.)

You can find more information about the disease, here.

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All passengers who were on the Virgin Atlantic flight are asked to call the following toll-free no.: 1-888-663-5683, immediately, for more information.

You should take your immunization cards and see the Senior Health Nurse, or Medical Officer at your nearest  Health Centre, now!

Gillian

Sources Include:

1) Nationwide Radio, May 15, 2008

2) Article, "Measles Facts",  Directors of Health Promotion and Education website

Jamaica's Local Government Elections: Final Results Are In!

Friends, please accept my apologies for the delay in bringing you these results...

The final results of Jamaica's Local Government Elections, held on December 5,2007, are in!

Of the 14 Parishes, the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) has won 9 parishes to the People' National Party's (PNP's) 4 parishes, with a tie of eight (8) seats each, in the Parish of St. Ann.

Girl With a Purpose(GWAP) Blog wishes our heart-felt congratulations to the JLP!

(Please see this link  to our previous post on December 5, 2007, for a short background on Jamaica's Local Government Elections.)

Please see the following table for the JLP and PNP Seat Count and percentage wins, by Parish:

JLP & PNP SEAT COUNT AND
PERCENTAGE WINS, BY PARISH
PARISHES	JLP Seats	PNP Seats	JLP Seat %age	PNP Seat %age
Kingston and St. Andrew	23	17	58%	43%
St. Ann	8	8	50%	50%
St. Thomas	8	2	80%	20%
Portland	7	2	78%	22%
St. Mary	10	3	77%	23%
Trelawny	7	2	78%	22%
St. James	13	4	76%	24%
Hanover	2	5	29%	71%
Westmoreland	0	14	0%	100%
St. Elizabeth	8	7	53%	47%
Manchester	6	9	40%	60%
Clarendon	17	5	77%	23%
St. Catherine	23	17	58%	43%

Please click on this link to view the winning Councillors by Pollling Division and Parish, and the percentages, they've won by.  (There are 227 Polling Divisions spread across the 14 Parishes in Jamaica.)

When you have opened the link, just go to the section entitled, "View Results by Parish",found to the middle left hand-side of the page. Then choose the Parish you're interested in and then click on the "View Parish Results" button, to get these results.

Gillian

Sources Include:

1) Jamaica Gleaner's Local Government Elections website

Jamaica's Local Government Elections: The Preliminary Results Are In!

The Jamaica Labour Party(JLP) has won the Local Government Elections, here in Jamaica.

The Local Goverment Elections are supposed to be held every two (2) years and seeks to elect Councillors and Mayors who will govern the affairs of the country, at the local level.

These are the people who are responsible for public health and sanitation, poor relief,water supply, minor roads, markets and fire services on our island.

Of the votes cast in the 227 Polling Divisions, the JLP got 62.7% of the votes, versus the People's National Party's (PNP's) 47.3%.

This is in stark contrast to the overwhelming 93% that the JLP got in 2003.

The Breakdown by Parish, for all 14 Parishes, is as follows:

1. Kingston: JLP won


2. St. Andrew:  JLP won


3. St.Catherine: JLP won


4. St.Thomas: JLP won


5. St. Mary: JLP won


6. Portland: JLP won


7. Clarendon: JLP won


8. Trelawny: JLP won


9. St. Elizabeth: JLP won


10. St. James: JLP won


11. St. Ann: JLP & PNP: tie, 8 seats each


12. Hanover: PNP won


13. Manchester: PNP won


14. Westmoreland: PNP won

The exact seat count will be announced tomorrow.

(We apologize for the delay..but the Electoral Office of Jamaica(EOJ)'s realtime results were not reported by the major media houses. The exception being Nationwide Radio, who paid for the rights to access these results,realtime.)

The Electoral Office of Jamaica is the body responsible for administering elections in Jamaica and for ensuring that elections are free and fair,to all Jamaicans.

Gillian

Sources Include

1) Television Jamaica News at 10:00 p.m., December 5, 2007

2) Nationwide Radio, Jamaica, December 5,2007

3) Article,"Jamaica: Local government", Encyclopedia of the Nations::Americas::Jamaica

4) Electoral Office of Jamaica, December 5, 2007

Get Free Money For College/University, Now!

Why should you pay for college/university, when you can go for free?

As promised, please see our new section called "Scholarship Search", to the left of our posts, which allows you to search for scholarships, grants and fellowships (SGFs) in your chosen fields of study and for colleges/universities you may be interested in.

Scholarships, grants and fellowships (SGFs) are free money for college/university that you qualify for, based on your grades, year in school, extracurricular activities, athletic ability, your ethnicity, your family income, etc.

(While scholarships are usually given to those entering college/university for the first time, fellowships are usually given to students already in, or just starting Graduate School).

I often wonder why students and their parents insist on getting student loans (which is money you have to pay back to the lender + interest), when for a little bit more effort and planning, they would have otherwise gotten money for college/university, free!

There is a cardinal rule when seeking to obtain SGFs - start early!

Start at least three (3) years in advance, to give yourself enough time to decide what you want to do in college/university, which college/university you want to attend and to find the best SGFs for you!

You want to also ensure that you're doing well enough (at least a B+ average) in school and doing the right kinds of extra-curricular activities, to qualify for SGFs available.

Where Should I Begin my SGF Search?

1) You should begin your SGF search at your high-school guidance counsellor/ counselling office or your college counselling office.

2) You should also have your parents contact the Human Resources Department in the companies they work for, to see if SGFs are available for employees' children.

3) Certain service clubs (e.g. the 4H club) and religious organizations that you or your family may be associated with, may have SGFs available too, so don't hesitate to ask.

4) Your government may have bilateral arrangements with other countries (that you're interested in studying in) which involve SGFs, so please do contact the relevant government agencies and the embassies and consulates of the countries you're interested in studying in, to find out if SGFs are available and the criteria for same.

5) Alumni and past SGFs holders can also help greatly in identifying great SGFs available.

6) The Internet has hundreds of scholarship search engines and sites - this should be utilized as well!

The Internet search engine, Google, is a great place to start.  You may use the Google search box below, should you choose:

Enter your search terms

Submit search form

We have, however, made the process a lot easier for you by identifying one of the top Internet scholarship search sites...

ScholarshipExperts.com

Please visit them to start your scholarship search, now!

(All the above is pertinent to both US and international students wishing to study in the US and other countries).

How Do I Know Which SGF is For Me?

1) Try to find SGFs which match your strengths.

2) Try to find SGFs at the colleges/universities you wish to attend.

3) Find SGFs that pay for air travel (if necessary),tuition, living expenses and books and that won't prevent you from getting other concurrent SGFs.  (You may need concurrent/simultaneous SGFs if your major SGF doesn't cover all of the above).

4) Examine carefully the eligibility criteria for each SGF to see if you qualify.

5) Ensure that the payback is not burdensome. Some SGFs bond you to a country or an organization for a few years in exchange for the SGF. Please bear this is mind when evaluating SGFs...being bonded for 2-3 years in exchange for tuition, books and living expenses, for your 2-4 year college/university life is no big deal!

6) Some SGFs have other conditions, e.g. maintaining a B+ average or annual renewals for the SGF to be continued, so please be sure to understand these requirements, when evaluating SGFs.

Avoid scholarship search scams. These are people who charge you for scholarship searches and provide less than stellar results!

For additional SGF information and resources, please click here!

Please sign-up with our major sponsor, below, to start your scholarship search, now!...

Good luck!

Tags: Free money for college, scholarship search, scholarship, grant, fellowship, scholarship experts

Never Give Up!

Ever heard this saying? "If at first you don't succeed, then try again".

Well, it's true:)...

While there are some things in life that we will succeed on our very first try, there are others that will require us to try and try, again.

While in High School, I had a huge problem with Math...I just wasn't getting it. Until one day my father, who is a Statistician, said to me..."This is the easiest thing you'll ever do in your life".

"Yeah, sure", I thought, "you make your living doing this"...But my father went on to show me how to approach Math from a new angle. He helped me to figure out different ways to do a Math problem that resulted in the same answers...but, most importantly, he helped me to overcome my self-esteem problems when it came to Math, by helping me to understand that to really get Math, I needed to practice, practice and practice.

So that's what I did, I practiced until I became confident with doing a large variety of Math problems related to a particular topic. Eventually I went on to achieve the highest level in Math in my fifth form(11th grade) exams.

Well, life is no different. It consists of many trials that we must overcome in order to become successful.

When we fail at something, we must be willing to examine where we went wrong and try to correct it. If we can't correct it by ourselves, we must be willing to seek help from those who have mastered whatever it is we're trying to accomplish.

It will require us to work twice as hard as those who are at the mastery level in order for us to get there...but there are no shortcuts if we truly want to excel at whatever we put our hearts and minds to.

Just, never give up!