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2 October 2021

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Active Lifestyles What’s inside 3 Cover story:

Working Towards A Cure 4 For Your Health:

Great mammogram reminder

5

Dear Dietitian answers questions

6

COVID-19 prevention is key to recovery

7 Prioritizing primary care

Courtesy of Julie Fraser

ON THE COVER: In this 2019 photo, Working Towards A Cure volunteers measure out their bra chain in quest of a Guinness World Record. They finished three inches shy. The eighth annual Brawalk at the Liberty Bank Amphitheater took place Oct. 2.

ACTIVE LIFESTYLES ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Carole Fredeking carole.fredeking@hearst.com (618) 463-2500

ACTIVE LIFESTYLES EDITOR-IN-CHIEF jill.moon@hearst.com (618) 208-6448

ACTIVE LIFESTYLES COORDINATOR Regina Harbison rharbison@thetelegraph.com (618) 208-6433

Active Lifestyles

EAST ALTON — One day in the shower, you feel a lump on your breast. So you go to your doctor to have it checked out. Surely it’s nothing, but the doctor wants to do a biopsy to be sure. The time between the biopsy and the appointment to receive the results seems like an eternity. Sitting in the doctor’s office waiting for her to come in, your hands shake and you can hardly breathe.

The doctor walks in the room and avoids eye contact until she sits down. She takes a breath, sighs, and says the word “cancer.” Time stops. You don’t hear another word that is said. Luckily, you brought your husband with you to ask the questions that you are too stunned to think of asking.

Later you worry because your son is only 1 year old.

You ask yourself, “Will I live to see my son graduate from high school and college?

Will I be there when he gets married and has children of his own?”

This is what happened to Julie Fraser, now a 32-year breast cancer survivor. Little did she and her husband, Daniel, know that it would take them 22 years, seven months and 14 days to pay off the bills that were about to come to them because their insurance refused to pay for a cancer diagnosis.

There would be bills for doctors, plastic surgeons, pharmacies and hospital stays.

Some insurance policies don’t cover cancer.

“We had to pay all the medical bills,” Julie Fraser said. “We owed them, they saved my life. But insurance should have paid.”

She, her husband and 14

other cancer victims shared their stories in front of Congress.

“Of the 14 who testified, I am the only one still alive,” she said.

“Knowing if it could happen to us, it was happening to other people, too. We didn’t want others to have to choose between food and paying bills.”

The couple created “Working Towards A Cure,” a 100% volunteer run nonprofit organization that pays for things that insurance cannot or will not pay for, for breast cancer patients in Madison, Jersey and St. Clair counties.

The group hosted its eighth annual Bra Walk Oct. 2 at the Liberty Bank Amphitheater in Alton complete with a decorated bras contest. This year the group sought to break the record for the longest bra chain of 196,564 bras. In 2019, they only lacked three inches. For next year’s Bra Walk, people can drop off bras on the front porch of the Frasers’ home, or mail donations to 151 W. Airline Drive, East Alton.

No salaries, utilities or overhead is taken out of donations to the group. To date, Working Towards A Cure has raised $363,016, which has paid for a babysitter so a mother can go with her daughter to her radiation treatments and to get gasoline for a patient to go to back and forth to doctors’ appointments. The group also has helped cover the cost of anti-nausea medications, as well as co-pays and deductibles.

“We believe that in this day and age, and in this country, there should be no reason why a cancer diagnosis should bankrupt a See BRAWALK | Page 7

October 2021 3

ACTIVE LIFESTYLES PUBLISHER Denise VonderHaar dvonderhaar@edwpub.net (618) 463-2500

By Mary Cox

Active Lifestyles

Staff

Breast cancer survivor forms Working Towards A Cure group

Seeing pink is a great mammogram reminder

4 October 2021

Active Lifestyles

If the pink popping up in store displays and across our screens hasn’t given it away already, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

And while it focuses on a serious disease, I always appreciate the opportunity it gives my colleagues and me to highlight ways women can look after their breast health.

One of the most important things on that list: getting regular screening mammograms.

It’s a message many women are used to hearing, but coming up on two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s also a message that’s more important than ever.

Mammograms are a type schedules and taking steps of X-ray that helps find to keep patients be safe. breast cancer in earlier stag“If a woman is overdue for es when it’s easier to treat. her mammogram, she should With disruptions in come in as soon as health care and conpossible,” said Dr. cerns about safety, Debbie Bennett, chief especially in the panof breast imaging at demic’s early months, Washington Universimany women missed ty School of Medicine their scheduled mamin St. Louis. “Delays mograms. And some Dr. Graham in screening can lead have yet to get caught to delays in breast canA. Colditz cer diagnosis.” up.

For Active But we know that For the best chance Lifestyles keeping up with reguof catching cancer lar health care remains early, most women extremely important even should get a yearly mammoduring a pandemic, and most gram starting at age 40. hospitals and screening facilWomen who are at ities are back to their regular increased risk of breast cancer, because of factors such as family history or medical Don’t feel more history, might need to start screening earlier. And it’s socially isolated best to talk with a doctor than needed due to about your breast cancer risk sometime in your 20s. hearing loss...

Over 1/2 of all hearing “Many of the strategies aid repairs are due to Call for a FREE improper maintenance to prevent breast cancer, or procedures. catch it in its earlier stages, HEARING SCREENING begin at a younger age for We honor most repair today women who are at higher warranties regardless risk,” Bennett said. “That’s of where your hearing devices were purchased. why it’s important that women find out by age 30 whether they would benefit from screening or other tests in their 30s.”

2020 This can be particularly important for African Dr. Joe Hopper Dr. Michelle Cramer American women, who FAAA FAAA are impacted unequally Thank you for voting us Doctor of Audiology Doctor of Audiology by breast cancer. Not only Best Hearing Clinic! are black women 40% Be confident that you more likely than white will always see a Doctor women to die of breast of Audiology. cancer, they also have the Godfrey, IL Chester, IL Jerseyville, IL highest rate of developing Main Office Memorial Hospital Jersey Community Hospital the disease before age 40.

1344 D’Adrian Professional Park 400 Maple Rd 1900 State Street Earlier screening, and other 618-466-4444 618-826-4581 618-466-4444 important care, in highProfessionalHearingAssociates.com facebook.com/JoeHopper er-risk women could help

narrow such gaps.

To schedule a mammogram or get more information about screening, call your primary care provider, local hospital or screening facility. Some hospitals even offer mobile screening clinics, often called “mammography vans,” which can set up in neighborhoods near you.

Most insurance plans cover mammograms, and many facilities take part in programs that can help provide free or low-cost tests for those who need it.

With the pandemic ongoing, it’s important that women take time to look after their health, even as they have more on their plates than ever, Bennett said. And getting mammograms is a relatively quick and easy way of doing that.

“Screening mammograms are an important part of self-care,” she said. “We want to give all women the best chance of living long, healthy lives.”

Dr. Graham A. Colditz, associate director of prevention and control at Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, is an internationally recognized leader in cancer prevention. As an epidemiologist and public health expert, he has a long-standing interest in the preventable causes of chronic disease. Colditz has a medical degree from The University of Queensland and a master’s and doctoral degrees in public health from Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Breathe Easie

DEAR DIETITIAN

Bowel issues lead to queries

with Breathe Easier Breathe Easie with

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Dear Dietitian, tines throughout the day, mealI recently was hospitalized times also should be a part of overnight for irritable bowel that routine. In this way, food syndrome. The abdominal will be moving through your pain was treated, then I was system at regular times. In released the following day. I addition, planned meals tend was not given any information to be healthier, and you will be on what diet I should follow. less likely to grab high-in-fat Can you help? fast food on the run.

Julie Stress is a part of everyday MedResources the ofpremier MedResources is the premier is provider home oxygen Dear Julie, life, and it’s important to manand sleep therapy equipment including CPAPs and and BiPAPs. provider of home oxygen A flare-up of irritable bowel age stress when managing syndrome (IBS) can IBS. Increasing physical therapyProgram equipment including Oursleep Clinical Respiratory MedResources is theincludes: premier provider of home be very painful, but the activity, yoga, stretchgood news is it can be ing, breathing exercises, CPAP’s and BiPAP’s. ● State-of-the-Art Sleep Center with and sleep therapy equipment including CPAPs well-managed with diet and meditation are all on-site for fittings, assessments with and lifestyle changes. avenues to alleviate presand education for all oxygen and IBS is a common sure brought on by life’s Our Clinical Respiratory Program includes: CPAP/BiPAP patients. intestinal disorder that twists and turns. ●State-of-the-Art Sleep Center State-of-the-Art Center affects from 25 million to It’s essential to know ●●Top ofState-of-the-Art the line equipmentSleep with an Center Leanne 45 million Americans. It what foods your body on-site assessments forfittings, fittings, assessmentsand excellent selection offittings, accessories on-site forfor assessments McCrate requires a diagnosis by can comfortably digest with and supplies. education for allforoxygen and and andeducation education oxygen Active and for allalloxygen and a physician or another when managing IBS. CPAP/BIPAP patients Lifestyles CPAP/BiPAP patients. ● Enhanced outcomes through a qualified clinician. The Many people have Jin Yi, RRT CPAP/BiPAP patients. personalized approach to your care. Respiratory Therapist cause of IBS is unclear; trouble tolerating sugar ● Top of theequipment line equipment Premium with with an an it usually is diagnosed based alcohols. These are found ● Top of the line equipment with an Please callselection us todayof toaccessories learn more. excellent selection of accessories on symptoms. This condition in some sugar-free products excellent ================================================= can cause abdominal pain, and commonly are known as and supplies excellent selection of accessories supplies. of home oxygen gas, bloating, constipation and xylitol, sorbitol and mannitol. premier 1688 Rd. 2350 provider State Street MedResources is the premier provider ofClarkson home oxygen and supplies.outcomes diarrhea.

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Active Lifestyles

www.medresources.com October 2021 5

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COVID-19 treatment improves, but prevention through vaccination is key to recovery OSF Saint Anthony’s Health Center

6 October 2021

Active Lifestyles

Special to Active Lifestyles

ALTON — COVID-19 has become the most deadly pandemic in American history, with deaths at more than 650,000, surpassing the estimated deaths from the 1918 Spanish flu. But a lead infectious disease doctor for Peoria-based OSF HealthCare said over the course of the pandemic, medical providers have found ways to save lives with improved and more standardized care.

Dr. Doug Kasper, a leader in the OSF HealthCare response to COVID-19, said unlike the early days in the pandemic, all providers now know the best protocols for treatment and how to make sure those infected are getting the proper care.

He said medical providers have progressed to a systematic understanding of the best way to treat COVID-19, whic includes intervening earlier, before the virus can continue to replicate within the body.

“We’re better at lab-based monitoring to assess ongoing infection and damage, and we’re better at recognizing those individuals that require hospitalizations for specialized care,” Kasper said. “That has come a tremendously long way since earlier on in the pandemic, where it was more of a case-by-case basis. We’ve now progressed to having a systemic understanding of COVID-19 treatment.”

One improvement has been the early use of monoclonal antibodies for people who are at high risk of serious complications. The drugs are designed to mimic the body’s natural immune response by targeting certain coronavirus proteins and preventing them from entering cells. OSF switched from using a single monoclonal antibody to a more effective cocktail, based on

“There are whole new types of care, a lot of which has been developed around telemedicine, e-medicine, that are trying to provide outreach to all impacts of the pandemic, not only in Peoria, not only in our bigger cities, but into our rural patient populations as well.”

— Dr. Doug Kasper

evolving research. Dr. Kasper said the infusions are a preventive measure.

“We give it outside of the hospital to prevent admission to the hospital,” he said. “It can be used in individuals who are vaccinated or unvaccinated. It is being used across the country widely at this time.”

Convalescent plasma from recovered COVID-19 patients was used early on but Kasper said it is no longer a preferred therapy, based on research from a large clinical trial in which OSF HealthCare participated.

“Clinical trial data did not support its effective use and the emergence of monoclonal antibody and vaccination replaced it as much more successful strategies for COVID19 infection.”

Other COVID-19 therapies include the steroid Dexamethasone and anti-inflammatory drug Baricitinib, along with oxygen therapy and anticoagulants such as Lovenox to prevent blood clots.

Remdesivir is the only approved anti-viral drug to treat COVID-19. Kasper said it’s been used narrowly, early in the infection, for a specific group of hospitalized patients, including former president Donald Trump. Research about the drug and its potential uses will continue to be reviewed.

For example, newly released results of an international study of 536 patients suggests remdesivir cut high-risk COVID-19 hospitalizations by 87% when given over three days to patients within a week

of experiencing symptoms.

Proning proves a powerful intervention OSF HealthCare found increasing evidence supporting the effectiveness of proning, which means putting individuals with COVID-19 on their stomachs as a way to increase the amount of oxygen to the lungs. The approach has been used previously with patients with other lung and heart conditions and now it is being used, in many cases, to keep patients off of a ventilator.

“The idea is that proning is not harmful to the individual in any way and is potentially helpful for oxygenation reasons,” . Kasper said.

Similarly, COVID-19 patients in the hospital are usually given a cocktail of vitamins that includes thiamine, vitamin C, vitamin D, zinc and melatonin. Kasper said there are no long-term studies to support the approach, but vitamin supplements are given in doses that won’t be harmful and could help patients whose nutrient deficiencies can increase their susceptibility to infection.

Kasper said that the delta variant has made it more difficult to predict outcomes for patients who are admitted to the hospital. That’s particularly true for unvaccinated individuals because there are two phases of infection.

During the first phase, usually a week to 10 days, the virus is replicating before the immune system has a chance to respond. The second phase, Kasper explained, involves

the immune system response.

Sometimes the response is so extreme, it increases disease severity and risk of death, so tempering the body’s inflammatory response is an important component of COVID-19 management.

The individual’s own immune response, while trying to clear the infection, can lead to tissue damage.

This is where physicians start to see people who have trouble with respiratory symptoms. The ongoing cycle of infection and inflammation in the lungs leads to viral pneumonia, which in some individuals can be quite severe, leading to respiratory failure.

Kasper said it appears antibody response can have an impact on other body functions that can lead to some of the long haul COVID symptoms, such as fatigue, mental fog or reduced endurance. He said there are longer-range studies underway that will follow patients four to five years. OSF HealthCare plans to collaborate with others to put together a patient registry, while consulting with specialists, to handle the most serious issues facing people with long-haul COVID. The pandemic also has led to the expansion of support for nursing facilities and group homes, and expanding at-home monitoring and care.

“There are whole new types of care,” he said, “a lot of which has been developed around telemedicine, e-medicine, that are trying to provide outreach to all impacts of the pandemic, not only in Peoria, not only in our bigger cities, but into our rural patient populations as well.”

No matter how far treatment has come since the start of the pandemic, Kasper said the best approach moving forward is the prevention that comes with being fully vaccinated against the virus.

Prioritizing primary care OSF Saint Anthony’s Health Center Special to Active Lifestyles

ALTON — Every year, millions of Americans are diagnosed with health conditions that could have either been managed before worsening or prevented altogether. This is due in large part to the percentage of people who avoid going to the doctor until absolutely necessary — and even then will typically resort to an urgent care or emergency room when a health concern arises.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of Americans who were seeking care from a primary care provider hit an all-time low. However, even before the pandemic, a Journal of the American Medical Association study showed that the proportion of U.S. adults with a primary care physician fell from 77% in 2002 to 75% in 2015. Dr. Andy Peterson, a primary care physician at OSF HealthCare Saint Luke Medical Center in Kewanee, discussed the importance of preventative healthcare and the importance of finding a primary care provider who fits your individual needs.

“Primary care is what I consider as somebody’s main physician,” Peterson said, “so that is who you are going to go

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for assistance, until there is no longer a need because cancer has been cured.”

The group’s fundraisers have included sales of cupcake-shaped potholders, pink garbage cans and breast cancer items at craft fairs throughout the summer.

Working Towards a Cure will be selling items at upcoming events throughout the area.

For a list of where the group will be selling items to raise funds, for more information, to volunteer or donate, visit www.workingtowards acure.com.

From annual wellness checks and vaccinations to chronic disease management and a full picture of overall health, a primary care provider will give a comprehensive level of care and can see people all across the board, from birth and beyond.

“I’m a firm believer that good primary care is how we improve healthcare around this country,” Peterson said, “making sure we are staying up to date on all the preventative measures, talking about healthy food choices and activity — all of those sorts of things that go into preventative care.

“And then, if you have problems, you have somebody who kind of knows you well, knows those problems well, knows what treatments you’re on, and helps you best manage some of those acute things that may pop up or new things that pop up.”

To find an OSF primary care physician near you, visit www. osfhealthcare.org.

Active Lifestyles

family that is trying to do the right thing,” reads a statement on the group’s website, www. workingtowardsacure.com.

“We are unable to assist persons on public aid,” the statement continues. “You must have some type of private insurance, either through you or your spouse’s employment, Medicare or a group policy.

“We will continue to help those persons that come to us

to with the first step for any health problems in my mind.

It is, kind of, your first stop in the world of medicine to say, ‘I am going to go to this primary care doctor, figure out what is going on, work it up a little bit,’ and if we think that we need help from a specialist, then we do that.”

Despite the fact that an individual might not be experiencing any current health issues, Peterson urged individuals to find and develop a relationship with a primary care provider.

“Even if you’re feeling OK, even if you have no complaints, there are so many preventative things we do in the world of primary care to keep you healthy if you are feeling healthy,” Peterson said.

“Whether that be evaluating your family history, your personal history, and deciding if you would benefit from checking for diseases, like, high cholesterol or diabetes — because the earlier we catch that stuff, the less likely it is to cause problems down the road.”

While preventative care is imperative, injuries or illness are often the main drivers for those seeking care. Sometimes people need to bypass primary care if the need is emergent.

Peterson urges anyone experiencing chest pain, signs of stroke, trouble breathing, or any other life-threatening

injury or illness to call 911 or head to the ER immediately.

Urgent care locations, such as OSF OnCall and OSF PromptCare, also are good options for conditions that are not life-threatening, but need to be taken care of right away.

But, if you are seeking medical advice for something more general or non-emergent, or simply want to get a baseline understanding of your general health, a primary care provider is the recommended route.

“If you walk into an urgent care, a prompt care or any other clinic, and you have something going on with you, if that person has never met you before they have to kind of catch up on your entire medical history to make sure that they are treating you appropriately,” he said. “Whereas if you walk in the door to your primary care physician and you have something going on, they are going to know that background history already and be more prepared to take care of you.”

DON’T IGNORE YOUR BODY’S WARNING SIGNALS You wouldn’t ignore your car’s check engine light, so don’t ignore those trick knee, hernia bulge, stomach bloat, joint ache or heartburn warning lights, either.

We can help. Talk to your doctor to learn about your options and start feeling better.

Go to osfhealthcare.org/warningsignals