DR. REGINA CHINSIO-KWONG Leave of Absence G
reetings to the OC Health Care Agency (HCA)
By the time you read this in early July, I will have un-
team and to those I’ve come to know as family. I
dergone my procedure and be on the road to recov-
wanted to take a moment and share with all of you the
ery. As someone who values life, you can be sure I’m
reason I am taking a medical leave of absence to take
going to make the most of every day going forward! I
care of my health needs. I will entrust the duties of the
believe because of the early diagnosis, great care, and
County Health Officer to our very talented and capable
strong support my family and I have received, that the
Deputy Health Officers. I’d also like to share with you
outlook is bright.
the blessings we have of living in a great community
While it can be scary to get
which we all know is Orange
a diagnosis like this, breast
County (OC). Finally, I’d like
cancer is something that 1
to share with you the im-
in 8 women will face during
portance of regular medical
their lifetime. Even as a phy-
check-ups and how they
sician, I make the mistake
truly can make for a healthi-
most people make in assum-
er outcome in life.
ing that most breast cancers are related to inherited
In early May my doctors con-
genetic abnormalities that
firmed I had breast cancer.
are passed from generation
I have a common form of
to generation. Only 5-10% of
breast cancer called DCIS
breast cancers are inherited.
(ductal carcinoma in situ). This
The remaining 85-90% are
cancer was detected through
from genetic alterations that
a routine screening mam-
are a result of other factors-
mogram. I’m 43, with many
including aging and other
protective factors that place
exposures that can cause
me at low risk. I have no first-
tissue damage. I also learned
degree relatives with breast
that in the past 2 decades,
cancer, I typically get more
the breast cancer incidence
than 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day, exercise
rate in the US increased more significantly amongst
regularly and am not obese. I had my first child before the
Asian and Pacific Islander women compared to other
age of 30 and breast fed both children. The main risk fac-
ethnicities. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/
tor I have is being female, having dense breast tissue and
wr/mm7102a2.htm
a history of breast cysts and fibroadenoma (both of which have been benign with previous evaluations).
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I want you to know that I have a positive outlook and
