Breast Cancer Awareness; are we making progress?

Also, law proposed to prohibit dog and cat sales from commercial breeders in pet stores

• Scott LaMar
  BioRecent Stories

  

  Scott LaMar has worked in both radio and television for more than four decades.
  
  Currently, LaMar is the Host and Executive Producer of The Spark program on WITF-FM, 89.5 & 93.3 in Harrisburg, Pa.
  
  Previously, LaMar was WITF TV’s Sr. Public Affairs producer and produced the station’s award-winning weekly public affairs TV program, Smart Talk.
  
  In addition to his on-air duties, LaMar has moderated political candidate debates, including those for candidates running for Pennsylvania governor and the U.S. Senate and was a regular contributor to BBC World News TV before and after the 2020 U.S. Presidential election.
  
  LaMar often emcees or moderates local events and has gone as far as California to emcee a national event.
  
  The American Society of Civil Engineers honored LaMar with their national Excellence in Journalism award in 2020. He has been nominated for five Mid-Atlantic Emmy Awards.
  
  LaMar and The Spark have been recognized throughout the Central Pennsylvania community including ADVOZ Lancaster’s “Dignity in Dialogue Award”, the South-Central Assembly’s “Regional Citizen Award” and was named a “Humanitarian Hero” by The Humane Society of the United States/Pennsylvania.
  
  A native of Coatesville, Pa., LaMar has also worked as a broadcast news anchor, sports play-by-play announcer and manager.
• Justin Kocis
  BioRecent Stories

  

 iStock

The statistics are alarming: nearly one in eight U.S. women will develop invasive breast cancer over her lifetime. This year it is estimated that 268,600 new cases will be diagnosed. For Pennsylvania, the CDC ranks the state 11 out of 50 in breast cancer occurrences.  

Although, breast cancer is the most common and one of the deadliest forms of the disease, there has been tremendous research and treatment advances, too.

Smart Talk

Friends Like Me Care Packages are given to individuals recently diagnosed with breast cancer.

New genetic testing allows doctors better insight into a person’s genetic likelihood of developing cancer. Surgeons have developed ways to remove tumors with greater accuracy, while minimizing scar tissue and complications. And many patients now receive targeted radiation therapy for shorter periods of time than in the past.  

Appearing on Thursday’s Smart Talk to discuss breast cancer awareness month and their organizations initiatives are, Pat Halpin-Murphy, President and Founder of the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition and Leigh Hurst, founder and executive director of the Feel Your Boobies Foundation.  

Smart Talk

Leigh Hurst and Pat Halpin-Murphey appear on Smart Talk October 24, 2019

Also, legislation is being considered at the State Capitol designed to drive the pet market in Pennsylvania toward more humane sources by prohibiting the sale of commercially raised dogs, cats and rabbits in pet stores, and increase transparency by requiring sellers to include identifying information in advertisements.

(photo courtesy of Kristen Tullo

Heather Mitts, Kristen Tullo, and Dr. John Rossi appear together at a Victoria’s Law advocacy event. They are on Smart Talk, October 24, 2019.

It’s called Victoria’s Law and we’ll discuss it on Smart Talk with guests Kristen Tullo, Pennsylvania State director of the Humane Society of the United States, Heather Mitts, a three-time Olympic gold medalist as part of the U.S. women’s national soccer team and animal advocate, and Dr. John Rossi, V.M.D., Humane Society Veterinarian Association Representative.

Smart Talk

Kristin Tullo appears on Smart Talk on October 24, 2019.