Ellen McGehee of White Rock at mile 20 of the Poulsbo, Wash., marathon course – her last major training run before Sunday’s NYC Marathon. Courtesy photo
COMMUNITY News:
Ellen McGehee of White Rock and her sister Martha Teck are running in Sunday’s New York City Marathon to raise awareness of a specific type of cancer.
As Team IBC, they are raising awareness for inflammatory breast cancer, a form of cancer that McGehee’s friend has and is difficult to diagnose through mammography because there is generally no lump.
T-shirt designed by Celeste Levy. Courtesy photo
McGehee’s daughter Celeste Levy, a junior at Los Alamos High School, designed the team’s t-shirts. She and her father and aunt’s family are traveling to New York as the support team for McGehee and Teck.
Inflammatory Breast Cancer Information:
T-shirt designed by Celeste Levy. Courtesy photo
From ibcresearch.org:
“Inflammatory breast cancer is a rare and very aggressive disease in which cancer cells block lymph vessels in the skin of the breast. This type of breast cancer is called “inflammatory” because the breast often looks swollen and red, or inflamed. Inflammatory breast cancer progresses rapidly, often in a matter of weeks or months.”
From the Inflammatory Breast Cancer Foundation:
“What is IBC?:
- Most aggressive form of breast cancer
- Generally no lump!
- 5-year survival is 40%
- Usually doesn’t show up on Mammogram or Ultrasound
- Often mistaken for a breast infection
- Occurs more frequently at a younger age”
From eraseibc.org:
“Signs of IBC
Because inflammatory breast cancer doesn’t normally occur as a breast lump and has a peculiar growth pattern, its symptoms are not typical signs of cancer, and may appear to be something else.
IBC symptoms may include one or some of the below:
- A breast that appears discolored; (red, purple, pink or bruised)
- A tender, firm and enlarged breast (sometimes overnight)
- A warm feeling in the breast (or may feel hot/warm to the touch)
- Persistent Itching of the breast (not relieved with cream or salve)
- Shooting or stabbing pain
- Ridged or dimpled skin texture, similar to an orange peel
- Thickened areas of breast tissue
- Enlarged lymph nodes under the arm, above/below the collarbone
- Flattening or retraction of the nipple
- Swollen or crusted skin on the nipple
- Change in color of the skin around the nipple (areola)
- A hardened area in the breast similar to a pencil lead, not a lump”
More information:
