top+3+choices+for+presentation-+rebecca

Hereditary - strong family history of breast cancer: occurrences of the disease in at least three first or second-degree relatives (sisters, mothers, aunts).
 * BREAST CANCER:**
 * a common disease
 * Each year about 200,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with it
 * 1/9 American women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime.
 * hereditary breast cancer - caused by a mutant gene passed from parents to their children - is rare.
 * When individuals carry a mutated form of either BRCA1 or BRCA2, they have an increased risk of developing breast or ovarian cancer at some point in their lives.
 * Children can inherit the mutated gene from their parents.
 * Many women survive breast cancer.
 * tests available are DNA tests.
 * Both men and women who inherit an altered gene, whether or not they develop cancer themselves, can pass the alteration on to their sons and daughters.

Breast cancer risk increases with age and **every** woman is at risk. Every **13** minutes a woman dies of breast cancer. 77% of women with breast cancer are over 50. Approximately 1400 cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed in men in 2000 and 400 of those men will die. More than 1.7 million women who have had breast cancer are still alive in the United States. 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. 71 % of black women diagnosed with breast cancer experience a five-year survival rate, while 86 % of white women experience five-year survival. 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. Ninety-six percent of women who find and **treat breast cancer early will be cancer-free** after five years. Over eighty percent of breast lumps are **not** cancerous, but benign such as fibrocystic breast disease. Oral contraceptives may cause a slight increase in breast cancer risk; however 10 years after discontinuing use of oral contraceptives the risk is the same as for women who never used the pill. Estrogen replacement therapy for over 5 years slightly increases breast cancer risk; however the increased risk appears to disappear 5-10 years after discontinuing the use of estrogen replacement therapy. You are **never too young** to develop breast cancer! Breast Self-Exam should begin by the age of twenty. http://womenshealth.about.com/cs/breastcancer/a/breastcancfacts.htm
 * Early detection** of breast cancer, through monthly breast self-exam and particularly yearly mammography after age 40, offers the best chance for survival.

DOWN SYNDROME:

Diagnosis
Down syndrome is usually identified at birth or shortly thereafter. Initially the diagnosis is based on physical characteristics that are commonly seen in babies with Down syndrome. These include low muscle tone, a single crease across the palm of the hand, a slightly flattened facial profile and an upward slant to the eyes. The diagnosis must be confirmed by a chromosome study (karyotype). A karyotype provides a visual display of the chromosomes grouped by their size, number and shape. Chromosomes may be studied by examining blood or tissue cells.

Cause
Down syndrome is usually caused by an error in cell division called nondisjunction. It is not known why this occurs. However, it is known that the error occurs at conception and is not related to anything the mother did during pregnancy. It has been known for some time that the incidence of Down syndrome increases with advancing maternal age. However, 80% of children with Down syndrome are born to women under 35 years of age.

Learning & Development
It is important to remember that while children and adults with Down syndrome experience developmental delays, they also have many talents and gifts and should be given the opportunity and encouragement to develop them. Most children with Down syndrome have mild to moderate impairments but it is important to note that they are more like other children than they are different. Early Intervention services should be provided shortly after birth. These services should include physical, speech and developmental therapies. Most children attend their neighborhood schools, some in regular classes and others in special education classes. Some children have more significant needs and require a more specialized program. Some high school graduates with Down syndrome participate in post-secondary education. Many adults with Down syndrome are capable of working in the community, but some require a more structured environment.

Health Issues
Many children with Down syndrome have health complications beyond the usual childhood illnesses. Approximately 40% of the children have congenital heart defects. It is very important that an echocardiogram be performed on all newborns with Down syndrome in order to identify any serious cardiac problems that might be present. Some of the heart conditions require surgery while others only require careful monitoring. Children with Down syndrome have a higher incidence of infection, respiratory, vision and hearing problems as well as thyroid and other medical conditions. However, with appropriate medical care most children and adults with Down syndrome can lead healthy lives. The average life expectancy of individuals with Down syndrome is 55 years, with many living into their sixties and seventies.

http://www.nads.org/pages_new/facts.html


PARKINSON'S DISEASE:

What is Parkinson's disease?
Parkinson's disease is a movement disorder that is chronic and progressive Parkinson's disease occurs when a group of cells in an area of the brain called the substantia nigra begin to malfunction and die. These cells in the substantia nigra produce a chemical called dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter, or chemical messenger, that sends information to the parts of the brain that control movement and coordination. When a person has Parkinson's disease, their dopamine-producing cells begin to die and the amount of dopamine produced in the brain decreases. Messages from the brain telling the body how and when to move are therefore delivered more slowly, leaving a person incapable of initiating and controlling movements in a normal way. Parkinson's disease can also cause several different symptoms. The specific group of symptoms that an individual experiences varies from person to person. Some of the most common symptoms of Parkinson's disease are:
 * symptoms continue and worsen over time.
 * As many as one million Americans suffer from Parkinson's disease.
 * approximately 15 percent of people with Parkinson's are diagnosed before the age of 50, incidence increases with age.
 * The cause is unknown
 * no cure
 * there are many treatment options such as medication and surgery to manage the symptoms.
 * tremor of the hands, arms, legs, jaw and face
 * rigidity or stiffness of the limbs and trunk
 * bradykinesia or slowness of movement
 * postural instability or impaired balance and coordination



p.s- i have not had time to fully put all of this in my own words... but i have provided links to where i got the info from.