About one in every eight Iowa women will develop breast cancer during their lives, and a rise in breast cancer cases among women in their 40s is bringing new preliminary screening guidelines. The recommendation now is to get mammograms every other year starting at age 40, instead of starting at age 50. Radiologist Dr. Amy Patel says she doesn’t think those new guidelines go far enough to address women who are at higher risk of getting breast cancer.

“If you’re deemed high risk, we recommend an annual screening breast MRI from the ages of 25 to 29,” says Patel, “and once you turn 30, annual screening mammography, alternating every six months with supplemental screening in the form of breast MRI.” She says all women should be risk assessed by the age of 25. Also, Patel says the guidelines don’t take into account breast density when deciding how often women are checked for breast cancer.

“It is a strong risk factor,” says Patel. “About 50% of the United States population who are women have dense breasts, and some women opt to have supplemental screening in addition to mammography, as dense breasts can obscure a cancer on a mammogram that can be revealed on a supplemental tool, such as breast MRI or ultrasound.”

In Iowa, it’s estimated that 27-hundred women will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year and nearly 390 will die from it. Only lung cancer causes more cancer deaths among Iowa women.

(Atlantic, Iowa) –  The Senior Alumni Scholarship Foundation (SASF) board met for their annual meeting and welcomed new board member Jackie Hoover Sampson. At the meeting the board approved issuing five, $2,000 scholarships for the Atlantic Graduating class of 2024. Scholarships are need based for seniors with a GPA or 2.5 or higher.

Applications and information are available from the Atlantic High School guidance office and on the website. The SASF is a 501c3 organization and 100% of donations go to the scholarship fund. Atlantic alumni are encouraged to donate and may do so by check to the SASF, PO Box 205 Atlantic, Iowa 50022.

2023 SASF Board: L to R. Front row Mark McNees, Ted Robinson, C.J. Heithoff, Mark Smith, J.C. Van Ginkel Back Row L to R Deb Schuler, Jackie Sampson, Linda Robinson, Cathy Baragary, Billie Hoover, Tammy Wickman. (Photo & info. courtesy Mark McNees)

Electronic donations through Venmo may also be made at SASF-Foundation. If donating through Venmo, please email Cbaragary55@gmail.com with your name and address, so your donation is properly recognized and a receipt may be mailed to you.

(Elmo, MO.) – A man from southwest Iowa died in a crash Sunday evening, in northwest Missouri. According to the Missouri State Patrol, 18-year-old Seger V. Mace, of Coin, was operating a Honda Motorcycle northbound on Railroad Street approaching Route C near Elmo, when he failed to yield as he entered the intersection.

His cycle struck a trailer being towed by pickup truck that was driven by 54-year-old Darrin E. Harvey, of Elmo. The accident happened at around 6:20 p.m., Sunday.

Mace was ejected from his motorcycle. He died from his injuries at the Clarinda Regional Health Center. Officials with the Clarinda Community School District issued the following statement late this (Monday) morning:

Council Bluffs, Iowa– The Alzheimer’s Association is inviting Council Bluffs area residents to join the fight to end Alzheimer’s by participating in the Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s® on Saturday, Sept. 23 at Iowa Western Community College. The Alzheimer’s Association and its volunteers and walk participants are fighting for a different future. For families facing the disease today, for more time, for treatments. Alzheimer’s research is closer than ever to stopping Alzheimer’s, but to get there, the Alzheimer’s Association needs Northern Iowa to join them for the world’s largest fundraiser to fight the disease.

There is no fee to register for Walk, however, all participants are encouraged to raise critical funds that allow the Alzheimer’s Association to provide 24/7 care and support and advance research toward methods of prevention, treatment and, ultimately, a cure. On Walk day, participants honor those affected by Alzheimer’s with Promise Garden flowers which signify our solidarity in the fight against the disease. The colors of the Promise Garden flowers – purple, yellow, blue and orange – represent the different reasons why people walk to end this disease.

“We’re closer than ever to stopping Alzheimer’s,” said Walk Manager, Jessica Duncan. “We hope that everyone in the community can join us by starting a team to help the Alzheimer’s Association raise awareness and funds for families facing the disease today, take more steps toward treatments and finally ending this disease.”

More than 6 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease – a leading cause of death in the United States. Additionally, more than 11 million family members and friends provide care to people living with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. In Iowa and Nebraska alone, there are nearly 100,000 people living with the disease and 140,000 caregivers.

To register and receive the latest updates on this year’s Walk to End Alzheimer’s, visit alz.org/walk.

Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s®

The Alzheimer’s Association Walk to End Alzheimer’s is the world’s largest event to raise awareness and funds for Alzheimer’s care, support and research.  Since 1989, the Alzheimer’s Association mobilized millions of Americans in the Alzheimer’s Association Memory Walk®; now the Alzheimer’s Association is continuing to lead the way with Walk to End Alzheimer’s. Together, we can end Alzheimer’s.

Alzheimer’s Association®

The Alzheimer’s Association is a worldwide voluntary health organization dedicated to  Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Its mission is to lead the way to end Alzheimer’s and all other dementia — by accelerating global research, driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximizing quality care and support. Visit alz.org or call 800.272.3900.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowans who are getting aggressive calls from loan collectors need to be sure the loans they’re trying to collect are real, especially before making payments. Lisa Schiller, with the Better Business Bureau, says those collectors need to have a paper trail to confirm any loan they’re trying to collect. “They should be able to provide you with proof that you owe money, whether it was from years ago or it was more recent, where is the proof?” Schiller says. “They should be able to provide you with that.” In many cases, Schiller says businesses buy loans in bulk without first checking to see if they are still valid.

“Don’t just go ahead and pay it because somebody called you or sent you a threatening letter,” she says. “You really have to look into it these days. You have to just do a little bit of homework.” Also, be very careful before you sign up for “debt settlement” payment plans, as Schiller says predatory companies will simply take your money and not help you with your bills at all.

“What we always tell consumers, is to make sure, first of all, that the person that’s trying to collect on that debt is legitimate,” Schiller says. In many cases, she says collectors may try to pass off out-of-date or already-paid loans as still active. If you’re having trouble, contact state consumer protection or the B-B-B for help.

(Radio Iowa) – The latest federal data shows about 105-thousand union members were in Iowa’s workforce last year. That’s seven percent of the entire workforce and the first increase in statewide union membership in four years. Paul Iverson at the University of Iowa Labor Center says it’s partly due to the impact of the pandemic.

Recent strikes — and even the threat of a strike — are drawing attention to the labor movement’s impact, according to Iverson.

Last week Iverson visited the picket line at Thombert in Newton where 84 United Auto Workers went on strike August 1st. Thombert is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of polyurethane wheels for electric forklifts. “It’s an issue of we want a safe workplace, we want safe working hours, we want pay and benefits commensurate with the profit that we are making for you,” Iverson says, “so all of those things go into this strike.”