HEAT STRESS INFORMATION

How to Protect Yourself:
• Learn the signs and symptoms of heat-induced illnesses and learn the appropriate response.
• Perform the heaviest work in the coolest part of the day.
• Use the buddy system (work in pairs).
• Drink plenty of cool water (one small cup every 15-20 minutes).
• Wear light, loose-fitting, breathable (like cotton) clothing.
• Take frequent short breaks in cool shaded areas (allow your body to cool down).
• Avoid eating large meals before working in hot environments.
• Avoid caffeine and alcoholic beverages (these beverages make the body lose water and increase the risk for heat illnesses).

People Are at Increased Risk When:
• They are not properly acclimatized to working in hot areas.
They take certain medication, including aspirin and other non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs. Check with your doctor, nurse, or pharmacy and ask if any medicines you are taking affect you when working in hot environments.
• They have had a heat-induced illness in the past.
• They wear personal protective equipment (like respirators or suits).

Water Safety: What Everyone Should Know about Drowning.

Most drownings occur 10 feet or less from safety, and roughly 60 percent of the time another person is both witnessing and in a position to rescue the victim. Unfortunately, would-be rescuers are not aware of the classic signs of drowning.

These signs are:
1. Head back.
2. Mouth open, establishing an airway - but not vocalizing.
3. Arms doing an involuntary, above the water, breast stroke.
4. Head bobbing up and down, above then below the surface.

Drowning occurs rapidly and soundlessly, averaging 20 seconds in small children and up to a minute in adults. To the uninitiated a drowning person's surface struggle may appear to be playing, clowning or splashing accompanied by lack of requests for help. Simply observing and reacting to the signs of drowning by basic, shore-based throwing or reaching rescues may cancel a needless tragedy.

From Nautical Know How, at http://www.boatsafe.com/nauticalknowhow/060199tip2.htm


A drowning can be very unexpected, and nobody, no matter how well they swim, is safe. When some trauma happens, such as unexpectedly stepping off an underwater shelf, the surprise itself can cause a drowning response. A person could involuntarily gasp, and take in a gulp of water – and never get their breath back. Very cold water is especially hazardous, and can incapacitate even a strong swimmer with the body’s panic response.

BC & Yukon Drowning Report Summary
Adults 35 - 49 years old are the most likely to drown and 80% of all drownings continue to be male victims. In 1999, males accounted for 90% of all boating deaths, and all victims who drowned while powerboating were male. 90% of victims not wearing lifejackets were male, and men accounted for 73% of all alcohol-related drownings.

Over 61% of victims drowned in the company of others and almost half were with other adults. One third of all fatalities also drowned less than 2 metres from safety.

Boating-related deaths account for one third of all drownings every year, a majority being those in powerboats. Nearly half of all boating deaths occurred after the boat capsized or was swamped. Of boaters who drowned, 68% were not wearing lifejackets, 16% were impaired and almost half were in water conditions that were too difficult to handle.

Solutions:
Take precautions.
Throw Something that Floats
React quickly by throwing a lifejacket, cooler or anything that floats. Aim for the victim's hands. Throwing is the safest and best method to use first.
Use a Long Object to Reach Out
Try reaching out to someone in trouble, with a pole or a branch, while keeping yourself low (kneeling or lying down). Pull the victim to safety.

Boaters: Follow This Simple 3 Step Plan

Wear the gear and look like a boater. Even good swimmers wear their lifejackets. Your life is worth the jacket.

Don't Drink and Boat. Drinking alcohol before or during boating can spoil the rest of your day. Driving on water is not the same as driving on land; water, glare and waves create a much more difficult "roadway" and alcohol only amplifies the problem. Responsible boaters know when and where to drink.

Only boat in waters that you can handle and check the weather report before you launch. Mother Nature can often surprise even the most seasoned boater. When weather turns bad, head for shore.

By the Lifesaving Society, BC& Yukon branch, http://www.lifesaving.bc.ca

How to protect yourself, and your children from skin cancer

Skin cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in Canada. UV radiation from the sun is the main cause of skin cancer, though artificial UV sources like sunlamps and tanning booths are also cancer-causing.

Although anyone can get skin cancer, the risk is greatest for people who have:
· fair or freckled skin
· had sunburn during childhood
· lots of moles, particularly a mole called dysplastic nevus
· family history of melanoma
· used tanning beds
· severe skin damage, including burns
· a history of immune disorders, skin keratoses, or previous skin disorder treatment
· had exposure to certain substances, including arsenic and petroleum

There are 3 types of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma (together referred to as nonmelanoma skin cancer), and melanoma. The outer layer of the skin is made up of squamous cells. Basal cells are found below the squamous cells. Melanocytes are in the deepest layer of epidermis. Melanoma develops from melanocytes. The most common are basal cell carcinomas, slow-growing cancers that seldom spread to other parts of the body. Squamous cell carcinomas also rarely spread, but they do so more often than basal cell carcinomas. The most dangerous of all cancers that occur in the skin is melanoma. Melanoma can spread to other organs, and when it does, it often is fatal.

Both basal and squamous cell cancers are found mainly on areas of the skin exposed to the sun — the head, face, neck, hands, and arms. However, skin cancer can occur anywhere.
Though changes in the skin are not sure signs of cancer, it is important to see a doctor if any symptom lasts longer than 2 weeks. Don’t wait for the area to hurt — skin cancers seldom cause pain. 95% of skin cancers can be cured if they are discovered and brought to a doctor’s attention before they have a chance to spread. Check your skin regularly.

Signs of malignant melanoma
See your doctor immediately if…
· An existing mole or dark patch is getting larger or a new one is growing.
· A mole has a ragged outline (ordinary moles are smooth and regular).
· A mole has a mixture of different shades of brown and black (ordinary moles may be dark brown but are all one shade).

The following signs do not necessarily mean that you have a melanoma, but you should still look out for them. If your mole or dark patch does not return to normal within two weeks, don’t ignore it – see your doctor.
· An inflamed mole, or one with a reddish edge.
· A mole that starts to bleed, ooze or crust.
· A change in sensation of a mole, like a mild itch.
· A mole that is bigger than all your other moles.

Signs of non-melanoma skin cancer:
· A new growth or sore that does not heal within four weeks.
· A spot or sore that continues to itch, hurt, crust, scab or bleed.
· Persistent skin ulcers that are not explained by other causes.

How do I avoid skin cancer?
Even sunscreen does not offer total protection from the sun’s rays, and using it is only one way to reduce your risk of skin cancer. UV rays are the strongest at noon, so seek out the shade between 10AM and 3PM whenever possible.

How do I use sunscreen properly?
· Try to apply it 15-30 minutes before going out in the sun.
· Apply to clean, dry skin and rub in lightly.
· Use generous amounts (golf ball-size quantities for small children).
· Re-apply every two hours or more frequently if washed, rubbed or sweated off.
· Put on before make-up, moisturiser, insect repellent.

Check your skin regularly. The most common warning sign of skin cancer is a change on the skin, especially a new growth or a sore that doesn’t heal. Skin cancers don’t all look the same. For example, skin cancer can start as a small, smooth, shiny, pale, or waxy lump. Or it can appear as a firm red lump. Sometimes, the lump bleeds or develops a crust. Skin cancer also can start as a flat, red spot that is rough, dry, or scaly. Check all moles regularly, looking for unevenness in colour

In treating skin cancer, the doctor’s main goal is to remove or destroy cancer completely, leaving as small a scar as possible. To plan the best treatment for each person, the doctor considers the type of skin cancer, its location and size, and the person’s general health and medical history. Treatment for skin cancer usually involves some type of surgery. In some cases, radiation therapy or chemotherapy (anticancer drugs) or a combination of these treatments may be necessary.

National Institute on Aging http://www.nia.nih.gov/health/agepages/skin.htm
Nursing Standard Magazine, http://www.nursing-standard.co.uk/archives/residentpdfs/patientcards/6skincare.pdf

South Vancouver Island and Gulf Island Marine Parks

o Montague Harbour (Park 189): Located on the west side of Galiano Island. The Park is accessible by vehicle ferry from Swartz Bay, Ganges, Mayne, North Pender, and Saturna Islands. Ferries also arrive from Tsawwassen. Facilities include an all-weather anchorage 26 mooring buoys, both a boat and dingy dock, 15 walk-in campsites, 40 vehicle campsites, drinking water, pit toilets, a picnic area, about 250m of beach, security patrols, and a Park host. The Park is recommended for kayaking and hiking. Refer to Canadian Hydrographic Service Nautical Chart #3463.
o Newcastle Island (Park 209): Located in Nanaimo Harbour. The Park is accessible via a passenger ferry from downtown Nanaimo. Facilities include an all-weather anchorage, boat and dingy floats, 18 walk-in campsites, picnicking areas, toilets, pavilion with snack bar, drinking water, good tide-pooling beaches, 20km of hiking trails. The Park is recommended for hiking, kayaking, and has several historical points of interest. See CHSN Chart #3463.
o Sidney Spit (Park 275): Located at the northern end of Sidney Island between Miners Channel and Sidney Channel. The Park is accessible via passenger ferry from Sidney in the summer. Facilities include thousands of metres of sandy beaches, 35 mooring buoys, both small boat and dingy docks, 24 walk-in campsites, drinking water, pit toilets, picnicking areas, and a Park host. The Park is recommended for kayaking, fishing, and hiking. Refer to CHSN Chart #3462.
o Whaleboat Island (Park 337): Located at the south end of Ruxton Island and north of Whaleboat Passage. Facilities or this undeveloped Park include limited anchorage. Use as an alternative to nearby Pirates Cove Provincial Marine Park. The Park is recommended for kayaking. See CHSN Chart #3463.
The following parks are accessible by water only:
o Pirates Cove (Park 233): Located at the southern end of the tip of De Courcy Island. Facilities include an all-weather anchorage, dingy float, 12 walk-in campsites, picnicking areas, toilets, drinking water, and a nice beach on Ruxton Passage. Recommended for kayaking and hiking. See CHSN Chart #3463.
o Princess Margaret (Park 239): Located on all of Portland Island north of Swartz Bay on Vancouver Island. The 194-hectare Park has facilities for 300m of sandy beaches, fair weather anchorage, 20 walk-in campsites, drinking water, pit toilets, picnicking areas, and a Park host. Recommended for kayaking, scuba diving on a sunken artificial reef and 7km of hiking trails. Refer to CHSN Chart #3462.
Adapted from the Wavelength Paddling Magazine
http://www.wavelengthmagazine.com/parks2.php

Attention Boaters – do you need your Operator’s Card?

After September 15, 2009 The Competency of Operators of Pleasure Craft Regulations will require all operators of pleasure craft fitted with a motor and used for recreational purposes to have proof of competency on board at all times. These requirements are being phased in over ten years, and already all operators of power craft under 4m in length (including personal watercraft), and all operators born after April 1, 1983, need to have their card with them on the water.

Proof of competency can take 1 of 3 forms:
· proof of having successfully completed a boating safety course in Canada prior to April 1, 1999; (If you have lost your boating certificate, you may be able to call up the agency that issued the certificate and obtain a copy)
· a pleasure craft operator card issued following the successful completion of a Canadian Coast Guard accredited test. The operator card is good-for-life.
· a completed rental-boat safety checklist (for power-driven rental boats).

How do I get a card?
Boaters can obtain their card after receiving a mark of at least 75% on a Canadian Coast Guard accredited test. Boaters have the option of taking this test without first completing a course. Each accredited course provider offers the accredited test.

What are my options?
take the course in class, by correspondence or through the internet or
purchase a training manual from an accredited training organization, study on your own and then take the test
If you already know the rules, you may wish to challenge the test although the CCG highly recommends taking the accredited course

How do I find an accredited course provider near me?
To obtain information on boating safety, accredited courses, and boating safety regulation, contact the Coast Guard Office of Boating Safety Infoline at 1-800-267-6687 or via E-mail: obs-bsn@dfo-mpo.gc.ca.
Please note that course providers offer the tests as well as courses

Some local accredited course providers include:

Interntional Sail and Power Association: Contact John Robin 748-5195 or cell 715-7370
Cowichan Power and Sail Squadron : Contact Jim Peakman 748-7376
Nanaimo Power and Sail Squadron: Training Officer, John Buhnai at 741-1990
Mount Brenton Power and Sail Squadron: (Ladysmith/Chemainus) Betty Peebles 245-5488
Sunsail Canada Sailing, 101 Cheryl Place Nanaimo. Shari and Ian MacPherson 250-758-5965

Obtaining your Operator Card over the internet:
http://www.safetyafloat.ca/main.html 25$ including tax
http://www.boaterexam.com/Training/training1.html 45$ including tax, 10$ per retry. http://betterboating.capris.net/ 30$ plus GST each try.

Proctors are needed to supervise all tests, including these Internet tests. See sites for more info.

What is covered during a course?
The course covers a full range of basic boating information such as:
minimum safety equipment requirements on board your boat
the Canadian Buoyage system
how to share waterways
a review of all pertinent regulations
and how to respond in an emergency situation

Cost of courses: courses cost between $55.00 and $85.00. Generally the courses run 6 to 8 hours with review and an exam to receive your operator’s card.

Other Boating Restrictions
There are also age restrictions for motor craft, applicable to people less than 16 years of age who are not directly supervised by an adult at least 16 years of age. Children under 12 can operate a vessel with no more than 10 hp (7.5 KW). People between the ages of 12 and 16 can operate a vessel with no more than 40 hp (30 KW). Only people 16 years or older may operate a Personal Watercraft.

Boating may look simple but there is a lot to learn!
Get Trained - Get your Operator Card!

Source: Canadian Coast Guard http://www.ccg-gcc.gc.ca/obs-bsn/sbg-gsn/operator_e.htm

Personal Flotation Devices (they can't save your life if you can't find one when you need it!)

Now that summer is here, it is time to dust off the gear, rinse off the boat, and head for your favourite fishing spot. You don't even have to tell the kids twice, away you go. STOP!! Have you checked your safety gear yet this year? Your life, or that of a loved one, may depend on having it on board, and in good condition. So you bought a set of PFDs back when you bought a boat - that was then, this is now! Have you checked their condition, and checked that they hold the user up well in the water? Has your family grown in number and/or size? Is your son taking along his best friend? Do you have children, who should be encouraged to wear a lifejacket at all times? I think you can see where I am heading. The only constant we have in life is that things change. By law you need to have one approved Personal Flotation Device (PFD) of an appropriate size for everyone on board or on the water ski behind you.

To increase your awareness I would like to point out a couple of common misconceptions. First, is that the “Department of Transport Approved" label on your PFD guarantees it will save your life. Not true. The stamp only indicates that it has been constructed and tested to minimum standards of construction and flotation. Second, is that less expensive life vests are all you need - after all everyone in your family can swim. Wrong! Most people are not strong enough swimmers to survive an extended period of time in the water. What if you are injured? You need a PFD that will keep you afloat even when exhausted or incapacitated. Only specific Off-Shore Devices are recommended for rough water, and are capable of turning an unconscious person face up. In Canada, they are the only PFDs that are allowed to use the term ‘Lifejacket’, and they come in only orange, red or yellow for greater visibility. Other Near-Shore Devices are only considered effective for keeping your head above water in calm, protected waters, and there are Flotation Aid Devices quite literally designed only to be worn to help you to float during wet boating activities like water-skiing or kayaking where rescue is expected to be immediately available. Throwable Devices/ Lifesaving Cushions are no longer allowed as a substitute for a proper vest or jacket. Think of your boating habits before you buy.

Are you one of those who thinks PFDs are too bulky or ugly to be worn? Think again! Take another look at the display at your favourite marine store or sporting goods store. Style and function are in. If you have to put on a jacket because of weather conditions put on a "Float Coat". If you are racing and need to move around the foredeck quickly, try some of the new Inflatable PFDs (unless you are under 16, or using it for sailboarding, PWC or whitewater activities – if it has an automatic inflator, it will inflate the instant it is immersed in water). If you are working or fishing, buy some of the very functional Work or Fishing Vests produced by Stearns, Mustang or other safety conscious manufacturers. Also consider attaching a whistle to each PFD. Get your children in the habit of wearing comfortable life vests all of the time, and encourage others to wear them when they are at risk. Children should also learn how to put their PFDs on in the water; because of the way their bodyweight is distributed, children do not float well in a face up position, and tend to panic easily. Never forget that a lifejacket is no substitute for adult supervision!

Please don't store PFDs under the V-Berth where they may not be accessible during an emergency. The best place for them is in the cockpit, under a seat cushion, where they can float free if the boat sinks. Should you encounter severe weather conditions, or are disabled and awaiting assistance, you should break out, and don, your emergency set of PFDs until conditions improve or help arrives. Also, what method do you have in place to bring an exhausted or injured person back on board? Do you have a boarding ladder or a life sling, or could you improvise one? Carry a variety of PFD sizes based on your family configuration, even if it means carrying a couple of extras. A good rule of thumb is to have enough stylish, functional Life Vests on board for maximum number of persons allowed. A full set of PFDs is well worth the cost to protect your loved ones, and provides a valuable, extra level of security in case of an accident. The number of boaters who die in boating accidents due to lack of a lifejacket is still four out of five. There is only one way to change this statistic - wear your PFD more often!

Adapted from Sea Tow International at http://www.boatingsafety.com/lifejack.htm
And the Canadian Coast Guard at http://www.ccg-gcc.gc.ca/main_e.htm Toll Free Number 1-800-267-6687

Hiking Safety

Safety is important whether you are day hiking or winter backpacking. Proper planning, preparation, proper clothing and taking appropriate gear along are essential to a safe and enjoyable excursion.

Before You Leave:
Plan ahead.
Learn about the area ahead of time. Study the latest guidebooks and maps that give information on roads, trails, streams and other physical features.
Plan your trip carefully according to routes and the time you have available.
Check weather reports before you set out.
Prepare yourself physically. If your planned recreation calls for considerable physical exertion, get in shape beforehand. Do not attempt a trip that is beyond your physical capabilities.
Leave word of your destination and schedule. In order to locate you in an emergency or send assistance should you need it, leave word at home or with a friend as to where you are going and when you intend to return.
Know the rules and guidelines for appropriate behavior for the area you are visiting.

On The Trail
Dress appropriately for the season and where appropriate hiking shoes or boots. Layered clothing is best to meet changing weather conditions. If cool or wet conditions can be expected it is recommended that you avoid cotton clothing, which insulates poorly when wet and dries very slowly.
Carry a compass and a topographic map of the area and know how to use both.
Take along appropriate equipment and supplies. A day pack containing rain gear, extra warm clothing, high energy food, water, first aid kit, pocket knife, whistle and matches in a waterproof container is recommended. Sunglasses and insect repellent are also handy.
Don't drink water from ponds or streams unless you have treated it first by boiling, filtering or using purification tablets.


If You Get Lost or Someone is Injured
If you become lost, keep calm, stay dry, keep warm and stay put.
If it appears that you will need to spend the night in the woods, build a campfire to provide heat, light and comfort. A campfire will be invaluable in locating you if you have been reported missing. Aircraft may be used in searching when weather permits and smoky campfires may be spotted from the air
If the weather is particularly cold or bad and you must spend the night in the woods, also build a small shelter using dead branches, hemlock boughs and leaves. The shelter will serve as a "cocoon" and should be just big enough for you to lie in comfortably. Set up camp before darkness falls.
If you feel you can try and find your way out of the woods, remember that following streams downhill will nearly always lead you back to signs of habitation.
Any person knowing you are overdue should contact the park ranger or RCMP department in the area of your trip.
In case of accident, at least one person should remain with the injured person. Know and use basic first aid techniques. Others in the group should carefully note the location and contact the local park ranger or RCMP.

Adapted from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
http://www.dec.state.ny.us/website/dlf/publands/hikesafe.htm

Wellness Article 3: Your best defence against cancer

Your First Defence Against Cancer: Education

Prostate Cancer
"If Canadian men want to stop dying from prostate cancer, they have to start talking about their health and their prostates. It's as simple as that," says John Blanchard, Chair, Prostate Cancer Alliance of Canada. "Men have to get the facts about this disease, and reduce their risk through regular testing and adopting a prostate friendly diet."

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer for Canadian men. Prostate cancer puts an end to birthday celebrations for 12 Canadian men a day.

"The best action for men to take to protect themselves from this disease is to find out all they can about early detection and prevention of prostate cancer," says Dr. Barb Whylie, Director, Cancer Control Policy, Canadian Cancer Society. "We urge men - especially men over 50 and men at high risk - to talk to their doctors about prostate cancer so they understand their risk, know the early warning signs and learn about the tests available to detect this disease. Early detection offers the best defense against this disease."

Adapted from the Canadian Cancer Society
http://www.ontario.cancer.ca/ccs/internet/standard/0,3182,3225_83256703__langId-en,00.html

Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is the most common cancer diagnosed among Canadian women. Despite slight declines in mortality rates over the past decade for women with breast cancer, one in nine Canadian women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime; one in 25 Canadian women will die from this disease.

Risk Factors:
Scientific researchers are not certain of the direct causes of breast cancer, but have identified some proven risk factors as well as others that are suspected or possible.

Known Risk Factors:
Gender: More than 99% of breast cancers occur in women
Age: risk increases as you get older
Early menstruation (before the age of 12)
Late menopause (after age 55)
Having a first baby after age 30 or never having a baby
Having a close relative with breast cancer
Being physically inactive
Being overweight
Taking hormone replacement therapy

Possible Risk Factors:
Eating too few fruits and vegetables
Drinking too much alcohol
Never breastfeeding
Smoking tobacco or being exposed to second-hand smoke
Using birth control pills

For more information on risk factors and how to minimize your risk, visit Health Canada at: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/english/iyh/diseases/breast_cancer.html

Wellness article 2: Smoking Facts

EACH YEAR, OVER 45,000 CANADIANS DIE FROM TOBACCO USE
In Canada, smoking is the most important cause of preventable illness, disability and premature death. In 1996, greater than 45,200 deaths (29,229 male and 15,986 female) were caused by smoking -- more than 20% of all deaths among Canadians.

In 1996, smoking prematurely killed three times more Canadians than car accidents, suicides, drug abuse, murder and AIDS combined.

Compare this to death by: Murder – 510; Alcohol – 1,900; Car accidents - 2,900; Suicides – 3,900; Tobacco – 45,000.

Accounting for over 45,200 deaths in 1996, smoking far exceeded the second most important preventable cause of death -- accidents (over 8,600 deaths).

Compared with non-smokers, the risk of premature death is more than double among Canadian men and almost double among Canadian women who begin smoking by age 15.

Children of smokers are twice as likely to pick up the habit.
From Health Canada at http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hecs-
sesc/tobacco/legislation/warnings/e_i.html


Lung Cancer Remains the Leading Cause of Cancer Death
Excerpts from: Canadian Cancer Statistics 2001
By National Cancer Institute of Canada

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death for both genders. Almost one-third of the cancer deaths in men and almost one-quarter in women are due to lung cancer alone.
Cancer is the leading cause of premature death in Canada, being responsible for almost one-third of all potential years of life lost.
Because of its relative frequency among younger Canadians and poor survival rates, lung cancer is by far the leading cause of premature death due to cancer.
Smoking is responsible for about one-third of potential years of life lost (PYLL) due to cancer, about one-quarter of PYLL due to diseases of the heart and about one-half of PYLL due to respiratory disease.

So I made another blog, though I don't even keep up the last one that much really . . . Why?

Well, the other one seemed a bit disjointed, with journal-like entries tossed in there with random articles. So, the random articles will go here, for the few people who like to read them.

The articles will mostly be industrial safety and also health and wellness based, from my summer 2003 job at a mill. I was the general H&S assistant (propperly thought of as the doer of bitchwork for the whole department). Fortunately it was a small department, so I only had three bosses. One of them was alright, one of them was great, and one of them was barely there at all. I mean physically. The alright one was the one that wasn't really there mentally. Anyways, s/he was the most amusing.

After that, I will have some articles written from this summer (2005), as a mill tour guide.

I will probably find some stuff from school written in the last few years, and possibly even some really dumb stuff from high school. Seriously, I don't know how teenagers make it to their twenties even . . . if they aren't doing totally dangerous stupid stuff, they do other stuff that is so idiotic to look back on . . . it's a good thing teenagers are generally so caught up in everything at the time that they don't die of embarassment. I have this really great poem from grade 9 . . . yeah, that's going up on the personal page. Anyone who was going to take any of my articles seriously would totally forget that idea if they saw any of that shite.

Wellness Article 1: Cancer Prevention: Everyone’s Concern

Most people have been touched somehow by cancer, whether they have witnessed the illness of a friend or relative, or had to deal with biopsies and treatment themselves. In fact, 2 out of every 5 Canadian men (or 40% of the male population) and one third of Canadian women (36%) will develop cancer sometimes in their lives. One in 3.7 men (27%) and 1 in 4.5 women (22%) will die of cancer.

Cancer diagnosis and treatment has improved radically in the past few decades. But though preventive measures are also better understood, many people do not take the basic precautions. Why is that? Cancer is the second leading cause of death in Canada after cardiovascular disease, which claims the lives of 36% of men and 39% of women. Scarier yet, cancer is far and away the leading cause of potential years of life lost (PYLL), because though cancer is mainly a disease of the elderly, it is much more likely than cardiovascular disease to strike in middle age or sooner. Cancer accounts for 29% of the total PYLL from all causes of death. Many of the risk factors associated with cancer are also risk factors for other health problems, so adopting some good habits could add years or even decades to your lifespan.

Source: Canadian Cancer Statistics 2001: http://66.59.133.166/stats/index.html

Centre for Chronic Disease Prevention and Cancer Control
There are many different types of cancers. All of them are characterized by uncontrolled growth and spread of abnormal cells in the body.

According to the Canadian Cancer Statistics 2002, an estimated 136,900 new cases of cancer and 66,200 deaths from cancer will occur in Canada in 2002. With the exception of non-melanoma skin cancer, the most frequently diagnosed cancer will continue to be breast cancer for women and prostate cancer for men. The leading cause of cancer death for both sexes continues to be lung cancer.

There are many known risk factors for cancer. Some risk factors are not modifiable (age, gender, genetic predisposition).

Modifiable risk factors include:

Smoking: Tobacco use is the cause of an estimated 30% of fatal cancers in Canada and the overwhelming cause of lung cancer;

Poor diet -- At least 20 per cent of cancer deaths are linked to a poor diet - including consumption of alcohol. Fruit and vegetable consumption is protective for a variety of cancers, whereas a diet high in red meat, processed meat, and saturated fat has been linked to an increased risk of several cancers;

Sunlight: Skin cancer is the most commonly occurring cancer. One of the main causes of skin cancer is exposure to the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays.

Additional risk factors for cancer include exposure to workplace or environmental carcinogens, certain infections, and reproductive patterns.