Breast cancer screening is the best way to find breast cancer early. And it can truly save your life. That’s because abnormalities or cancer can develop long before you notice any symptoms. Screening mammograms can detect these abnormalities early, when treatment has the best chance of working.

If you’re a woman between 50 and 74, it’s important to get mammograms regularly. The risk of breast cancer increases as women get older. In fact, more than 3 out of 4 women diagnosed with breast cancer in Alberta are 50 years or older. Once you’re over 74, you may continue to benefit from regular screening mammograms.  It’s best to talk with your healthcare provider about whether this is the best option for you.

If you’re between 40 and 49, it’s less clear that the benefits of mammograms outweigh the risks. Research has shown that screening women at this age isn’t as effective. However, since the risk of developing breast cancer increases with age and other personal risk factors, it’s a good idea to talk with your healthcare provider about your own breast cancer risk and whether you need mammograms.

Screen Test brings breast cancer screening to women in rural areas with mobile mammography clinics. The Screen Test Mobile Mammography Unit will be coming to Black Diamond on April 21-24, 2017. Clients can call 1-800-667-0604 (toll free) to book a mammogram appointment or you can click here for more information.

Please be aware that Dr Sara Wiesenberg is going on holiday!

She will be away for the entire month of May. If you need refills of your medications or need to check in with any chronic condition, please book an appointment with her prior to her vacation. Please make sure that you have enough medication to last you until her return in June.

Note that both Dr Noordman and Dr Cunning will be available to see her patients should the need arise.

Thank you for your cooperation

The Bragg Creek and Area Wellness Committee, in collaboration with Banded Peak School, Bragg Creek Community Association, and Redwood Meadows Community Association, is hosting a series of events in April to promote the healthy use of technology and screens. The first of these events is a showing of the documentary Screenagers at 6:00pm on Tuesday, April 4 2017 at the Bragg Creek Community Centre.

"Join us for a fun evening with neighbours, friends, and family to examine how the use of screens and technology is affecting our communities. The movie will be followed by a discussion with an expert panel available to answer your questions with representatives from health, education and youth."

For more information about this and the other Screen Awareness Month events in the month of April, please visit www.braggcreekwellness.ca

All residents of Bragg Creek are welcome to attend the Cochrane Cares Rural Focus Group. This is in follow-up to the Survey which you can fine online here. Please RSVP to Cochrane FCSS if you are able to attend the Focus Group TODAY (March 20, 2017) at 6:30pm at the Bragg Creek Community Centre by calling 403-851-2250 or via email at fcss@cochrane.ca

Harp Hearing is coming out to Bragg Creek on Monday, April 3 2017. They will be conducting free hearing assessments at the Community Centre. Please call them at 403-457-2979 to book your appointment.

The Town of Cochrane is committed to ensuring that residents of Cochrane and area have a sustainable quality of life through access to effective programs and services that meet social, recreation, and health needs.

The Cochrane Cares: Regional Well-being Review provides residents with a variety of opportunities to tell their story and share their experience of living in and around Cochrane, including;

• online surveys,
  
• outdoor & indoor sounding boards,
  
• community events, and
• focus groups.

The overall goal is to produce an assessment of community services in the Town of Cochrane.
 
The Cochrane Cares Review takes place between February and April 2017. It is designed to engage you in identifying current assets, gaps, opportunities, and priorities with regard to your social, recreation and health needs. The findings will help the Town to; determine priorities, make decisions, and monitor and evaluate outcomes over the next four years.

The information is being gathered by Applications Management  Ltd.  It will be used to gauge the well-being of the Town of Cochrane. The results will be compiled and shared in summary form to protect confidentiality.

Please complete the survey on-line or request a paper copy to ensure that your perspective is included.

Any questions you have about the survey can be directed to the Cochrane FCSS office by calling 403-851-2250.

March is National Colorectal Cancer Month!
Colorectal cancer is the second most common cancer in Canada.  In 2015, 2,160 Albertans were diagnosed with colorectal cancer and 750 Albertans died from this disease. There are 9 risk factors for this cancer that can be altered with lifestyle and 7 that unfortunately cannot. Fortunately there are now screening tests for this common cancer and these tests have significantly contributed to early detection and decrease in the number of people dying from this cancer. If you are over 50 years of age or have concern about your risks for colorectal cancer it is recommended that you talk with your doctor at Care in the Creek Medical Centre about screening tests. If you do not have a family doctor come join us - call us today!