Well, I'm a C/Kathy too, and I also don't have breast cancer, at least right now; I know this because I just had my mammogram. I was a big non-believer in routine screening mammograms for women under 50 or so, figuring it was another scam to drag a lot of women in to expensive & unnecessary testing, till my friend & boss, who at 43 or so (younger than I am, and a fervid long-term breastfeeder) was diagnosed & went through the whole chemo-radiation scenario. Anyway, now I do it. I think that it would be an excellent thing if BFing activists (well, that would be us lactivists, wouldn't it?) and the breast CA people, who seem to be relatively well-funded these days (relative to lactation concerns, anyway, though not perhaps to the total need), could band together more on issues of "breast health". Not just the "breastfeeding decreases risk of br. CA" aspect, as I'm not totally comfortable with the way those numbers are sometimes played with to come up with sweeping but not entirely accurate statements, but in a broader sense. In the simplest sense, both areas of concern deal with breasts, and with issues of health r/t the breast & its functions; both are specific to women's health but not limited to women in their longer-term impact. Professionals in both fields know more than the average bear about breasts and how they work and how they affect and are affected by other aspects of health and physiological function. And breast health issues are "hot" right now - lots of attention and, as I said, more funding. Seems to me we could work together. Anybody live/work in a place where the Breast Cancer Alliance-type agency is affiliated with the Breastfeeding Coalition folks? I know of at least 3 former WIC Breastfeeding Coordinators who moved (for better pay) into jobs with breast cancer awareness/prevention organizations when WIC funding went down & cancer funding went up. CathyBargar RN IBCLC Ithaca NY Congratulations and "welcome!" to all the newly-lettered IBCLCs! *********************************************** The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM) mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html