It all begins witha healthy woman.

winter2012

the wwHF´s Annual Dialogue event was held on September 12th in Madison. it was our pleasure to host a panel of experts on the issue of obesity in women and the generational impact on families.

Our decisions as mothers undeniably affect our children. Dr. Chanel tyler from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Uw School of Medicine and Public Health explains the risks to infants of obese mothers.

Some of these include increased risk of:• Large-for-gestational age infants• Antepartum stillbirths• neonatal seizures• Hypoglycemia

it is not all bad news, however. talking about healthy strategies before and during pregnancy can dramatically reduce risks; Just a 10% weight loss for obese women had a substantial decrease in risk.

Obesity causes wide-ranging and complex issues. it is going to take a variety of perspectives, treatments, and innovative solutions to improve the healthcare outcomes for wisconsin women, children and communities. i

Obesity in Women: The Generational Impact

Panelists at the Annual Dialogue - Women and Obesity: The Generational Impact

Please visit www.youtube.com/user/wiwomenshealth to view our 6th Annual Dialogue - Obesity in Women: The Generational Impact

Strategies for keeping your family healthy

• Make healthy food choices. Children’s food choices are directly correlated with their mothers during and after pregnancy.

• Don’t focus on dieting too much. A mother’s preoccupation with dieting and weight loss can result in a child who focuses on these issues too heavily.

• Become the family health leader. Model healthy behaviors and create opportunities for your child to make healthy food and physical activity choices.

• Make it a family affair. Have meals and participate in physical activities together.

Winter 2012 Wisconsin Women's HealtH Foundation | WWW.WWHF.org22

Don't forget to bring your appetites and dancing shoes! the Spring Gala is our largest fundraiser; all proceeds stay right here in wisconsin to support our health education programs in all 72 wisconsin counties.

Saturday, May 4, 2013

Pre-Gala VIP Reception and AuctionMadison Concourse Hotel · 6:00-8:00 pm

Spring GalaState Capitol Rotunda · 8:00 - Midnight

Join Us for our 14th annual spring gala and auction!

EventsOur Annual

Spring Gala and Auction May All proceeds used to provide health programs and conduct forums that focus on education, prevention, early detection.

Annual Dialogue September A moderated panel discussion of state and national leaders and Wisconsin residents discuss innovative solutions and strategies that can improve healthcare outcomes for Wisconsin families and communities.

The Gathering November Annual networking conference brings together women who have participated in Wisconsin Women’s Health Foundation programs.

Visit wwhf.org, Events tab, for the most current information

on WWHF events.

Roberta Strigel, M.S., M.D. Assistant Professor, Department of RadiologyUniversity of Wisconsin – Madison

Gui Su, PhD Assistant Scientist, Dept. of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine

University of Wisconsin – Madison

Dr. Strigel received the $50,000 Dr. Judith Stitt Woman Faculty Scholar Grant for her highly innovative research developing accelerated Mri data acquisition techniques and advanced reconstruction methods to improve the diagnostic accuracy of breast Mri. the grant is named in memory of Dr. Judith Stitt who was professor of medicine in human oncology at the Uw Madison, and director of the Breast Care Center at Uw Hospital.

Dr. Su received the $10,000 Markos Family Breast Cancer Research Grant for her discovery of a tumor-grade dependent functional hierarchical network of stromal factors in carcinoma associated mammary fibroblasts and she will further research this interesting discovery. the grant was established by the Markos family after their own personal experience with breast cancer.

2012 r e c i p i e n t s o F W i s c o n s i n W o m e n ' s H e a lt H F o u n d at i o n ' s r e s e a r c H g r a n t s

Please tell your family, friends and colleagues about the best party in town!

For more information, visit wwhf.org

It all begins with a healthy woman. 33

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Winter 2012 Wisconsin Women's HealtH Foundation | WWW.WWHF.org

Can you die of a broken heart?

research indicates a strong relationship between depression and cardiovascular disease. But so far, it’s “...a bit of the chicken and the egg thing...” says dr. Sherri hansen, Md, a psychiatrist at Psychiatric Services in Madison. it is possible depression directly causes heart disease. Or perhaps it’s the behaviors associated with depression that impact cardiac health. Or people might become depressed as a reaction to heart disease.

Few studies have examined the link between depression and anxiety in cardiovascular disease in women, but here’s what we do know:

• Heart disease is the leading cause of death in women in the U.S.

• Major depression in both men and women with recent heart attacks or unstable angina more than doubles the risk of cardiac death.

• women are diagnosed with depression, anxiety and mood disorders twice as frequently as men.

“Depression prolongs a state of chronic stress on our bodies, with profound physiological effects on the heart,” Dr. Hansen told me. “Depression could be just as significant an independent risk factor for heart disease in women as obesity.”

Chronic stress floods the body with stress hormones and reduces the “feel-good” hormone serotonin. Chronic stress also can lead to many risk factors for cardiac disease, such as diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure. in addition, stress increases the heart rate and blood pressure, reduces blood flow to the heart, and can trigger blockages in the arteries. Studies have shown that people with depression are less likely to take prescribed medications and follow lifestyle recommendations regarding diet, exercise, smoking cessation and alcohol consumption.

“Heart disease requires careful self-management, such as cutting back on salt and fat and following a strict medication and

exercise regimen. People with depression often don’t feel the motivation,” Dr. Hansen told me.

Of course, many people become depressed following a diagnosis of cardiac disease or a major cardiac event – making a full recovery less likely. Dr. Hansen says this is especially true of women. She believes it is because women have less social support. women tend to be the family caregivers, with no one to care for them physically and emotionally when they are ill themselves.

we can reduce our risk of cardiac disease through what we already know: don’t smoke, get plenty of exercise and eat well. Dr. Hansen says it is vital for women to reduce our risk of depression. research shows that chronic emotional tress is one of the most potent triggers of depression. thus, Dr. Hansen urges us to recognize and control the stress in our lives. we need to understand our limits, learn to delegate, and put ourselves in control of our lives instead of letting our lives control us. She encourages us to empower ourselves with strong, nurturing relationships. An unhappy marriage is the number one trigger for depression in women, so Dr. Hansen emphasizes that women who are having marital problems find a marriage counselor and seek other emotional support.

take your stress to heart…literally.

Because it all begins with a healthy woman…

to view the full library of Sue Ann Says monthly columns, visit wwhf.org, click Publications.i

4

Sue Ann says...

Dr. Hansen has worked with wwhf presenting, consulting and training Parish Nurses of the GrapeVine Project.

It all begins with a healthy woman. 5

Take Stress and Depression to Heart

Winter 2012 Wisconsin Women's HealtH Foundation | WWW.WWHF.org66

A new member to the centenarian club is Helen Schleck, who turned 100 in november.

“You have to laugh more than you cry,” says 98-year-old Alice rortvedt, whose laughter is infectious. She and her husband, ted, recently celebrated their 80th wedding anniversary.

they take care of each other, they’ve worked side by side on their farm and they manage never to be bored.

“All the physical labor on the farm probably had something to do with how long we’ve lived,” says ted, who was born more than 100 years ago, in December 1911.

Agnes Payne would agree. never having had a driver’s license, she walked everywhere. in fact, her four-mile trek in to work at Oscar Mayer went on for more than 30 years. Her self-sufficiency and willingness to do whatever needed to be done are suspected factors for her longevity and continuing good health. Having just celebrated her 105th birthday in July, Agnes is enjoying another new milestone.

A new member to the centenarian club is Helen Schleck, who turned 100 in november. She outlines three secrets to her success: “i was happy in my profession (as a nurse 1934-78), i had a lot of good friends and i was open to doing almost anything.” today, she keeps herself active both physically and mentally.

And then there’s Alice richards, trailing behind the others at the tender age of

97. to this day, she loves things that are fast—race cars and horses—and she feels a special connection with young people, meaning anyone half her age or less. She thrives on relationships with others and on her positive attitude.

After a recent mishap that would easily cramp another’s style, Alice smiled through it all. She received some 200 greeting cards and plenty of visitors and phone calls. Her investment in a life well lived continued to pay off. “i’m having a ball!” she exclaimed. i

Submitted by St. Mary ’s Hospital, stmarysmadison.com. St. Mary ’s provides funding to print this newsletter, and we appreciate their generosity.

Living to 100!

even though he’s just a kid at 86, dr. Bill rock, knows a thing or two about internal medicine, aging well and quality of life. Here are his top tips:

• stay informed, involved, connected. a sense of purpose helps reduce the risk for dementia and makes life more fun!

• Kick bad health habits. avoid tobacco; drink alcohol responsibly.

• exercise. Walk every single day.

• eat a balanced diet. “everything in moderation”

allows room for treats!

• Build good relationships with family, friends and pets.

• practice optimism and let go of stress.

• try new things and have no regrets. life is

for living!

Happy Heart mascot joins 105-year-old Agnes Payne and several of her descendants: 5-year-old Logan Quam (her great great-grandson), Derek Quam (Logan’s dad) and Cyndi Wachtel (Derek’s mom). Cyndi’s dad,

Bob Gray (who passed away), would complete the five generation photo.

Doc Rock’s Tips for a Long and Healthy Life

It all begins with a healthy woman. 77

Donate.Donate Online at www.wwhf.org/involved/

The Wisconsin Women’s Health Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and relies

on the generosity of individuals, corporations and foundations to sustain our women’s health

education programs, research and scholarship initiatives.

Volunteer.Contact Janet Johnson at jjohnson@wwhf.org or at 800.448.5148 ext. 111

The Wisconsin Women’s Health Foundation relies on the help of many volunteers

to carry out events and prepare for programs.

Shop. Purchase a license plate $15 issuance fee plus $25 donation

Your donation will be re-invested in communities all over Wisconsin

Purchase a Healthy Connections bracelet 15th Anniversary Special: $75

Your purchase will support women's health education programs. Bracelets are made of sterling

silver beads and Swarovski crystals and include a sterling silver WWHF logo charm.

Spread the Word.Do you or someone you know need help paying for mammograms

and breast health services in Southeast Wisconsin? We can help!

Call 1-877-910-PINK (7465).

Get Involved

Find these bracelets and license plates at www.wwhf.org/involved/shop-wwhf/

Support our Mission!The generosity of our individual and corporate donors allows wwhf to offer educational and outreach programs to women all over the state. Donations also facilitate the growth of important women's health research initiatives. Call (800) 448-5148, visit wwhf.org for more information, or complete the form below. Thank you for your donation!

Please accept my contribution in the amount of: $ _____________________________ Name: ___________________________________________

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Please mail to Wisconsin Women’s Health Foundation, 2503 Todd Drive, Madison, WI 53713

nOn PrOFit OrGU.S. POStAGe

PAiDMadison, wi

PerMit no. 16212503 todd Drive

Madison, wi 53713

800.448.5148 wwhf.org

2012-2013 wwHF Board of Directors

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Sue Ann Thompson Founder & President

Carol Bluhm Markos Vice President

Janeen Meehan Secretary

Essie Whitelaw Treasurer

Jason Thompson Assistant Treasurer

Michele Bauer, MD

Terri Bresenham

Molly Carnes, MD, MS

Lisa A. H. Cudahy

Darshan Singh Dhaliwal

Marilyn Follen, RN, MSN

Jane Blain Gilbertson

Rodman P. Hise

Jake Orville

Thelma A. Sias

Jim Riordan