MonticelloLive

Yesterday, MonticelloLive.com ran a story entitled “Spit For The Cure”.  Several people asked me about the story, as I was around Monticello yesterday.

“Spit For The Cure” is a research study, being sponsored by UAMS.  The purpose of the study is to compile a data-base that is attempting to compile anonymous information from 40,000 women during the next 5 years.  Since September, they have been able to interview almost 5,000 Arkansas ladies.

All information is confidential, and is identified only by bar-codes.  Participants can check for updates on the projects web-site.  Around 50 women took part in the program that was held locally on Wednesday at Curves for Women, on W. Gaines Street.

All DNA collected was done in the form of saliva, so there were no needles, which means everything was painless.

Jennifer Weeks, who represented the effort said, “The delta area has been ‘under-represented’ in many medial studies.”

She added, “Incidents of cancer in women the the delta area is higher the in many other areas.”

Pictured above, Bryannia Burke prepares to “contribute” her sample.