Print edition: 
Wichitan Jerome Biggars, 47, is back from Nova Scotia where he was recognized earlier this month as 2010 International King for TOPS, or Take Off Pounds Sensibly.
Biggars, who now has lost an even 300 pounds, was featured in an Eagle story in January, when he'd lost more than 260 pounds.
He was nearing 500 pounds when he started his efforts.
In addition to being named king, Biggars was a men's division winner.
He said he would like to lose a few more pounds, "just to have breathing room," but otherwise is at his goal and now will focus on maintaining weight.
Biggars knows that will be difficult and says he will approach it the same way he did his weight loss: by setting new goals to work toward.
They'll likely be physical activity goals, such as participating in a marathon and triathlon, he says.
In addition to participating in the Valley Center TOPS group, Biggars used Medi-Weightloss of Kansas, a low-calorie, low-carb plan overseen by Andover physician Jeannine Cobb.
In late January, he had a tummy tuck that removed 11 pounds of excess skin.
Doctors also planned to do some liposuction but "there wasn't anything to lipo," he says.
—Karen Shideler
Support group formed for lung ailments
The American Lung Association is starting a support group for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and their families.
The group's first meeting will be at 2 p.m. Aug. 11 in Conference Room 2035 at Via Christi Hospital on St. Francis. The topic will be a discussion and demonstration of oxygen equipment and traveling safely with oxygen.
Registration is requested by calling 316-689-5700.
—Karen Shideler
Study: Breast cancer hits women of African descent harder
A new study finds that African ancestry is linked to a more aggressive type of breast cancer that is more deadly.
Researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center in Ann Arbor found that, among women with breast cancer, 82 percent of African women had the breast cancer called "triple negative," 26 percent of African-Americans had the variety, and 16 percent of white Americans had it.
Triple negative breast cancer is negative for three markers used to determine treatment: the estrogen receptor, the progesterone receptor and HER-2/neu. Recent advances in breast cancer treatments target each of the receptors, but targeting all three is a major problem, said Lisa Newman, director of the Breast Care Center at the Comprehensive Cancer Center.
"Outcome disparities are therefore likely to increase, because fewer African-American women are candidates for these newer treatments," she said.
The study is in the online journal "Cancer."
