Filed under: Colon and Rectal Cancer , Politics , Daily news , Cancer Survivors White House Press Secretary Tony Snow popped in for an unexpected visit on Bill O'Reilly's Radio Factor on Wednesday with the purpose of clearing up a certain cancer matter. "Some of this has been misreported," Snow told O'Reilly in reference to his recent cancer recurrence . "I do not have liver cancer," Snow said. "There are a number of small tumors that are in my abdominal cavity; they have not hit any other organs." Snow, 51, said there is also no cancer traveling through his bloodstream and that he plans to return to work after recovering from the surgery he had two weeks ago to remove tumors from his abdomen. Although his cancer is not threatening his life -- he says if the tumors didn't grow from now until the time he died, he would be absolutely fine -- Snow will still receive chemotherapy to "drive this sucker into remission," he said. Snow began battling cancer in 2005 when he was diagnosed with colon cancer, had his colon removed, and underwent several months of chemotherapy. Read     Permalink     Email this     Linking Blogs     Comments

Filed under: Breast Cancer , Cancer Caregivers My blood looked good. My weight is normal. My temperature was 98.2. My blood pressure was perfect. And the physical exam conducted by my oncologist revealed that for another three-month stretch, I have survived cancer. There are other exams ahead in the next few months -- a breast MRI, a mammogram, an ultrasound, a follow-up with my radiation oncologist -- but mostly, my life revolves around the every-three-month visit with my medical oncologist. He's the one who plotted the course of my treatment, responds to my physical and emotional ups and downs, and checks my every piece and part. He is the one who will declare my remission in five years, if warranted. He is the one who told me today I am doing very well. And for the next three months, I will assume I am just that -- very well. And my hope is that on May 21, when I depart his office once again, I am able to report that not one thing has changed. Permalink     Email this     Linking Blogs     Comments

Filed under: Breast Cancer He an unlikely breast cancer survivor -- because he is a man. But still he developed the disease that roughly 1,700 men will contract this year. And while that statistics pertaining to women and men with breast cancer differ -- women are 100 times more likely to get the disease -- the biology of the disease is exactly the same. Under the microscope, breast cancer is breast cancer. It does not behave any differently in female and male bodies. And detection, treatment, and survival rates are nearly identical for both sexes. Bob Riter, 49, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1996. Now in remission, he works as the associate director of the Ithaca Breast Cancer Alliance in New York where he speaks out and educates the public about this widespread disease. He believes his personal story, with its different twist, prompts people to really listen. Riter's audiences learn that breast cancer in men usually presents itself as a lump in the chest, dimpling of the skin, or changes in the nipple. Doctors can perform breast exams, mammography, and biopsy to investigate the possibility of the cancer that typically strikes men between the ages of 60 and 70. Treatment includes mastectomy to remove the tumor and surrounding lymph nodes, chemotherapy, radiation, and hormone therapy. It was the presence of blood coming from his nipple that sent Riter to his doctor -- and then to a surgeon who declared a diagnosis of breast cancer. Riter is somewhat of an exception because he reported to his doctor immediately. Most men do not. Many do not even realize they are at risk of breast cancer so they ignore symptoms. They also may go underground with their suspicions of breast cancer because of embarrassment. Both can lead to diagnoses of more advanced diseases. Riter is doing his part to enlighten both men and women that men are not immune to breast cancer, that they should be active in monitoring their breast health. "I really like to go to national breast cancer meetings," he says, "because a lot of people know that men get breast cancer in theory, but until you have a face to associate with it, it's fairly abstract. And so I'm sort of that face." Read     Permalink     Email this     Linking Blogs     Comments

Filed under: Childhood Cancers , Fundraisers , Products The kids at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital keep busy getting better. They keep busy making holiday gifts too -- like ornaments and ceramic plates and holiday cards and gift wrap. All of their hand-crafted creations fill the 2006 St. Jude Holiday Hope Gift Book , available now and jam-packed with powerful gifts of hope. Proceeds from gift purchases -- 84 percent of each sale -- benefit sick children in every community in every country who come to St. Jude for life-saving treatment. Like Caleb, a seven-year-old boy diagnosed in 2004 with leukemia. Caleb was referred to St. Jude -- where no family is ever turned away because of an inability to pay -- and received treatment for three years. Caleb is now in remission and expresses his feelings through his artwork. Anna Grace, a five-year-old who was abandoned on a roadside in China when she was one day old, was adopted by an American couple and soon after was diagnosed with a cancerous tumor on her brain stem. After surgery to remove the tumor, Anna Grace was referred to St. Jude for chemotherapy and radiation. Today, Anna Grace is healthy and only returns for check-ups every six months. St. Jude stories of hope are plentiful. And so are the kid-created holiday gifts offered this season. Read     Permalink     Email this     Linking Blogs     Comments

Filed under: Breast Cancer , Celebrity cancer diagnosis , Cancer Survivors When Australian pop star Kylie Minogue was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005, there was a sudden surge in the number of young women requesting breast cancer screening. Minogue's breast cancer diagnosis at the age of 37 raised concern among a younger population of women that breast cancer is a diagnosis that could potentially happen to them. Knowledge is power and education saves lives. The increase in breast cancer awareness became known as the Kylie Effect. However, the awareness that younger women can develop breast cancer has led some women to age-related conclusions about breast cancer that are not true, and this is also being referred to as the Kylie Effect. According to a recent survey of 2,289 women conducted by Cancer Research UK, 77 percent of the survey participants said that breast cancer risk was higher for women under the age of 70, and 33 percent said that women under the age of 50 were most at risk. The fact is cancer risk increases with age, and four out of five women diagnosed with breast cancer are over the age of 50. "Celebrities with breast cancer like Kylie Minogue and Caron Keating have attracted a lot of publicity -- especially in magazines aimed at younger women. This is very beneficial in that it raises awareness of breast cancer. But the down side is that it may also set up a chain of panic among young women, while misleading older women to think that ageing is not a relevant factor in breast cancer," stated Dr Lesley Walker of Cancer Research UK. For a retrospective of Kylie Minogue's breast cancer journey:

• Kylie Minogue: voted favorite traveling companion of men.
• Kylie Minogue: world exclusive interview with Sky One.
• Kylie Minogue loses close friend and personal chauffeur to cancer.
• Kylie Minogue: back on stage as a breast cancer survivor.
• Kylie Minogue: laughter is the best medicine for cancer cure.
• Dannii Minogue: sings under pressure about sister Kylie.
• Kylie Minogue breast cancer survivor glows in health.
• Kylie Minogue: cancer survivor writes children's book.
• Kylie Minogue joins women in fight for Herceptin.
• Kylie Minogue in breast cancer remission.

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Filed under: Breast Cancer , All Cancers , Sunday Seven , Cancer Survivors When I was first diagnosed with breast cancer almost two years ago, my greatest fear was losing my hair. The fear was consuming, painful, over-the-top. That was long ago -- and I survived. I can look back now and realize that the panic about losing my hair was such a small-scale fear -- compared to what I fear now. Now I fear a recurrence of cancer. And it's a whole lot more disabling than a little worry about being bald. I have a few techniques for settling my fears when they get out of control. Sometimes I take deep breaths. Sometimes I distract myself and occupy my mind with something more pleasant than anxiety -- like writing, exercising, playing with my little boys. And sometimes I read about others who have come before me and have handled the same distress I sometimes feel about cancer taking up residence in my body again. Mostly I learn from stories of other women who have survived breast cancer. And I learn that I can handle the fear, that I can handle cancer if it does come back. And the women I find most inspiring are those who have had a recurrence -- or two or three -- and who still manage to happily tackle the life they have in front of them. They give me hope that if a recurrence comes my way, I too can conquer it. And here are seven snippets of hope from the book Hope Lives! The After Breast Cancer Treatment Survival Handbook -- from women who keep on surviving breast cancer. Ann, age 72, diagnosed 1972, 1991 & 1997 "I have had breast cancer three times since 1972. I am a survivor thank God! I do not wish to dwell in the past. I am enjoying life and living fully now." Robin, age 38, diagnosed 1996, 1998 & 1999 "Why do I keep going through treatment when there is no permanent cure? I ask myself this every time. There are no options other than death, which to me is not an option. It's not that I fear death. I really don't anymore. I just love life too much to quit. It's a race against time. Treatment buys me time until they come up with new drugs or new ways to treat my illness. I'm not quitting." Debra, age 43, diagnosed 1991, 1994, 1998 & 1999 "The first three times, I chose chemo and traditional treatments, but it gets harder on my body and my head to keep going back into it. This time, I'm going to try some alternative approaches to cancer. My friends think it's because I'm giving up and want to die now. I wish they could understand that the treatment is unbearable for me, and with so few choices left, I'm choosing a different approach because I want to live now. Not just survive, but live." Jan, age 52, diagnosed 1985, 1989 & 1991 "The first time I had breast cancer, I beat it by not allowing it to change my life. The second time, I beat it by not allowing it to change my life. The third time, it changed my life and I allowed it to. Maybe I'll beat it this time. June, age 60, diagnosed 1978 & 1998 "The second time was much less frightening for me because I knew so much more about breast cancer. Knowledge is power, so get informed." Margaret, age 51, diagnosed 1990 & 1997 "I've had both breast cancer and ovarian cancer. I have no breasts and no reproductive system, but I'm still very much alive and very much a woman. I am living proof that there is life after cancer treatment. Try to remember that you went through it so you could live. Don't waste time being afraid. LIVE your life!" Ruth, age 49, diagnosed 1995 & 1999 "Treatment is not as bad this time. My doctor has my side-effect medication adjusted well, and mentally I am not as overwhelmed as when I was originally diagnosed. I wish I had been in remission longer, but I'm happy that there are still drugs out there to treat me. I still work, play tennis, and take care of my children. Breast cancer for me is a chronic illness, but one I seem to be able to live with. I am grateful for that, but I pray daily for a cure." And this is just a bit of what makes me feel better when the fear of recurrence takes hold of my mind. Permalink     Email this     Linking Blogs     Comments

Filed under: All Cancers , Opinion , Blogs , Healing Attitude Almanac Cancer go away. The news is not good today. When someone is diagnosed with cancer, and there seem to be so many of us now, it does not diminish the initial response when you find out someone else has cancer. The news is still a shock to the spirit, a moment where the breath catches and pauses out of rythmn, and the heart drops into another pool of sadness. As a cancer survivor, you know what is to come for the newly diagnosed, not just the physical, but the mental, the emotional and the spiritual effects for the cancer patient and those who love them. Cancer. I hate this disease. You have just learned you have cancer, and I am surviving cancer. With all my heart, I want you to survive cancer too. I walk back through my mind, retracing my footsteps from the day of my cancer diagnosis to this, remembering all the things I did that might have tipped the scales in favor of my living and not dying. I cannot say I know the one thing that it might have been, or the combination of things I might have done, so I want to remember it all. I want to share all of it with you. I want you to be able to tip the scales in favor of life and not death too. Here is how I approached my diagnosis of cancer, these are the perspectives I held and the steps I took during my cancer treatments and healing. Maybe there is something in all of it that matters, that made a difference, that if you know too, will help you in your healing too. Believe in your healers. Look for compassion. Someone who has time to listen. Someone who has time to answer your questions. Listen to your intuition when you meet with them, feel what your intuition is telling you. If you do not believe in your healers, keep looking until you find the healers you can believe in. Then have faith they will do everything they can, as expertly as they can, to help you heal. Let them know you will be doing everything you can to help yourself heal, while they are doing everything they can to help you heal. Know you have options. You may not like most of your options, but you have options. Do not allow yourself to believe you are helpless to choose, change or affect the outcome of the challenge before you. Take your time. Research all the options offered to you, and when you are sure they are the right ones for you, then consent to the procedure and treatment. The surgeon, the oncologist, the radiologist, the chemotherapy nurse, the plastic surgeon, the oncology social worker, all the healers and healthcare workers, have been trained to do the jobs they do, and most likely you have not been trained in any of these specialities. It can be impressive what they can do. But you can learn about what they are planning for you, and the reasons why, and you can know that of the entire group of healers, you are the most impressive in what you can do, while they are doing their jobs. Get the nutrition facts. Find out what others are saying in relation to cancer and nutrition. Some cancer patients begin to follow a macrobiotic diet, some become vegetarians, some simply begin eating organic whenever possible, and prepackaged and processed never. Unfortunately, the U.S. is the fast food nation, and the convenience of our foods are laced with chemical additives, hormones and antibiotics. We are what we eat, and our food supply is based on food industry profit, not personal nutritional value. Because I wanted to achieve balance, I adopted a habit of eating based on the glycemic index diet to maintain even blood sugar levels, follow the Mediterranean diet pyramid, eat as much organic as I can find, and prepare all my food from scratch. I will not eat anything with transfat. Beware the quacks and snake oil salesmen. There are the unscrupulous selling empty promises by preying on the vulnerable and frightened. Be skeptical, cynical and cautious. But do not dismiss centuries old traditions like Ayreveda, Chinese Medicine, yoga, acupuncture, meditation, massage, talk therapy, support groups, visualization and the power of prayer. You can integrate many of these into any conventional medical treatments you choose to treat your cancer. Let it go. All the deep down inside loneliness, the memories of abandonment, the coldness, the resentments, the anger, the grudges, the memories of any physical and emotional injury, that may have happened in the past. I sat and wrote letters, long letters to each person I had a difficulty with at any point in my life. I wrote and wrote and wrote until I had nothing else to say, and I said it all. Then I ceremonially built a fire in the woodstove and watched each letter burn until it was pure ash. Until it was gone. And I walked away. Know you are not alone. Even if you do not believe in guardian angels, go ahead and know you have at least one with you at all times. Looking out for you, at all times, and has been with you before you were born. Believe you are loved, completely and unconditionally loved, and that you always have been, even in the times you may not have felt you were loved. Keep telling yourself you were always loved, are loved now, and will always be loved. You were never, and are not now, and never will be, alone. I kept telling myself this throughout the day, each day, and did not bother to question whether I believed it or not. Sometimes I think I short circuited an internal belief system of deprivation so deeply embedded within my consciousness I was unaware it existed on a conscious level. One day it occured to me, I not only knew these statements to be true, I realized I truly, and finally, believed I was loved. Love has been with me ever since, and I have never felt alone. Love, providence and grace are my constant companions. I am saying they are yours too, in the concept comfortable for you to believe in, in case you do not know it already. Never accept blame. Do not blame yourself or allow others to suggest that somehow you caused your cancer. Accept responsibility for the changes you can make to help with your healing, but I repeat, never accept blame from yourself or others. In Healing Words by Larry Dossey, Saints and Sinners, Health and Healers, he notes that many great spiritual leaders have suffered ignominious ends marked by grotesque pain and suffering. Saint Bernadette, died of bone cancer. Jiddu Krishnamurti, died of pancreatic cancer. Suzuki Roshi, who brought Zen Buddhism to the U.S., died of liver cancer. The list goes on and on. And sickly saints are mirrored by what we could call healthy reprobates -- individuals who have no obvious spiritual inclinations whatsoever, who break all the rules of good health, smoke and drink with abandon, and live to be a hundred without ever falling ill. Simply accept and understand there is a great mystery here to life and we are standing in the middle of it. Illness is not a punishment. Rediscover time. Find ways to be in the present moment, to observe the beauty surrounding you, to breath in the tranquility of being in the moment. Spend time in nature. Make time for yourself. Do the things that make you feel good, that give you a sense of renewal and enthusiasm. Set aside time each day to collect inspirational quotes, prayers and stories of healing. Write these down on slips of paper. Create a healing shrine for yourself. Mine sat on my bedside table, and I kept my slips of paper of quotes, prayers and stories of healing in a beautiful little treasure box. I placed in my healing shrine, photos and momentos that had great personal meaning to me, that represented a tender love or pleasant memory. I kept a small blue velvet drawstring bag filled with the slips of paper of the prayers I felt were most powerful for me, so that when I had to travel or be in surgery or treatment, I had inspiration with me. Plan for the future. Make a list of all the things you would like to do in your life, that perhaps you have put off or felt you did not have time to do, and all the places you would like to see, and then make step by step plans on how to do and see all that is on your list. Take the time to make a long list. Add to your list as time goes on. Keep an open mind that you will have all the time you need to accomplish every item on your list. There is no rush, no hurry. You will have the time you need. Avoid toxic people. We all have them in our life, and we all know who they are, and we put up with them. They are the people, who on the surface may appear nice, but whenever we spend time with them, we leave the experience feeling bad somehow. If you cannot avoid these people, mentally visualize a white protective light surrounding you and protecting you when you are in their presence, that protects you from their energy. Fill your environment with colors you love, aromas you adore, art and books that move your soul, people you hold most dear. Honor yourself at all times, and celebrate your life continuously. From the Institute of Noetic Sciences, here is a list of some of the characteristics associated with remission and survival that cancer survivors are reporting: 1. A change from dependency to autonomy combined with activities, attitudes, and behaviors that promote increased autonomy, awareness of themselves, others, and their environment, love, joy, playfulness, satisfaction, laughter, and humor. 2. Facing the crisis, the despair, the sadness, and the pain and discovering they have the power to find a new way of life that is fulfilling and meaningful. 3. Taking control of their lives, personally, professionally, emotional, spiritually, and medically, and living each day fully combined with a willingness to evaluate their beliefs and attitudes and change old beliefs and attitudes that are no longer appropriate or adequate. 4. Becoming comfortable with and expressing and accepting both their positive and negative emotions/feelings, their needs, wants, and desires, physical, emotional, spiritual; the ability to say "No" when it is necessary for their well being. 5. Having at least one strong loving relationship-a strong connection to another person, an activity, an organization(s), changing the quality of their interpersonal relationships with spouses, friends, family, neighbors, doctors, nurses, etc. in a positive way, and motivation to help others. 6. Working in partnership with their physicians and participating in decisions related to their health and well being. 7. Finding meaning in the experience of cancer, finding reasons to live, accepting the diagnosis but not the prognosis, seeing the disease as a challenge, belief in a positive outcome, and having a renewed desire, will and commitment to life. 8. Choosing activities and practices that promote increased awareness and reduce stress (imagery, stress reduction, yoga, etc.); showing renewed spiritual awareness (Soul) that often results in a spiritual practice (prayer, meditation, religious affiliation, connection to nature, etc.). Cancer. Just go away. Stop threatening to take any more people away. Cancer Go Away was originally published in an obscure little blog of mine last year. Because I am sure most of the readers to The Cancer Blog never visited my personal blog, I am sharing it here. Another friend has just been diagnosed with cancer. Each time, I think of what I wrote in Cancer Go Away. Permalink     Email this     Linking Blogs     Comments

Filed under: Childhood Cancers , Daily news When Denise Ashford was 14 weeks pregnant, a fetal ultrasound scan revealed signs of a tumor in her unborn child. Her child had cancer. The young mother, only 19 years old at the time, was counseled on having an abortion. The cancer her baby had was neuroblastoma, a cancer that forms in nerve tissue of the adrenal gland, neck, chest, or spinal cord. Ashford, and the father Peter Thomas, refused to consider aborting the baby -- they said they would hang on for a miracle. Each week, tests were done to watch how the unborn baby's tumor was growing. Within weeks, the tumor had begun to shrink. "The doctors told us that sometimes in very small children this type of tumor can shrink over time. But then over the next four weeks, we were given some even more unbelievable news -- the tumor had disappeared altogether," stated Ashford. Kiah Thomas came into this world at 6 pounds 1 ounce, and celebrates her fifth birthday as a happy healthy child. At the time of her birth, doctors said it was very rare for cancer to be detected in a baby before birth and then for it to disappear. But it happens. Called spontaneous remission, regression or miracles, stories of cancer patients defying the greatest of odds or having cancer suddenly disappear have always been told, as anecdotal evidence of mysteries we do not fully understand or have yet to seriously study. For more information about spontaneous remission, the Institute of Noetic Sciences has compiled the largest database of medically reported cases of spontaneous remission in the world by reviewing over 3,500 references, from more than 800 journals in 20 languages, as a step towards expanding our knowledge and understanding of a real phenomenon that occurs, and yet, no one can explain. Read     Permalink     Email this     Linking Blogs     Comments

Filed under: Breast Cancer , Cancer events , Events , Television One lucky couple was chosen -- from a pool of more than 450 couples who competed in ESPN's Marriage Madness competition -- as winner of the ultimate ESPN sports wedding. With listeners of the Mike & Mike in the Morning national TV and radio show as voters, Catherine and Jason West, now husband and wife, were married May 26, 2006 on ESPN. Noteworthy is the fact that both Catherine and Jason are die-hard University of Florida Gator fans -- they met at a Gator tailgating party and were engaged at Lake Alice, a popular outdoor spot on campus. The bride wore crystal Gator beadwork on her gown and the groom's tuxedo jacket was lined in Gator orange. The maid of honor wore a Gator blue dress and carried an orange bouquet. The wedding vows included the traditional messages of love, honor, and respect -- but some sports twists were sprinkled in too. The Wests took away a check for $20,000, compliments of hosts Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic, and they will soon head off on an all-expense paid sports-inspired honeymoon. This wedding is inspired not just by sports.  It is also inspired by cancer survival. Catherine -- who became engaged on the one-year anniversary of her first breast cancer surgery -- is now in full cancer remission. And a $2,500 donation was made in the couple's name to the V Foundation , a cancer fund in memory of Jim Valvano, a former North Carolina State basketball coach and ESPN broadcaster. This is surely an event to remember. Read     Permalink     Email this     Linking Blogs     Comments

Filed under: Breast Cancer , Alternative Therapies , Prevention Dannii Minogue told the British magazine Cosmopolitan that she is convinced laughter cured her older sister Kylie's breast cancer . While the prognosis was always good, Dannii admits both sisters struggled to believe everything would be fine, so they dressed up in silly clothes and watched comedies to keep a positive attitude and spirits up. Can laughter cure cancer? Not by itself -- but there are numerous studies that show laughter initiates a powerful biological process of feel-good healing chemicals that support and strengthen the immune system. We have done several posts here , here , here , here and here about the healing power of humor and the laughter associated with it. So, even if it seems farfetched and unrealistic for Dannii to believe that laughter cured her sister of breast cancer, she might be more right than she is wrong. Read     Permalink     Email this     Linking Blogs     Comments