November 19th, 2008
Have you heard of Movember? I had - sort of, vaguely, kind of - but I have to admit that I’d not paid any attention to it until I received an email from a PR agency telling me about how Movember is being treated in Canada.
Movember was started 2003 and according to its website, their events create "awareness around men’s health issues and raises funds for carefully selected beneficiary partners (that are also charitable organizations) in each country, with a focus on prostate cancer."
The email I received said:
Movember, a moustache growing charity event held every year during November that raises funds and awareness for men’s health. In Canada, Movember is being utilized to get people talking about prostate cancer, a very serious health issue for men.
We don’t expect you to grow a moustache for the cause, but you can spread the word to your fathers, brothers, husbands and friends.
So, why not spread the word? If you like Facebook, they even have a Facebook page for you to join: Canada Movember Group.
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Tags: cancer blog, prostate cancer, men’s health, mustaches, movember
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By Marijke -- 0 comments
November 18th, 2008
What do broccoli and lung cancer have in common? Nothing - and that’s the good news.
Researchers are finding signs that cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and brussel sprouts, have a special effect on people who smoke, reducing their risk of developing cancer.
In a study that was presented at a recent conference, researchers found that the risk dropped from 20% to 55%, depending on the type of vegetable eaten and heavy a smoker the person was during the study period. The important point to take note of us that it was only these cruciferous vegetables that had this effect, not others.
So, if you’re a smoker but you’re not fond of these vegetables, maybe you can try cooking them in different fashions to hide their strong taste. I love my brussel sprouts drizzled in garlic butter. Why not give that a try?
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Image: MorgueFile.com
Tags: cancer blog, lung cancer, broccoli, smoking, smoker, cruciferous vegetables
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By Marijke -- 0 comments
November 18th, 2008
Esophageal cancer, cancer of the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract, is not a common cancer but it is a difficult one to treat.
Researchers have found that people who smoke and/or drink large quantities of alcohol increase their risk of esophageal cancer significantly. For example, for one subtype of cancer, esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, the risk was five times higher among people who drank four glasses of alcohol per day.
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Tags: cancer blog, esophageal cancer
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By Marijke -- 0 comments
November 17th, 2008
Cold FX is a cold remedy that is an approved cold and flu-fighting product in Canada. Cold FX has also caught the attention of the United States National Cancer Institute, which is now sponsoring a landmark trial to see if this remedy will help patients with cancer, who are at higher risk for catching these viral infections.
According to a press release issued by CV Techonologies Inc:
The trial will be conducted by American cancer and infectious diseases experts at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in North Carolina. Wake Forest currently oversees approximately 150 cancer trials and is regarded as one of America’s leading cancer research facilities.
The double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, involving 336 patients, was originally planned to include up to 19 U. S research sites. However, in approving the study, the NCI accelerated the process – targeting completion over a single cold and flu season. To assist in recruitment, it also opened up its cancer trials support unit network of more than 1,500 cancer research sites across the U.S.
Since infection from viruses can be so dangerous for people with cancer, if this product is helpful, this would be a big help for many.
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Tags: cancer blog, cold FX, cold remedy, flu remedy
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By Marijke -- 0 comments
November 17th, 2008
I came across an interesting Canadian website over the weekend, called Fertile Future.
Their introductory paragraph says:
In 2005, approximately 10,000 Canadians aged 20-44 were diagnosed with cancer. An estimated 80% survived. Thousands of young Canadians every year seek to find a way to preserve their fertility before undergoing potentially sterilizing cancer treatment in order to survive. Fertile Future provides fertility preservation information and supporting services to Canadian cancer patients and their families in and prior to their reproductive years who are facing fertility-risking medical treatment, as well as oncology professionals.
I don’t know much about it, and I’m not flogging this site, I just thought it might be interesting for people who would like to learn more.
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Tags: cancer blog, fertile future, cancer patients, cancer treatment, preserve fertility
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By Marijke -- 0 comments
November 16th, 2008
We promise to love and protect them from birth. Every cut and bump makes us cringe; when our children hurt, we hurt. We hope and pray that our children will remain safe, and we are saddened by stories of others whose children are sick or who have been hurt.
There are times though, when we can’t protect our children from becoming ill. According to the United States National Cancer Institute, "cancer is the leading cause of death by disease among U.S. children between infancy and age 15." Interestingly, white children develop cancer more than children from any other ethnic group.
Leukemia, brain cancer and cancers of the central nervous system are the most common types of childhood cancers. But, although the cancer numbers aren’t changing over the years, the death rate has dropped drastically. Fewer children are dying because of this horrible disease.
Because having a child with cancer is a whole new world, one that you wished you’d never had to experience, there is so much to learn and know as you help your child through his or her illness. You’ll need to know the new vocabulary associated with cancer, the various treatments, the roles of the healthcare workers, your role, and how to cope with what is going on around you and at home, especially if you have other children.
To help you along this unexpected journey, the National Cancer Institute has put together a very informative booklet for parents of children who have cancer: Young People with Cancer: A Handbook for Parents. The booklet deals with numerous issues from the basic (What is cancer?) to the realistic (Moving on With Life).
Do you have a child with cancer? What would you tell other parents who are beginning this journey?
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Images: Newscom
Tags: cancer blog, childhood cancers, leukemia, brain cancer, cancer handbook
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By Marijke -- 1 comment
November 15th, 2008
Are you going through chemotherapy? We hear (and see) of so many people getting chemo and experiencing the nausea and vomiting that can accompany it.
There are nausea-reducing medications available, but for some people they either don’t work or they don’t like to take them for other reasons. I just read about this product, Queasy Pops Nausea Suckers, which I’ve never tried so I’m not speaking from experience. But reading the product description makes me think that they’re worth telling you about.
Their product description:
Queasy Pops are effective due to their special formulation of essential oils from natural herbs and aromatherapy, in combination with their unique delivery method. Assorted package of 7 pops. One each of the great-tasting flavors: Ginger, Sour Raspberry, Sour Lemon, Sour Tangerine, Peppermint, Spearmint and Lavender.
While the strong flavors may seem odd for someone who is nauseated, it does seem that these types of flavors are the best for chemo-induced nausea.
If you have tried this product or intend on trying it, could you leave us a comment on how it works/worked for you?
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Tags: chemotherapy, chemo, chemotherapy nausea, aromatherapy, anti-nausea, cancer blog
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By Marijke -- 0 comments
November 14th, 2008
A blog about cancer does, sadly, have to include some sad news from time to time - and this is one of those times.
In December 2007, journalist, teacher, technical writer and website designer, Emru Townsend was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of leukemia. His only chance was getting bone marrow and the chance of finding a matching donor were very slim. Emru was of Caribbean descent and that ethnic group is sorely under-represented in the bone marrow registries of North America.
Against all odds, a match was found and in early September 2008, Emru received a stem cell transplant and things looked up at first. Unfortunately, the leukemia was too strong and he lost his fight on November 11, at around 10 pm.
Emru was a popular figure in the writing community. Many members of the Professional Writers Association of Canada (PWAC) are mourning his death as he had been an active member of PWAC before he left a few years ago. He also touched many people in the other parts of his life, not to mention his family and friends. Emru left behind his parents, his sister, and his wife Vicky and son Max.
Emru made it his mission to promote the need for getting people listed on the bone marrow registry. You can read about Emru at HealEmru.com. You can also read about his journey through his blog.
God speed Emru.
~~~~~
Tags: cancer blog, emru townsend, emru, leukemia, bone marrow registry, bone marrow transplant, stem cell transplant
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By Marijke -- 0 comments
November 13th, 2008
Most blogs on cancer focus on humans, but pets are a very important part of human life. And, when cancer strikes a beloved dog or cat, or any other loved creature, we are touched too. When there is important news in cancer findings on pets, I’ll be writing about it, as well as stories about pets themselves. I have an unending passion for greyhounds, so we may be a little heavy on the greyhound side, but I’ll be sure to mention others too. :-)
I’ve lost three dogs to cancer in the past 4 years. Rox was a purebred golden retriever who we rescued before he was to be dumped at the SPCA. He was 2 years old when he came to share his life with us and he died 7 years later, at the age of 9. Like a typical golden, he didn’t let on that he was in pain or not well. So, but the time we discovered that he had cancer of the stomach, we had no choice but to let him go. That was in January of 2004.
In June of that same year, I fell in love with greyhounds and Oscar, whose racing name was Answer to Chevy, came to live with us. He was at a race track in Massachusetts and he was brought up here to his forever home. Oscar was only 2 years old but his owners felt he wasn’t a winning racer, so they gave him up. Greyhounds often develop cancer and, unfortunately, Oscar did. He had a tumor on his spine in his neck. He died August 13, 2007. He was 10 days shy of his fifth birthday and his death came one week after I published a book about him, Oscar’s Diaries: Live as a Retired Greyhound.
It was too heart breaking to lose two dogs so close together but in November 2007, I allowed myself to fall in love with Dee, also a greyhound who had been kept for breeding. Her racing name was Cee Bar Denise. It turned out that her dad and Oscar’s dad were the same; they were half siblings. Dee came to share her life with us, her first and forever home, on November 11. She wasn’t quite a senior yet, only turned 9 yrs old on December 23, but she needed a home and ours was hers. Sadly, she also died just this past August. We didn’t get a definite diagnosis, but the vet thinks that, yet again, cancer struck our household.
Whether your love is a greyhound, a poodle, a Heinz 57, the pain of losing our precious friends can seem unbearable at times. But would I have passed up the chance to feel the love of those three precious dogs, even knowing when I would lose them? Never.
Rox, my wild child and a bundle of joy, Oscar, my heart dog, and Dee, my sweet broodie are all at Rainbow Bridge, hopefully exchanging happy and fun stories of their time with us.
Do you have a pet story to share?
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Photos: Marijke Vroomen-Durning
Tags: cancer blog, dogs and cancer, pets and cancer, rainbow bridge, greyhounds, pets
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By Marijke -- 3 comments
November 12th, 2008
Late last month, the National Cancer Institute put an end to a study on how the combination of vitamin E and selenium would prevent prostate cancer. Unfortunately, during the first review of the study’s findings, there were no signs of a decline in the rate of prostate cancer.
The study, called SELECT (SELenium and vitamin ECancer prevention Trial), was a randomized, blinded trial, which means that the men and their doctors didn’t know what treatment they were getting. Beginning in 2001, the men were divided into 1 of 4 groups. They were given either vitamin E and selenium together, vitamin E plus a placebo, selenium plus a placebo, or just placebos.
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Tags: cancer blog, prostate cancer, selenium, vitamin E
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By Marijke -- 0 comments
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