Stand Up To Cancer

People ask me this from time to time, though it's not as popular a salutation as it was in the 1730s. In that decade, if the answer went beyond "not much," the town crier often got involved.

These days, with the fast pace of modern technology and 24-hour news cycles and this whole internet fad, the answer is often "everything." So the whole "what's new" thing doesn't lend itself to brief stop-and-chats in the same way it did in the colonial period.

With Stand Up To Cancer's online creative content, we're always working to make sure that the "everything" part is true. Given the relative newness of the website itself, however, it might be good to give a primer on what's worth watching and reading on SUTV and SU2C Magazine. The answer? Again, everything. (Along with cancer, SU2C is also where the end of humility begins.)

There are 21 articles in the magazine and 10 videos spanning the channels of SUTV. In particular this week, if you haven't read the first installment of Alicia Sky Varinaitis' series of personal essays, Insane in the Membrane, then I really don't know what to say to you. Also, Cindy Chupack, Emmy winner and one of the creative minds behind that TV show Sex and the City, reminisced for us about the joys of getting a mammogram on your birthday while preparing to get married, enduring what she coined "the breast sandwich." Turns out it was an incredibly positive experience. (For readers, too.)

The incomparable Jerome Groopman M.D. -- scientist, author, and eternal skeptic of cancer research initiatives -- also wrote about what makes this project different from all other projects, and you don't need a Passover Seder to understand what he means.

Similarly, if you haven't watched Larry David's plea for help or the Daily Show's profanity-laced (but bleeped for office viewing) assault on cancer, then you aren't having enough fun.

Didn't get around to seeing the David Fincher (Fight Club, Panic Room) directed SU2C PSA? Then you haven't yet shed tears over a Stand Up To Cancer public service announcement.

And if you want to understand the urgency of this (and every) moment in cancer research, read and watch the Why Now video and article.

As for new creative content this week, you'll have a chance to see and get involved in an effort to spark greater government support for progress against cancer. As you know, our elected representatives have been forced to sit up and take notice of the growing crisis represented by cancer of late. Here's hoping they're going to stand up as well.

You'll get a chance to read more on what this whole translational research deal is about (it's in layman's terms -- that part of the translation will have already been done).

Truth is, there really aren't videos or articles posted on this site or upcoming that we aren't proud of and we hope they'll make you proud to be part of SU2C, and empowered to make the cause yours. Next week we'll do another roundup of whatever we've got that's both new and good (everything).

If you like, love, are indifferent, or just want to sound off about articles or videos, send an e-mail (blog@standup2cancer.org), post a comment below, or think on it and share your thoughts on our upcoming message board (you'll be able to find it right here in the Forums section of the magazine). We do want to hear from you.

Until the next blog post, thanks for continuing to help make SU2C a success.

-- Eli, Editor, SU2C Magazine

Posted on July 1, 2008 4:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

What exactly is cancer, anyway? What makes it so widespread and so difficult to defeat?

When we say "cancer," we"re actually referring to a group of over 100 diseases. Some - like breast cancer, skin cancer or prostate cancer - you've probably heard of. Others, like, may not sound so familiar. But they all have one thing in common: they all involve the uncontrolled mutation of cells that used to be healthy.

Here's how it works. Every day the cells that make up your body divide again and again; cells that have outlived their usefulness die, only to be immediately replaced by fresh, healthy cells. It sounds like a lot of activity, but it's all part of the normal processes that come with being alive. Cells divide millions of times over the course of a human life, and 99.9999999999999% of the time they do so flawlessly. That makes them better and more efficient at what they do than any computer ever invented. But once in a blue moon, there's a problem. And that's when cancer begins to take root.

It starts with a genetic abnormality in the material that makes up a dividing cell. Sometimes these abnormalities are passed from generation to generation (that's why women with a family history of breast cancer are at a greater risk themselves). Sometimes they're caused by carcinogens, like cigarette smoke or certain chemicals. And sometimes they just happen with no explanation at all. As you can imagine, the more times your cells divide, the more likely it becomes that an abnormality will pop up. That's why 77% of all cancers are diagnosed in people 55 and older.

Abnormalities sometimes go on to activate oncogenes, which give cells new and frightening abilities. Suddenly they're capable of dividing incredibly rapidly, far faster than is necessary for normal growth. They are capable of invading and destroying nearby tissue if it gets in their way. And they can travel through the blood to new areas of the body, taking root wherever they please in a process known as metastasis. That's what makes cancer such a daunting opponent - it harnesses the power of the human body, then turns it on itself.

For a long time people thought the only way to impede cancer's progress was to hurt the entire body with radiation or chemotherapy in hopes that the cancerous cells would die and the healthy cells would pull through. Today we're looking at targeted treatments (like Herceptin) that are safer, easier on the body and more effective - a killer combination. But there won't be new treatments without new research. And there won't be new research without new funding.

Ready to graduate to a more scientific explanation of cancer? Check out "What Is Cancer" in the Science section of SU2C Mag! And for a great explanation of why we need to support cancer research now more than ever, let leading luminaries in the field give you the lowdown on SUTV's Lab channel.

--Cat Vasko

Posted on July 2, 2008 4:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Win a chance to sit in Stand Up To Cancer's celebrity phone bank!

On September 5th, Stand Up To Cancer will be holding a national televised fundraiser to be broadcast on ABC, CBS, and NBC. Winners will have the opportunity to sit among A-list celebrities coming together to raise funds for innovative cancer research.

www.standup2cancer.org/mysu2c/sweepstakes

Runs July 3, 2008 through August 4, 2008.

Posted on July 3, 2008 12:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Recently, Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter wrote to SU2C about renewing and refocusing the energy of the federal government to push for progress in the war on cancer.

As the Senator's message points out, we have the power to make a crucial difference in how the United States government treats cancer and those affected by it. In order to do so, we have to act to put pressure on our elected representatives.

Please read Senator Specter's letter and get involved by e-mailing congress.

June 6, 2008

Executive Leadership Committee
Stand Up To Cancer

Dear Members of the Executive Leadership Committee:

I want to congratulate you on your September 5, 2008 "Stand Up to Cancer" television special and your innovative idea of raising funds from private sources for cutting-edge research.

Senator Tom Harkin and I have been, in a way, conducting our own fund-raising campaign--doubling the appropriation for the National Institutes of Health from $13 billion in 1998 to $26 billion in 2003. Unfortunately, since that time, our efforts have fallen short. Funding for medical research has become stagnant, not even keeping pace with inflation. Research grants have been trimmed back or eliminated all together. Ideas for testing bold new approaches to treating disease have been shunted to the back burner. Worse yet, promising young investigators--the future scientific leaders--have been discourages from entering this field of study.

I am asking that during your private fund-raising efforts, you call call on your viewers to raise their voices and demand that funding for the National Institutes of Health be doubled once again to $60 billion.

Particular attention should be given to the Members of Congress who have not been supportive, such as those who voted against stem cell legislation and increases for biomedical research funding in appropriations bills.

Once again, I commend you for your efforts on behalf of myself and the millions of Americans who are searching for new treatments in their fight against disease and disability.

Together we can be an unstoppable political force for increasing our investment in biomedical research. I thank you for joining me in this fight.

My Best,

Sincerely,

Arlen Specter
Ranking Member
Subcommmittee on Labor, Health
and Human Services and Education

Let our government know that we are paying attention, that the National Institutes of Health and the National Cancer Institute need help, and that they need help now: Go to the Get Involved page and e-mail Congress.

Posted on July 3, 2008 1:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (22)

It's astonishing how much exciting new cancer research can emerge in a week (and imagine how much more there could be with more funding, hint hint . . .) Much of it is too preliminary to hit the mainstream news, but you'd be amazed at everything you can learn with a quick Google search. For instance, did you know that coffee - sweet, delicious coffee - has been shown to protect against liver cancer? Perk up!
http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2008/06/26/coffee-liver.html

And scientists at Stanford have actually found a way to reverse the growth of every single type of cancer in mice. If this method proves viable in humans, we could be looking at a whole new ballgame.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080701083529.htm

Meanwhile, another exciting cancer treatment is finally ready for a human trial. It involves transfusing cancer-fighting granulocytes from healthy young donors into cancer patients, and in mice it worked not 80%, not 90%, but a full 100% of the time.
http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/healthday/2008/06/30/promising-cancer-treatment-ready-for-human-trial.html

In case you hadn't heard, you might want to think twice before firing up the grill this summer. Turns out cooking meats at high temperatures can produce carcinogens, which you then swallow with a nice coating of A1 sauce. But there is some good news: marinating meat before grilling not only makes it taste delicious, it also reduces the formation of cancer-causing agents.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/27/AR2008062703035.html

Here's the story on Gardasil: IT CURES CERVICAL CANCER. That should be all anyone needs to know, right? So why are the same problems that plagued the introduction of the vaccine in the US persisting in Australia? If ever there were an example of the need for more comprehensive public health education, this is it.
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/fear-campaign-over-cancer-vaccine/2008/07/01/1214678038236.html

On a cheerier note, I'm inspired yet again by the stories of those touched by cancer who've gone on to do incredible things. This week the NY Times Well blog alerted me to a fascinating section of the Journal of the American Medical Association called "Poetry in Medicine."
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/07/02/the-poetry-of-cancer/

Well, that's it for this week. Have a happy and safe Fourth and we'll be back next Thursday with more recommended reading!

--Cat Vasko, associate editor of SU2C Mag

Posted on July 7, 2008 11:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

This is a shitty week. It's the anniversary of my mom's death from metastasized lung cancer. This year is marginally less shitty than last year because I feel like I'm taking all my anger and sadness and doing something really great to help fight this disease.

But that doesn't change the fact that she's gone. I miss her. I miss her blueberry pie.

I'm probably not supposed to say that. I'm probably supposed to say something noble like "I miss her enduring soul and big heart." But I miss the pie. The pie was good. And she knew it. Nothing gave my mom greater pleasure than to cook for us (we are, after all, Italian). Nothing gave me greater pleasure than to eat it (ibid).

So, in honor of this anniversary, I decided to leave my mom a note on her star in the constellation, and reminisce a little bit about her blueberry pie. This is also a great excuse to test out all the new features that we just added to the constellation.

First, I logged into StandUp2Cancer.org and went to The Constellation, http://www.standup2cancer.org/constellation. I clicked on "Search The Constellation" so that I could find my Mom's star. It automatically populated my window with any stars that I launched or left messages on, which is a cool new feature. I clicked on "Search For A Star" at the top, and entered my mom's name, Marion DiBiase, in the search box.

Her name comes up right at the top of the search so I click on "See This Star" and, again, something cool: it brings up my Mom's star, but also other stars that have shared donors - other people I might be likely to know.

I click on my Mom's star and see that my sister Carolyn has left a note. I have wanted to leave a note a while ago, but during the first days after we launched The Constellation, it wasn't working quite right. It's fixed now. (speaking of which, if you left a note or launched a star during this time and you don't see it yet, PLEASE contact us at stars@standup2cancer.org... we think we fixed most of them but we don't want to miss anyone!)

So I clicked on Add To This Star, and it reminds me that I have to make a minimum $1 donation first. Donating is much easier now because the system automatically remembers my credit card info from the last time I donated. I give $25, and "Enter The Constellation" to add my note.

Once I've honored my mother and her unrivaled cooking, I have the option to share my star with some friends. I decide to send it to my brothers and sisters. Maybe they are having a hard time this week too and adding a note and thinking about the taste of mom's blueberry pie may make them feel just a little bit better too. I'm already starting to think about which of her culinary specialties I'll e-eat next year...

-Jules DiBiase, Editor-in-Chief of SU2C

Posted on July 7, 2008 1:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Here's a confession: I love to eat. I love steak and I love tofu; I love a hot dog with relish and I love a falafel sandwich with tahini; I love a piece of chocolate cake and I also love an even bigger piece of chocolate cake.

That's why I was heartbroken when I read that recent studies have linked unhealthy diets to an increased risk of cancer. To hell with alcohol and cigarettes; I'm happy to work out every day; but please don't take away my food.

The research is just so disheartening. Eating red meat ups your chance of developing colon cancer. Cooking food on the grill can lace it with smoke-related carcinogens. Processed meats are, unsurprisingly, bad - so bye-bye, hot dogs. Sugar can indirectly increase cancer risk by upping calorie intake without adding any nutrients or vitamins. Oh, and anything that makes you gain weight is bad for you. Obesity ups your risk of developing several different kinds of cancer. See ya later, chocolate cake.

Obviously what you eat matters. But you might be surprised at what you can (and should!) eat to stave off cancer. I used to think it was all quinoa and celery sticks, and the prospect of facing a life without my favorite foods in the name of good health was just too depressing to bear. Fortunately I did a little research before losing hope.

My very favorite website is Chef MD. This week's featured recipe is "Smoky & Hot Four Chili Tostadas with Cool Queso Fresco," which frankly sounds a lot better than the reheated Trader Joe's quiche I had for dinner last night. And forget about the dark chocolate and raspberry breakfast shake. Anyone who tells me to have chocolate for breakfast - in the name of good health - has my undying allegiance.

But of course there are a zillion resources available for the health-conscious gourmand. Below, just a few favorites:

The American Cancer Society offers a shopping list for a healthy kitchen
Health Castle breaks down its dietary recommendations by specific cancer - handy for patients who are currently in the fight
The American Institute for Cancer Research has a "recipe corner" that includes desserts like apple crisp and pumpkin pie

It was through sites like these that I found out that my dirty little habit of ordering yellow curry from the Thai restaurant down the street at least two times a week isn't so dirty after all. Turmeric, a key ingredient in curry, is a serious cancer fighter. Who knew?

So instead of descending into a nadir of despair over everything you shouldn't eat, focus on the things you should. And bon appétit!

--Cat Vasko, associate editor of SU2C Mag

Posted on July 8, 2008 5:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The cancer community is not an isolated community. In truth, it is the human community. One in three women and one in two men will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lives. Fifteen hundred people will die each day from cancer. The toll this disease takes--not only on people with cancer and survivors, but on their loved ones as well--is almost too great to bear. But through family, friendship, and "community" those of us affected by cancer can transform this burden into a badge of strength.

It was many decades ago when President Richard Nixon launched his war on cancer. But when was the last time you heard about the outcome or were asked to participate?

You are not imagining the silence.

Often we are unsure of what it actually means to be a patient advocate. We are unsure of how exactly we as individuals can affect the outcomes of science or medicine or government.

There are many people in the cancer community who spend their daily lives fighting on behalf of those with cancer. These advocates lobby for increased funding for cancer research, survivorship and support programs. They sit on scientific panels to ensure that the projects being funded will directly impact patients' lives. They ensure that the information about cancer is accurate and up to date. They rally their memberships to apply pressure on government officials to reignite our country's dedication to "the fight against cancer."

But the fire that drives most of these "patient advocates" stems from their own personal experiences with cancer. Most of them are survivors or caregivers themselves. We as individuals must acknowledge that we too can transform our own experiences into a hunger for change.

It starts by becoming our own self-advocates. Often this notion is daunting. But there are many ways to advocate for oneself in the face of this disease.

We have the power in dealing with our own day-to-day healthcare to be proactive with our doctors. To ask questions. To become informed about the treatment options out there and how to demand better ones. To assure ourselves that we know our bodies better than anybody else. But the first steps, while bold, are only steps. As residents, consumers, voters and citizens we can become informed, involved and heard.

The most basic reason for this is very simple: no one can hear a voice that is quiet. We cannot rely on others to do all of our talking for us. If we wish to be heard, we must speak up with a loud and determined voice. We must join with others (advocates, researchers, individuals) to achieve success.

We have power in the marketplace of politics, of commerce, of ideas. We can tell our neighbors what we know. We can write our legislators at every level of government, no matter their party, to notify them about what is important to us. We can send messages to companies who are not manufacturing products with the common good in mind. We can use our voting power, our buying power, our vocal chords and our very existence to push for progress.

Let's make our voices heard! Go to the Get Involved section of our website and follow Senator Specter's instructions to write a letter to your representative demanding increased funding for the NIH. Visit our resources page and become active with a local cancer advocacy or support group.

However you choose to get involved, do something! Add your personal story, your unique message, so that together, as a community, we are poised to share our voice and knowledge in matters impacting people with cancer.

For more information on Patient Advocacy visit:

NCCS: www.canceradvocacy.org
NBCC: www.stopbreastcancer.org
ACS CAN: action.acscan.org
LIVESTRONG: www.livestrong.com

-- Julia, SU2C.org Creative Consultant

Posted on July 10, 2008 9:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Unsurprisingly, there's lots of cancer in the news this week. Right smack dab on the cover of The Paper of Record, a look into the costs, benefits, risks and rewards of Avastin, one of the drugs that came out of Dr. Judah Folkman's groundbreaking research on Angiogenesis. Some see Avastin as a wonder drug, others wonder whether it should cost $100,000/year.

Not to be outdone, another li'l New York newspaper introduces us to a do a Doctor who faces the dilemma of having access to effective but expensive new treatments for patients who need them but can't necessarily pay.

Sometimes people refer to education as the silver bullet for society's ills. That may seem a bit hyperbolic, but the National Cancer Institute buttressed the claim this week with a new reason to like school... it can save your life.

In other NCI news, the promising field of cancer nanotherapies provide a perfect example of why research spending is good for business and people.

One good complement to quality education can be awareness-raising teevee programming.

Given our partnership with MLB and their proven giving spirit , it's not surprising to find out that baseball can provide palliative powers to hospice patients. ESPN's Eric Neel shows us one such example in Georgia.

For a little more in the inspiration department, Senator Edward Kennedy made a dramatic return to the Senate chamber since his cancer diagnosis.

He's "smiling broadly", back at work, and we are too. Here's hoping for more good news in next week's links installment.

--Eli Dansky, Editor of SU2C Mag

Posted on July 10, 2008 6:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In the 90s there was that phrase -- "we are all six degree from one another." Six degrees from connection, from affecting one another, from change, from what?

If statistics show that one in three women and one in two men will get cancer, then where am I? In my life, I have been one degree from several people who have been diagnosed with cancer: my grandmother with ovarian, my father in-law with prostate, my friend Gary with brain, and my sweet cat Janie with liver.

I needed to do something other than sit by watching and feeling sad.

I came to Team In Training by way of my friend Heather. At the kick-off party, I heard a young man by the name of Kyle Garlett speak about his life's challenges these past 20 years. Kyle spoke about his living with lymphoma and leukemia and how the disease had ravaged his body, but not his mind. His attitude towards cancer is that it happened, and it's his choice how he will rise up to live with it.

Kyle has been in remission several times. He has endured chemotherapy, a bone marrow transplant, and a heart transplant. And still he rises. One of the ways that Kyle lives with cancer is by being a participant in triathlons. AMAZING!!!! Here is a man who could take the road of "woe is me." Instead he lives his life head-on, learning about this disease, his body and what he can do. Kyle has approached his cancer as a way of living. For him there is no backing down.

I was sold. Not only was I going to do a triathlon and raise funds for cancer research, but also I was about to be surrounded by others and their greatness of character. It was a win-win situation.

Being a part of Team In Training has been one of the highlights of my life. I was now within a group of motivated and enthusiastic people who realized that being in shape had far more to do with health and strength of character, than the vanity that we have been inundated with in our society.

Training for a triathlon is nothing compared to those that endure the daily regime of chemotherapy, daily pills, needles, x-rays, doctors' appointments, etc....you are the true warriors. You magnificent people who rise up each day, greeting your day head on, determined to survive. My training and finding my body's strength and will power was one small way I could choose to give back, as well as relate to the millions of brave souls who do not get to choose.

Being involved with Team In Training reminded me that we are not alone. That living is what we choose to focus our energies on. That we are more than our circumstances; we are our reactions and the steps we take with what life has given us.

So, if we are all just six degrees apart, what's your story?

-Yael Canavan

Posted on July 11, 2008 12:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Members of The Stand! If you would like your picture to be included in our "on-stage" version of The Stand during the September 5 show (airing on ABC, CBS and NBC), please email us a high resolution photograph. Please include your data from The Stand, including, name, status (i.e. 'touched by,' 'in the fight', 'newly diagnosed').

Your delivery of this material signifies you release based on the SU2C Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Please email your photos by July 18 to su2c.showstories@gmail.com

Posted on July 14, 2008 1:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I am a dancer. I have always loved to dance. When I was little I spent countless hours dancing around the living room to Pat Benatar, Gloria Estefan, and Michael Jackson. I created some pretty mind-blowing early 80's dance choreography, I must say. As an adult, my passion for dance led me to become a performer in New York City and dance in the aerial off-Broadway show "De La Guarda".

Dance is an amazing way to express yourself, to interact with others, and have fun. As part of the SU2C web team, my passion for dance led me to investigate all the ways dance can be used in the fight against cancer. What a great way to bring attention and fundraising dollars to this cause. I read about a danceathon that will take place on March 14, 2009. This fundraiser hopes to raise $250,000 this year. Check out their website: www.danceathon.org

Another amazing group helping in the fight against cancer is the Cancer Dancers. Their goal is to spread the message of hope and inspiration to young people and their families suffering from the devastating effects of cancer. They not only perform; they also mentor kids currently in treatment. They recently performed on the television show "The View." The troop was created by Christine Grimaldi who is an exercise and wellness practitioner at the Integrative Therapies Program for Children with Cancer. They are a truly inspiring example of how dance can be used to inspire and uplift those in need. Check out the website: Cancer Dancers

Another amazing way dance can positively impact those affected by cancer is through dance therapy. Dance therapy can improve self-esteem, reduce stress, decrease isolation, and encourage a sense of well-being. Dance is an excellent form of exercise and creates community. You can check out the website: Massey Cancer Center.

Another great article from the American Cancer Society is called "Dance Therapy". This article offers clear and reliable information about dance therapy.

I am currently combining my passion for both film and dance to create a Dancers Stand Up to Cancer Public Service Announcement. I am looking forward to exploring my own and my dancer's relationship to cancer through dance. I hope to finish the project in a couple of weeks.

Create and submit your own short films through the SU2C Filmmaker's Challenge. The deadline is August 1st. Check it out!

www.su2c.org/filmchallenge

-Amanda Boggs

Posted on July 14, 2008 3:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

We've received a lot of e-mail from readers this week about the death of 30-year-old singer-songwriter Katie Reider, who lost a two-year battle with a rare form of cancer on Monday. She was an inspiration to the young adult cancer community, keeping her spirits high even after she lost the ability to perform. At a website started by one of her friends, you can pay $1 for nine of her original songs. The proceeds will help her family pay her medical bills.
http://www.500kin365.org/

Cancer also took Tony Snow this week, as you've doubtless heard. He has been remembered fondly by journalists and politicians alike for his sense of humor, his dedication to his job and his love of his family. But did you know he was also a blues flautist?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1PEyzk4ADU

The news isn't all bad, however, and I think we can all derive a little hope from the story of seven-year-old Maya Perrin-Skippen. The cute-as-a-button Brit is facing down cancer for the third time - and beating it yet again.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2305517/Girl,7,-may-have-beaten-cancer-for-third-time.html

We always like to alert you to interesting new research, and this week brings a great example of just how unpredictable the next big breakthrough in cancer treatment could be. Some folks at UCLA have discovered that it's possible to "light up" prostate cancer in the body using a common cold virus, making it easier to assess the effectiveness of treatment. Who knew?
http://www.tehrantimes.com/index_View.asp?code=173293

Of course all these breakthroughs are academic to the uninsured and underserved, both here and abroad. And access is a more endemic issue than you might think. A recent study in the Journal of Communication found that breast cancer patients with the ability (read: money, time, and technology) to join an Internet support group fared better than those who were just given a list of helpful URLs.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080715111447.htm

And a study published just today in The Lancet Oncology shows that the US, France and Japan fare best worldwide in terms of cancer survival rates. Why? You guessed it - we have the best access to screening and treatment. In fact, the authors of the study see a direct link between a country's GDP and its rates of cancer survival. It's not really surprising, but this is the first study to quantitatively prove what so many already suspected.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601124&sid=aHSQIljntY2g&refer=home

There's no doubt about it - the more you educate yourself on the topic, the more insurmountable cancer seems. But everyone has the power to make a difference. Just ask nine-year-old James Kendig, who's spending the summer selling "lemonade for cancer aid" (and yes, he made up that slogan himself).
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/howard/bal-ho.lemonade11jul11,0,6706809.story

That's it for our recommendations this week. But we know this is only the tip of the cancer news iceberg. What else should we be reading? Comment and let us know!

--Cat Vasko, Associate Editor of SU2C Mag

Posted on July 17, 2008 3:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We appreciated Elizabeth Edwards' tribute to Tony Snow in this week's issue of Newsweek. It's a touching eulogy for a man she considered a friend, but it's also a call for change.

"Tony Snow has died. A young man (with my next birthday being number sixty, I am entitled to the folly of calling a fifty-three year old 'young'), with a facile mind, an easy smile, and a quick wit; a man who had a perpetual twinkle in his eye when he was doing what he was born to do; a man who loved his wife and his children; a man who loved politics and maybe a little more loved the verbal sparring that comes with politics well-played; a man who desperately did not want to die. And when he died, I cried. I know I cried not just for him, but--filled with fear--for myself as well. The diagnoses of our cancer recurrences ('recurrences' being one of those misnomers we simply endure) tumbled out upon one another by days, and I felt--and feel-- connected to a man who loved what I loved, although we came to nearly every argument from opposite corners of the ring.

"Last week--when Tony was still alive and I was not so afraid--I rode my bicycle in a small Fourth of July parade at the beach to which we have gone for close to two decades. When I got to the celebration and stepped off the bicycle, an older man approached me. I hope you are doing well, he said, and then he added--oddly, it is more often the case that people do feel obliged to confess the gap between us--'although we don't agree on much of anything.' I thanked him for his good wishes and then I added--as I often do--'and I suspect we agree on more than you think.' He smiled, I smiled, and that was that. And then Tony died. And I thought more about the things on which we agree and the things on which we disagree. And as with my parade companion, I suspect Tony and I agreed on more things that we might have guessed.

"We each chose to reach for something larger than the life and body with which we were saddled when we kept our course after the last diagnoses. We did it because we thought it was important and because (although it is chic to say that one detests politics) we actually loved the give and take it, the struggle to find what you think is right and the imperative to make others understand and agree. But what, in the end, does it tell us about what we each found to be really important? I am guessing it is not school vouchers or the expensing of stock options or class action lawsuits about salacious material in video games. It was that woman who stood with him years before and promised to love him in sickness and in health; it was those children, whose births marked the very best days of his life. And it isn't so different for any of us, is it? Not for the rich man or the poor man, for the Ethopian or the Thai or the Oregonian. So why do we have such trouble turning what we have in common into common cause? There will always be fault lines where we just disagree, but can't we find--maybe in our founding documents--the things on which we do agree and work from there instead of starting always, always perched as soldiers along those fault lines?

"We hear the words of common cause recited. We even felt it as a nation--maybe as a planet--after the horrors of September 11th made us forget whom we supposed to hate. But the finely worded leaflet blows away in the wind, or the calendar pages turn. And we are back where we always were.

Three of the captives who were released after five and a half years in Colombia were interviewed this past week. We had a great deal of time, they said, to examine our former selves--our conduct, our values, our choices--and we now know something none of you can know about what really matters. And we are different today because we know. Is that the only way we get to the point of dropping our guard, our weaponry? The horrors of September 11th, half a decade in captivity, the guillotine of a fatal disease over our heads? It cannot be. We cannot let it be.

"Tony Snow has died. And lots of people who valued the same things Tony did--a family well-loved and work well-done--have died and will die of colon cancer, those who have preceded Tony and those who will follow him. Can't we start with something easy on which we can agree? That no one should die of a disease we can find and stop? And when we agree--and agree to do something about it--then we can move on toward those fault lines, like Tony, not taking no for an answer."

To view the piece in its original context, visit Newsweek's website.

Posted on July 17, 2008 5:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

SU2C was in Chicago on Monday to pump up the crowd at US Cellular Field and shoot part of the opening segment for the TV show (but shhhhh, we didn't tell you that!). Tribune busybody Fred Mitchell noted in his "Around Town" column that cancer survivors Lance Armstrong and Elizabeth Edwards were both spotted at the ballpark:

"'If you asked me 11 years ago if you would see me sitting here and we would still be facing this epidemic, I would say no,' Armstrong said after filming the segment. 'I would have been optimistic and said, I want to be cured. And I suspect everyone else will be too. But we haven't. And the numbers are still startling.'"

Amen. A more extensive piece in the Sun-Times also mentioned the inspiring words of SU2C ally Elizabeth Edwards:

"The newest statistics show one in two men and one in three women will get the disease.
"'I was delighted to have Lance ask me to participate in this,' said Edwards, a vocal advocate for health-care reform. 'You see people [like Thomas] who look the picture of life, but cancer is part of their life. I meet people from every walk of life, but for the ones who have cancer, we become connected in a deep and intimate way.'"

We also popped up on the Chicago news, meaning you can get a little glimpse of the goings-on at "the Cell" online:
http://cbs2chicago.com/video/?id=46944@wbbm.dayport.com

Thanks for the glowing reception, Chi Town!

Posted on July 23, 2008 6:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Two news stories about the Ugandan cancer epidemic caught my eye this week. As heartbreaking as cancer is in the Westernized world, it's much worse in a country where, annually, only $15 US is spent on health care per capita. One piece looks at Ugandan women with cervical cancer. Over 80% of these women aren't diagnosed until it's way too late.

http://allafrica.com/stories/200807220835.html

Another issue I'd never really considered is public health funding, which, in its admirable focus on communicable diseases such as AIDS, unfortunately ignores cancer - even cancers that are linked to HIV.

http://www.independent.co.ug/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=718&Itemid=2929

But access issues exist everywhere. On the drive home from work the other day I heard a report on NPR about experimental cancer treatments in the UK. In order for the government to continue providing free and comprehensive health care for residents, the benefits of new cancer therapies must be weighed against their costs - meaning drugs like Tarceva, which extends the life expectancy of lung cancer patients by a couple of months at best, aren't up for grabs. Advocates of this system say it embodies an "all for one and one for all" mentality under which sacrifices are made by individuals for the good of the group. What do you think?

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91996282

Breast cancer was in the news a lot this week. New research shows that breast self-exams - you know, the uncomfortable palpating we ladies are supposed to be doing in the shower once a month - lead to more unnecessary biopsies than life-saving early diagnoses. Whoops.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/18/AR2008071802788.html

We've talked a lot about genetic testing over in SU2C Mag - read about it here and here - and this week, a new study shows that women with BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations, which place them at a higher risk for breast cancer, might fare better with some kinds of chemotherapy. This complicates what is already a tough decision for many women - should they get tested for the mutations?

http://www.smh.com.au/news/health/women-face-tough-decisions-about-breast-cancer-treatments/2008/07/24/1216492641964.html

On to happier news. We'll start with one for all you guys out there: a clinical trial recently started in Belfast for a prostate cancer drug that some scientists believe may represent the biggest advance in the field in 60 years.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/lifestyle/health/prostate-cancer-drug-trials-to-start-in-belfast-13920006.html

And now one for the ladies! The Gardasil vaccine, still a bit of a controversial topic here in the US, stands to completely eradicate HPV in Australia by 2050. And no more HPV means no more cervical cancer. Get out there and get those shots, girls.

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,24061999-421,00.html

SU2C friend Lance Armstrong is in the news yet again, renewing his efforts to spread the message about early detection. And this time he's got some pretty powerful friends. Former-Surgeon-General powerful. Nice.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/healthNewsMolt/idUKN2348201920080723

Finally, file this one under "too ironic for words": scientists at Stanford are harnessing the power of the tobacco plant in their attempts to grow a cancer vaccine. Put that in your pipe and smoke it.

http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/labnotes/archive/2008/07/21/tapping-tobacco-to-cure-cancer.aspx

That's it for now! Let us know what else we should be reading in the comments, and check in next Thursday for more links.

--Cat Vasko, Associate Editor of Su2c Mag

Posted on July 24, 2008 4:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Most people know the "C" word--cancer, that is. But what about the other "C" word?

Carcinogens.

The American Cancer Society defines carcinogens as "Substances that can cause changes that can lead to cancer. Some carcinogens do not act on DNA directly, but lead to cancer in other ways, such as causing cells to divide at a faster rate, which could increase the chances that DNA changes will occur."

There are some well-established and long recognized carcinogens, or items with carcinogenic qualities, like Aresenic, Asbestos, Diesel Exhaust, Formaldehyde, Radiation, Secondhand Smoke, and of course, Tobacco Products (This doesn't just include cigarettes, people. If you chew it, it's dangerous, too. Plus, have you ever watched someone spit tobacco into a cup? It's probably the most unattractive thing on the planet.)

These carcinogens are all pretty undisputed by scientists.

But there are a lot of disputes out there, many of them fueled by dueling studies and scientific opinions. Just in the past week, more news broke about the argument concerning the threat of cell phones. This is a dispute that has been ongoing for some time, and doesn't seem likely to let up soon.

Take a look at both sides of the argument, and tell us what you think:
Cell phones cause cancer!
No they don't!

-Amanda Rossie

Posted on July 25, 2008 3:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

(Be warned: May contain spoilers if you haven't yet experienced Mr. Nolan's social commentary on this epic disease.)

It's simple. In "The Dark Knight," the Joker refers to himself as "an agent of chaos." Guess what Cancer's self-proclaimed nickname is. Being a member of the SU2C web team, Cancer is unfortunately a co-worker of mine, which means I get to see him every day. It's not a party.

With Cancer hanging around the office all the time, I never get any work done. In "The Dark Knight," can you imagine if Lieutenant Gordon was constantly putting down his paperwork to deal with the Joker's interruptions? Like, "What is it this time, Joker?" I'm assuming the Joker always steals Gordon's pencils for mobster intimidation. I'm telling you, I've already lost count of the number of pencils Cancer has stolen since I started here.

When I went to see "The Dark Knight" with Cancer (he invited himself), he had embarrassingly dyed his hair green and had refused to shower for days. Also, he kept smacking his lips. I couldn't tell if it was the caramel corn or what, but it was irritating. I'll never see another movie with Cancer again. (Unless it's "Stepmom.")

Like Lieutenant Gordon, I'm pretty neurotic. I like to keep my files organized and my white-out plentiful. I bet he also uses a Post-It dispenser. But Cancer will just come right in, knock all my papers off the desk, and wreak havoc on my life's order and stability! Then he'll walk away giggling, like he just blew up Gotham General.

If we had the bat signal here at Stand Up To Cancer, I would totally use it so Batman would come and kick Cancer's butt. I guess the thing to do instead is to get you guys to donate to our website. I swear I'm not saying this as an insider. I'm saying this as a really disgruntled employee who wants to get rid of Cancer once and for all. I want my pencils back. Please help me get my pencils back. Donate now. (Not pencils. Money.)

--Mollie Lief, Cancer-Hater,SU2C.org

Posted on July 28, 2008 12:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Believe it or not Stand Up To Caner had a presence at this year's Comic-Con, the largest comic book and popular arts convention in the world. No, we didn't release a comic book about our adventures standing up to cancer (although that could be interesting). Instead, Carlton Cuse, writer and executive producer of the popular ABC show, Lost, so kindly mentioned our movement to the packed audience during his Saturday panel with actor Matthew Fox.

Carlton and fellow executive producer Damon Lindelof told their watching fans that they were donating 100% of the proceeds from the sale of cast autographs as well as a VIP trip to the set of Lost to Stand Up To Cancer via an auction at LiveAutographs.com.

Click on the video to see the excerpt from the panel:

-- Tara, www.tarametblog.com

Posted on July 29, 2008 10:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

As usual when it comes to the topic of cancer, there's good news and there's bad news this week. My philosophy has always been to start with the bad so you can finish with the good; with that in mind, let's dive right in. It's a hard knock life, and getting harder, for America's estimated 45 million smokers. The country's favorite bad habit is notorious for causing emphysema and lung cancer. But it also really increases your risk of developing bladder cancer, especially if you're a guy.

http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSCOL07050120080730

What's the deal with cell phones and cancer risk? That's the question on everyone's lips this week following an admonition from one of the country's premier cancer researchers. Dr. Ronald Herberman says that until we know for sure that cell phones are safe, we should take extra precautions when using them. But others argue that there's no way the devices emit anywhere near enough radiation to be dangerous. I guess the jury'll be out for a while on this one. (Give your opinion in our forums!)

http://www.informationweek.com/news/mobility/business/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=209600447&subSection=News
http://www.livescience.com/health/080729-bad-cell-phones.html

Speaking of dangers hiding in everyday objects, it turns out those granite countertops that are so popular in designer kitchens tend to emit radon, sometimes at dangerous levels. It remains to be seen whether they truly pose a cancer risk, but for once I feel grateful for my apartment's tacky linoleum counters.

http://www.digtriad.com/news/features/article.aspx?storyid=107917&catid=216

SU2C isn't the only voice calling for more collaborative cancer research. The folks down under want the same thing. That's why cancer surgeon - and brain tumor patient - Chris O'Brien is issuing a dramatic call for a system of integrated cancer centers spread across the Australian continent.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24104642-23289,00.html

Today marks day one of the first annual National Latino Cancer Summit in San Francisco. The conference will bring the Latino community and cancer experts together in hopes of spreading the message about early detection. "It gets out there on television, but who really hears it and how much do they hear, and how do they understand it?" points out organizer Ysabel Duron. Good question.

http://www.mercurynews.com/peninsula/ci_10052828?nclick_check=1&forced=true

I was deeply saddened to learn that dirty dancer Patrick Swayze had developed pancreatic cancer, one of the most lethal forms of the disease. But this week brought some happier news -- looks like Bodhi's going to be one of the 4% who kick pancreatic cancer's ass. I'd expect nothing less from the toughest bouncer in Jasper, Missouri.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/celebritynews/2470497/Patrick-Swayze-back-to-work-after-%27miracle%27-cancer-recovery.html

Last but not least, here's a story that's just plain nice. A new organization called Hope in Bloom is helping breast cancer patients plant gardens by donating the greenery. "The patients I've had who have had such a garden planted have found it comforting, healing, and truly pleasing," said a doc involved with the project. Know of any other nonprofits helping out cancer patients in unexpected ways? Share 'em with others in the forums.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/07/31/planted_with_love_gardens_help_cancer_patients_heal/

That's it for this week, but if you find yourself missing our super-cool news updates between now and next Thursday, why not get involved in a discussion over in the forums? Have I mentioned the forums enough yet? Forums, forums, forums, forums. Forums! Okay, I'm done now. (Forums.)

--Cat Vasko, Associate Editor of SU2C Mag

Posted on July 31, 2008 4:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)