Last week Ted Kennedy, the "lion of the Senate," passed away from brain cancer. Over the course of his 46 years representing Massachusetts in the Senate, Kennedy led the US' effort to impose sanctions on South Africa over apartheid, denounced the Vietnam War and co-sponsored numerous acts of legislation designed to bring better health care to US citizens, including, in March of this year, a bill focused on improving cancer prevention, detection and treatment. "His ideas and ideals are stamped on scores of laws and reflected in millions of lives -- in seniors who know new dignity, in families that know new opportunity, in children who know education's promise, and in all who can pursue their dream in an America that is more equal and more just -- including myself," said President Obama. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/27/us/politics/27kennedy.html
Kathryn Rae Hunt Mortenson
This moving article from the Minneapolis-St. Paul Star Tribune looks at the life of Kate Hunt Morenson, wife, mother, volunteer and cancer blogger, who recently passed away from paraganglioma at the age of 37. For four years, she wrote on her website about her radiation and patient advocacy, inspiring those who, like her, were facing rare cancers. "Meeting Kate is a life-changing experience for most people," said one of her friends. "She was like a magnet. She drew you in. She was genuine and sincere, and she cared about you as if you were the only person in the room." http://www.startribune.com/local/54879942.html?elr=KArksc8P:Pc:U0ckkD:aEyKUiD3aPc:_Yyc:aUU
Dominick Dunne
Last week, Dominick Dunne, journalist and novelist, lost his battle with bladder cancer at the age of 83. In a piece remembering his life, Brooks Peters describes Dunne as "the life of the party," and recounts many of the incidents that marked his journalistic career. "Dunne was not afraid to take risks with his books," Peters writes. "He often tackled thorny issues with a fervor and boldness that were actually ahead of their time . . . Even at the end of his life, when the party was winding down, and Dunne knew he was deathly ill, he never lost his sense of humor or his gratitude for his good fortune." http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brooks-peters/life-of-the-party_b_271163.html
Stefania Ocsay Mustain
In a comment on last week's "With You, We Stand," reader Stefania wrote in with her story. "I am encouraged by reading everyone's story," she said. "My grandfather passed away two years ago after a battle with lymphoma. We never watched anyone's appearance change so drastically. He lost so much weight that he obviously looked ill. The one thing that I admired the most about my grandfather "bunu", was that he continued with his life after being diagnosed with cancer. He lived to see me, his 1st grand-daughter, pregnant with his 2nd GREAT-Grandchild! He has 9 grandchildren in all! He had some bee hives in the surrounding area. I remembered this about him the most. So much, that we wore bee pins at his wake and funeral. No matter how his appearance changed, we knew him on the inside and that is what we cherish the most."
As always, we invite you to share your stories in the comments below.
A new University of Michigan study indicates that family and friends are influential in helping women make decisions related to breast cancer treatment. Women who had a friend or family member accompany them to their first appointment with a breast surgeon were found to be more likely to receive a mastectomy. "Family and friends have a potentially important role in treatment discussions. More than 70 percent of women brought someone with them to the appointment, providing a chance for surgeons to convey information to both the patient and her support person," said the study's lead author. http://www.ajc.com/health/content/shared-auto/healthnews/-brs/630492.html
Racial disparities in cancer diagnosis, treatment and survival are a huge problem in the US and worldwide. Now new research adds fuel to the fire. According to a study in the most recent issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, black people have a significantly higher risk of dying from pancreatic cancer than whites, even when controlling for factors like smoking and obesity. "Unfortunately, we were unable to explain these differences," noted one of the doctors involved in the study. "We still have a long way to go towards understanding pancreatic cancer disparities." http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/healthday/2009/09/02/pancreatic-cancer-deaths-higher-for-blacks.html
Disturbing news out of Seattle: research indicates that former employees of the Hanford nuclear reservation in Richland, Wash, and other similar facilities are 11 times more likely to develop mesothelioma and three times more likely to develop multiple myeloma than the general population. Ninety-four of the 266 Hanford workers who had died prior to the study had died of cancer. The other sites studied with Savannah River, South Carolina, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, and Amchitka, Alaska. http://www.seattlepi.com/local/6420ap_wa_hanford_cancer_study.html?source=mypi
In other epidemiological/environmental news, diesel fumes have been linked with cancer growth. New research out of Ohio State University shows that the tiny size of inhaled diesel particles enables them to penetrate the human circulatory system, organs and tissues, potentially inducing the growth of new blood vessels that supply tumors. "The message from our study is that exposure to diesel exhaust for just a short time period of two months could give even normal tissue the potential to develop a tumor," said the study's senior author. http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2009/09/03/Diesel-fumes-linked-to-cancer-growth/UPI-13941251993485/
That's all for this week, but check back next Thursday for more!
On Saturday, SU2C celebrated the one-year anniversary of our televised fundraising event on CBS, NBC and ABC. That night, millions of Americans joined together to raise over $100 million for translational cancer research. We want to thank you, yet again, for being a part of SU2C. Your generous donations, your involvement and enthusiasm and support, have made our organization what it is today, just a short 365 days later.
We'd also like to pass along a few words from Marge Lees. Marge was watching the show that night, along with so many of you, and it inspired her to get her first-ever screening for colorectal cancer--a screening that resulted in a diagnosis and treatment. (You can learn more about her story here.) Now, a year later, she writes:
"Today is the anniversary of the Stand Up 2 Cancer show that saved my life. I just wanted to say thanks. I actually went to the MD who diagnosed me the other day, and he said had I waited until this year I would have been in real trouble. Because of Stand Up 2 Cancer and David Archuleta, my life is pretty good right now. Thanks again."
Marge has good reason to celebrate - and so do we! To check out just a bit of what we've done in the year since our inception, check us out on YouTube. And thank you all, one last time. We never could've done it without you.
How about five bucks? That's what we're asking everyone this month as we continue our drive to get 10,000 five-dollar donations by October 2nd. Just think - if 10,000 people chip in five dollars apiece, we'll have raised $50,000 for translational cancer research!
Have you ever heard the story behind the March of Dimes? In 1938, they asked every American to give up a single dime to cure polio. It sounded crazy at the time - how could one dime have such an incredible impact? But it worked. Now it's time for our generation to stand together to end cancer.
A dime might not get as far as it used to, but five bucks really can make a huge difference. Last year, Stand Up To Cancer's big show proved that, combined, small donations really add up - in that case, to over $100 million. Sometimes even we still can't believe it.
If you're anything like me, sometimes you struggle to make ends meet - who doesn't, especially in such a tough economic climate? But five bucks isn't much. It's the cost of that grande latte, or that bored-Thursday-night movie rental. A quick sandwich at lunchtime or a magazine. If you can give up just one of those things, you've got your five-dollar donation right there!
Let's all come together to show, yet again, what a huge difference a tiny donation can make. If five dollars is hard for you right now, there's still a way to do your part: please ask five of your friends to share this in e-mail or on their Facebook pages.
You can use this widget to add your five bucks to the cause. And you can post it to your web site, blog, or Facebook page to help spread the word. Just remember the math: five bucks times ten-thousand people equals $50,000. When we pull together, we really can make a difference!
This article from the Detroit News looks at the life of Hall of Fame broadcaster Ernie Harwell, who for 19 years announced games at Tiger Stadium. Harwell was recently diagnosed with incurable cancer of the bile duct. Writes Neal Rubin, "Listeners always had the sense that Harwell was the nicest man on the planet. They were correct. He has a knack for deflecting and refocusing awe . . .You want to talk about him, but he wants to hear about you. He's a truly humble soul who has accepted last week's diagnosis with the same grace he accepted all the good things to come his way." http://detnews.com/article/20090908/OPINION03/909080329/1005/LIFESTYLE/Ernie-Harwell-accepts-cancer-news-as-humbly-as-accolades
Dan Barry
In an article for the New York Times, Dan Barry, who has been through chemo twice in the past decade, writes about the effects that cancer treatment had on his mind. Arguing with the concept of "chemo brain," he writes: "Chemotherapy transformed me into a bald guy whose pallor was offset only by the hint of terror in his eyes. But the chemo also wiped away the muddle, revealing the world in all its mundane glory. I won't tell you that I wept at the sight of a puppy. But I did linger over my sleeping daughter to watch her tiny chest rise and fall. I did savor the complexities of a simple olive. I did notice fireflies, those dancing night sparks I had long ago stopped seeing." http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/01/health/01case.html?_r=3&ref=health
Nina Gleason
A piece out of Visalia, California looks at the incredible life of Nina Gleason, a former Army spy turned whitewater-rafting chef. Now Gleason, who was treated for cancer three years ago, is helping to recruit participants for a long-term study aimed at identifying the lifestyle, environmental and genetic factors that cause or prevent cancer. "You just want your life to have a different quality" after surviving cancer, Gleason says. "You don't want to waste any of your time." http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/article/20090908/NEWS01/909080322/Plucky+cancer+survivor+pushes+participation+in+research
Cindy Selig Sabin
In a Facebook comment on last week's edition of "With You, We Stand," Cindy Selig Sabin shared her story. She wrote, "My dear mother passed away August 5th from colon cancer and fought the good fight. Never let cancer rule her life. She was diagnosed at 83 and given three weeks to live. She lived to 85, an amazing quality of life all the way to her last breath. I say, how beautiful that I was there as she took her last breath, as she was there as I took my first. I will ALWAYS stand up to cancer."
As always, we invite you to share your stories in the comments below.
I was heartbroken to hear that pancreatic cancer has taken Patrick Swayze away from us. He was only 57. He is one of 1,500 people who died in this country today from cancer. He seduced us all 20 years ago in Dirty Dancing; countless roles later, he used his voice to raise awareness of pancreatic cancer, one of the deadliest forms of the disease. On September 5, 2008, we were honored to have him introduce Stand Up To Cancer's big show. His words that day are ringing in my ears now, reminding me both of the bravery he demonstrated in facing cancer and the importance of finding a cure. It is up to all of us to stand up to this disease in honor of Patrick and everyone who suffers from it.
To add a tribute to Patrick Swayze's star in the SU2C Constellation, click here.
The controversy over whether cell phones increase cancer risk continues. Conflicting reports make the issue a tough call, and at least one lawmaker is attempting to learn more. Sen Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) pledged on Monday to promote further research into whether the devices cause cancer, especially in kids. "I'm reminded of this nation's experience with cigarettes," Harkin said. "Decades passed between the first warnings about smoking tobacco and the final definitive conclusion that cigarettes cause lung cancer." http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/14/AR2009091402952.html?hpid=sec-tech
New research in mice indicates that metformin, a commonly prescribed diabetes medication, may help shrink breast tumors when used in conjunction with doxorubicin chemotherapy - and could also prevent cancers from recurring as they become more and more resistant to treatment. In the October edition of Cancer Research, Harvard Medical School researchers note that the results could have big implications for cancer treatment, with mice remaining tumor-free for three months on the combined regimen. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203278404574413273870984920.html
This article from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution looks at cancer rates for Hispanics living in the US. Though Hispanics are less likely to die from cancer than non-Hispanic whites, studies show they have higher rates of stomach, liver and cervix malignancies - all of which can be linked to infections, according to a new American Cancer Society report. "There's a real lack of support for culturally appropriate and linguistically appropriate services for them," said Hilary Waldman, a spokesperson for the Hispanic Health Council. http://www.ajc.com/health/content/shared-auto/healthnews/-brs/630957.html
Another study has emerged linking cancer outcomes to depression - this time a comprehensive meta-analysis of past studies on the relationship between survival and psychological state. According to the LA Times, the meta-study shows that those who suffer depressive symptoms following cancer diagnosis are 25% more likely to die of the disease than those who do not show signs of depression. Among those diagnosed with major or minor depression during the course of treatment, the risk of dying increased by 39%. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/booster_shots/2009/09/depression-linked-to-earlier-death-when-cancer-is-diagnosed.html
Finally, this Washington Post article looks at whether trichomoniasis, a sexually transmitted infection, could increase men's risk of developing advanced prostate cancer. New research out of the Harvard School of Public Health shows that men with the infection were twice as likely to develop advanced prostate cancer - and three times as likely to develop a lethal case of the disease - than a control group. Trichomoniasis infects nearly 174 million people worldwide each year, and 75% of men who have the infection don't know it. http://voices.washingtonpost.com/checkup/2009/09/does_infection_boost_prostate.html?hpid=sec-health
That's all for this week, but check back next Thursday for more!
Kathryn Joosten, two-time Emmy winner for her role on "Desperate Housewives," recently revealed that she is facing lung cancer a second time, after triumphing over the disease in 2001. Joosten, who quit smoking the day she was diagnosed for the first time, hopes to raise awareness of the disease and erase some of its stigma. "The first thing everyone says is, 'Did you smoke?' Yeah, I smoked," she says. "I got addicted because the tobacco companies add additives to their tobacco to make it more addictive. I'm damned mad at all of them. But that stigma has to go away. No one deserves lung cancer." http://edition.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/TV/09/14/kathryn.joosten.cancer/
Cindy Castner
In a blog for readingeagle.com, breast cancer survivor Cindy Castner writes about her experiences facing down the disease twice. She documents honestly the feelings she experiences while undergoing what so many women before her have, writing, "One good day, one bad day. The day of surgery draws nearer and it gets more real. Today I spent wonderful, precious time with my granddaughter. I hold her close and look into her beautiful face. I wish and I hope and I pray that I get to see her grow up. I think about how hard this is to believe. Is this really happening?" http://www.readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=157730
Nicole Rowe
Rowe, 40, was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and learned she would need to undergo a double mastectomy. Her response? A trip to Atlantic City to enter a women's poker tournament. During the succession of card games, Rowe encouraged other female participants to get sonograms alongside their yearly mammograms. In the end, she took home the second-place prize of $11,000. "The whole reason was to keep my mind off of reality, which was cancer," Rowe said. "There was a buzz in the casino . . . I had strangers coming up to me, hugging me, telling me I was going to be all right." http://news.aol.com/article/cancer-patient-nicole-rowe-finds/671972
Brian Moran
This article out of Westmont, Illinois looks at the life of Brian Moran, who, after being diagnosed with testicular cancer at the age of 17, decided to dedicate his life to cancer treatment. Now, as medical director of the Chicago Prostate Center, Moran helps men every day toward earlier diagnosis of prostate cancer. "Over the last few years, we are seeing a lot more men coming in for the testing now than they were a few years ago, and coming in earlier for it," Moran notes in the piece. "A lot of is that their wives and girlfriends are encouraging them to get tested." http://www.mysuburbanlife.com/westmont/newsnow/x2023997669/Cancer-survivor-dedicates-life-to-detection
As always, we invite you to share your stories with us in the comments below.
This week brings the news that obesity now accounts for one in twelve cancer deaths, positioning it to be the leading cause of the disease. NCI data indicates that obesity is now the cause of 14% of cancer deaths in men and 20% in women; possible causes could include more hormone production in the overweight. "Obesity is catching up at a rate that makes it possible it could become the biggest attributable cause of cancer in women within the next decade," says one University of Manchester cancer expert. http://www.nydailynews.com/lifestyle/health/2009/09/24/2009-09-24_obesity_is_now_the_leading_cause_of_cancer_beating_out_smoking_and_hormone_repla.html
A new experimental cancer drug has the ability to dramatically shrink advanced melanoma tumors, according to research out of Memorial Sloan-Kettering in New York. Paul Chapman, MD, describes the results as "unprecedented"; in one case, the drug - which blocks the activity of the gene BRAF -managed to completely heal a tumor within three weeks. Chemotherapy for melanoma generally only works on 15% of tumors, Chapman noted. http://www.webmd.com/melanoma-skin-cancer/news/20090923/new-drug-shrinks-skin-cancer-tumors
In other encouraging news, researchers out of Naples, Italy, have developed a pill that makes pancreatic cancer cells more sensitive to chemotherapy. The greatest current challenge in treating pancreatic cancer is its resistance to treatment; the drug inhibits the action of the protein TAK-1, leaving cancer cells more vulnerable. "The drug increased the effectiveness of the chemotherapy drugs 70-fold," the study's head researcher said. http://www.webmd.com/cancer/pancreatic-cancer/news/20090924/new-drug-may-treat-pancreatic-cancer
This disturbing article out of Tampa, Florida, looks at 20 men who once lived or were based at Camp Lejeune, the US Marine Corps training base in North Carolina. The men have all developed breast cancer, a common disease in women that only strikes 2,000 or so US men a year. Government records indicate that the drinking water at Camp Lejeune was contamined with high levels of toxic chemicals for three decades between the '60s and '80s. Worst of all, the Marine Corps has directed the men to the VA for treatment, and the VA says it cannot treat the men for a condition that has not been shown to be service-related. http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/09/24/marines.breast.cancer/
Finally, fresh research out of Newcastle University in the UK indicates that taking a daily dose of aspirin could cut the risk of developing colon cancer in half for people with a genetic susceptibility to the disease. In a study of more than 1,000 people with Lynch syndrome - which makes them more vulnerable to cancers in the colon, rectum, stomach, brain, liver and more - only six people from the aspirin group got cancer compared with 16 in the control group. Previous studies have indicated that patients who are being treated with chemo for colorectal cancer can reduce their chance of dying by 30% with a daily dose of aspirin. http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iS-vbWx4Zw1xYzGFS7abo1Dfgf4gD9ARMBVO0
That's all for this week, but I'll be back next Thursday with more news you can use!
William Safire
Safire, formerly a Nixon speechwriter and a Pulitzer Prize-winning political columnist for the New York Times, passed away Sunday from pancreatic cancer at the age of 79. Safire was also the author of "On Language," a New York Times Magazine column that looked at the origins and meanings of words and phrases. In an NYT obituary, he is remembered for his witty commentary and his indomitable humor - even in the face of criticism from his opponents. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/28/us/28safire.html?_r=1&hp
Andrew Skoda
Skoda, a high school junior from Chicago, was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor at the age of 7. After a recurrence at the age of 11 and multiple surgeries, he began writing about the ups and downs of his treatment in hopes that his story could help others going through the same thing. Today his story is part of a book called "The Little Prince Who Taught a Village to Sing," and proceeds from its sale benefit the Midwest Children's Brain Tumor Center. He says, "I wrote about what happened and all the feelings that I was going through from the day I was diagnosed until the last surgery to try and calm kids down and give them a point of view of what might happen and show them everything is okay." http://www.southtownstar.com/news/1790620,092809stellarstudent.article
Sarah Joanis
In this article out of Chicago, Joanis, who is facing a recurrence of ovarian cancer while pregnant, shares a dilemma that one in every 1,000 women in the US face: whether to begin cancer treatment while carrying a baby. Joanis eventually elected to have her left ovary removed at 28 weeks into the pregnancy; after her daughter was born, she had a hysterectomy. "I was supposed to be OK," she wrote on her blog (sarahjoanis.blogspot.com). "I was supposed to go on with life with one less fallopian tube. Big deal. But here I am now. Standing at the start of what is going to be the longest and hardest journey of my life." http://www.freep.com/article/20090928/FEATURES08/909280302/1033/Pregnancy-and-cancer-collide--creating-agonizing-choices-for-couple
Charles Snodgrass
In a comment on last week's "With You, We Stand," reader Charles Snodgrass shared his story. "I was married in September 2002 and the following June I was hit with prostate cancer," he wrote. "I was only 47 years old. I'm 54 now and things are still okay, thanks to the doctor who treated me and helped me along when I didn't think I could take anymore. I was depressed and thought my life was over, but it wasn't, I have learned to live life to the fullest and enjoy every day."
As always, we invite you to share your stories with us in the comments below.
