Just a few months ago, Stand Up To Cancer offered a challenge to the SU2C community: inspire others by creating a video that shows how you Stand Up To Cancer every day. We are now proud to announce the grand prize winner and semi-finalists of the Dave Stewart Up2 You Video Challenge.
Congratulations to Diane Isaacs! Her video features three inspirational children -- Wyatt, Lexi and Rio -- who are living with autism. Diane is the recipient of the Grand Prize award: a brand new Takamine guitar, and a featured spot on the SU2C website.
Check out the semi-finalists and watch Diane's video below. You can learn more about the Up2 You Video Challenge at www.su2c.org/up2you
It's Up2 all of us to unite against this devastating disease. Thank you to everyone who submitted for your time, creativity and commitment. Keep singing, keep filmmaking and keep inspiring others to join the SU2C movement. The Up2 You Challenge may be over, but the fight against cancer continues.
Stand Up To Cancer's multi-network broadcast is quickly approaching on September 10, 2010. We wanted to find a way to allow people to be engaged and experience the show as not only a viewer, but as an active participant. So to help spread the spirit of collaboration, Stand Up To Cancer is encouraging supporters to organize or attend local SU2C Meetups everywhere September 10th using Meetup's new Meetup Everywhere platform.
With 7.2 million users and more than 5 Million Meetups to date, Meetup allows people to gather and connect. We want YOU to visit Meetup.com/SU2C, and join or start a Stand Up to Cancer Meetup near you!
Signing up for a SU2C Meetup is free and easy. Here's how you can see if there is a Stand Up To Cancer Broadcast Meetup happening near you:
- Join the SU2C Meetup going on in your town, help choose a great location to share watching the Broadcast Show with your local community.
- You should see a list of local events gathering to watch the SU2C Broadcast show on September 10, 2010. If a Stand Up To Cancer Broadcast gathering is not in a place near you, please feel free to start one.
- Be sure to invite your friends and spread the word!
As a bonus, you can check in with Facebook Places while attending your local Meetup to lend SU2C even more support! As a Stand Up to Cancer media partner, Facebook has generously offered to support SU2C's Facebook page with additional awareness for each check in at the first 20 SU2C Meetups to drive more awareness for the events on September 10th.
At a Stand Up To Cancer Broadcast Meetup, we hope you'll share your stories, honor those who've been affected by cancer and watch our landmark show. We hope that Meetup offers you the chance to make connections and build friendships with those whose lives have been touched by cancer so that we can all Stand Up as one.
The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) recently reported that women who know they're at high risk for developing ovarian or breast cancer can dramatically lower their risks of developing the diseases if they get their healthy ovaries or breasts surgically removed. The researchers found that the women with the BRCA mutation who had the operations decreased their risk of dying of both types of cancer by 70-to-80 percent. CBS News Medical Correspondent Dr. Jennifer Ashton said, "This study was groundbreaking because it was the first one that showed that (such surgeries) saved lives." http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/09/01/earlyshow/health/main6826017.shtml
According to a recent study in the September issue of Cancer Prevention Research, metformin, a generic diabetes drug derived from an ancient herbal remedy, may soon play a new role in combating cancer. The drug helps to stabilize blood sugar by decreasing the liver's glucose output and increasing the sugar's use by muscle tissue. After one month, nine patients receiving metformin who returned for a follow-up colonoscopy had substantially fewer lesions in the bowel than they had when they started on the drug, whereas 14 patients receiving a placebo had no change. http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/62935/title/Diabetes_drug_might_fight_cancer
Testicular cancer may be linked with abnormal fetal development, according to scientists who have developed a model to investigate how human testes develop in baby boys while they are in the womb. Until now, it has been impossible to study testicular development during pregnancy in humans. This discovery will enable researchers to understand the processes that can lead to the onset of testicular germ cell cancer in young adult life, and how factors, such as common environmental chemicals, might play a role. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-08-30/testicular-cancer-linked-to-abnormal-development-in-the-womb-doctors-find.html
"There's no evidence that popular cholesterol-lowering statins cause cancer, says a review that challenges earlier research raising concerns that the drugs may be associated with an increase in cancer and cancer-related deaths. The findings should reassure the millions of people worldwide who take the drugs, said the researchers at the University of Oxford in the U.K. and the University of Sydney in Australia. They examined data from 170,000 people who took part in 26 randomized and controlled clinical trials. The analysis showed that the cancer death rates were the same in people taking statins and in those who took a placebo." http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/healthday/642617.html
Katie Couric reports on an $18 million grant from Stand Up To Cancer given to Dream Team leaders Craig B. Thompson, M.D., and Daniel D. Von Hoff, M.D. who are conducting a clinical trial on patients with pancreatic cancer, one of the deadliest forms of the disease.
Smoking is an addiction, and a smoker will attempt to quit, on average, up to nine times before doing so successfully, according to Dr. Drew Pinsky, addiction expert nationally known for his syndicated radio talk show, Loveline, and VH1's Celebrity Rehab and Sober House. Dr. Drew has been working with Stand Up To Cancer "hero" supporter GSK which offers stop-smoking aids and resources that have helped millions of Americans quit smoking.
Because no two smokers' habits or cravings are exactly alike, quitting smoking is different for everyone. Countless studies have looked at some of the most successful ways to quit smoking. Here are a few tips Dr. Drew believes can really help you along the way...
*Realize that quitting is not easy! It takes a strong effort to quit smoking, but be confident in the fact that you can do this. Half of all adult smokers have quit and so you can too.
*Write down on a piece of paper why you are quitting smoking. The reason is likely to be different for everyone - whether it's to improve your health or to set a better example for your children or to no longer get winded walking up a flight of stairs. The reason doesn't matter if it's important to you! Refer back to this paper whenever you are struggling as a reminder of why you are doing this in the first place.
*Determine the right tools to help with your quit attempt depending on your personal smoking habits. Personalized quit plans can help a smoker make it through a quit attempt.
*Consider the triggers and temptations that bring on your urge to smoke, such as stress, drinking or being around others that smoke. Create a plan for dealing with those triggers and temptations.
*Smoking is an addiction, and you may need help to quit. Understand that the cravings you may experience when quitting are normal, and can at times be quite strong.
*Quitting smoking requires behavior change, which means you need to change familiar habits associated with your smoking habit and create new ones. Develop a new routine - one which won't remind you of your smoking habit. For example, go for a walk in place of your afternoon smoke break.
*Create a support system of friends, family and co-workers that you can rely on when you need someone to talk to or someone to get your mind off of smoking. Studies show that quitting with social support or the help of other people who are quitting can increase your chances for success. Come join the movement and learn from others as they go through their own quit attempt.
*Decide how to manage and deal with potential weight gain. Many smokers may gain some weight when they quit, usually less than 10 pounds. Don't let a small weight gain distract you from your main goal--quitting smoking. A sensible diet and exercise may also help control weight after quitting and assist ex-smokers in developing new, healthy habits.
*Consider joining a support group or getting counseling for additional assistance. The more social support you have, the better your chances are of quitting. Free programs are available at local hospitals and health centers.
*Remember, take quitting one day at a time, even one minute at a time--whatever you need to succeed. Quitting smoking is not an event, but is a process that takes time. With the right frame of mind and tools in place to help along the way, you too can be successful.
DeSean Jackson is one of the most successful players in the National Football League. DeSean was the first player to be selected to the Pro-Bowl for playing two different positions. The DeSean Jackson Project includes remarkable behind the scenes footage of DeSean preparing and playing in games. But that is just part of the story.
When DeSean was four years old, he was filmed for the first time, visiting his big brother Byron at Byron's college football team's end of season banquet. Neither Byron nor DeSean then knew that Byron would keep filming for the next 18 years of DeSean's life. Every game was filmed and almost every practice, as well as life in the home and on the road, as DeSean went from Pop Warner football, to a High School All American, to a Heisman Trophy candidate at Cal Berkeley, to starting wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles. Everything was shot, including the waiting to be drafted in the first round (he wasn't), the first touches of the ball at Cal (two touchdowns), the arguments within the family (several), the visit with Jim Brown to get advice, (don't take the free car from the strange man who may be a drug dealer), the visit with Jerry Rice (here's how to make it in the NFL). It is all here. An incredible 800 hours of material. But even this, is only part of the story.
In January 2009, Byron and DeSean's father Bill Jackson was diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer. As a family, they were surprised and saddened and left with many questions. It was these questions that prompted them to search for answers. During the next four months, Bill battled this devastating disease the same way he took on many challenges in his life...head on. On May 14, 2009, Bill's fight ended.
Today Bill's family is determined to make a difference as they continue with the same drive and determination that Bill once had. They have founded The DeSean Jackson Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer, which brings awareness and understanding to a disease that not only claimed the life of a father, husband, granddad and friend, but also affects so many families.
Cancer is caused by changes in a cell's DNA. While some of these changes may be inherited, others may be caused by environmental factors. Substances and exposures that can lead to cancer are called carcinogens. Learn more from the American Cancer Society and find out how you can keep your home and workplace safe.
Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer - more than 2 million skin cancers are diagnosed each year in the U.S. and that number is rising. Melanoma, a type of skin cancer, is the #1 cancer in men and women ages 20 to 29. Self-examination is key because while melanoma spreads quickly, it can be treated if caught early.
Moles, blemishes or freckles should be checked monthly and any changes should be communicated to your doctor. And remember - skin cancer does not discriminate against skin color, so everyone is potentially at risk.
Stand Up To Cancer is an initiative created to accelerate groundbreaking cancer research that will get new therapies to patients quickly and save lives. SU2C's goal is to bring together the best and the brightest in the cancer community, encouraging collaboration instead of competition.
SU2C's Dream Teams are groups of scientists committed to collaboration, innovation, acceleration, targeted therapy and translational research. Learn more about SU2C Dream Teams.
Innovative Research Grants are awarded for innovative, high-risk, high-reward cancer research done by young, individual investigators and their lab teams. Their work, which is often not supported by conventional funding sources, has the potential to dramatically improve the lives of cancer patients. Learn more about SU2C Innovative Research Grants.
Join your favorite reality shows in the fight against cancer! Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, So You Think You Can Dance, Biggest Loser, and Survivor will all Stand Up To Cancer in this new Reality Team Challenge.
Join one of their teams and help fundraise for Stand Up To Cancer's groundbreaking cancer research. Challenge begins September 10 and ends at 11:59pm EST on September 30, so login today! Learn more at http://su2c.standup2cancer.org/realityteamchallenge
In honor of all those who stood with us on September 10, the next four With You, We Stand blogs will feature our member stories. To have your story automatically considered, just fill out your My Stand profile on SU2C.org
Aleisha Hunter Canada's youngest known breast-cancer survivor, four-year-old Aleisha Hunter is one of a handful of children around the world to suffer from a malignant tumor in their breast before reaching puberty. Aleisha, who had a full mastectomy only three months ago, was one of the volunteers helping the more than 4,600 walkers in the annual Weekend to End Women's Cancers, a fundraiser for the Princess Margaret Hospital's cancer-research unit in Toronto. "She's a pretty confident kid," said her mother. "I think her being involved in these walks and events and being around all of the other survivors, she's going to have a concept of why and what happened, and not go 'Oh wait, there's something different about me.' I think that really helps." http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health/four-year-old-battles-breast-cancer/article1704895/
Katie Liebas First diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma in July 2008, Katie Liebas was devastated to learn that the disease had returned exactly one year later. In an effort to cope with her frustration, Liebas turned to art and is currently planning an auction of her work to raise money for the Licking Memorial Hospital Oncology Department near her home. "Once you get a second chance at life, you live your life moving mountains," she said. "I know this can make a big difference." http://www.newarkadvocate.com/article/20100912/NEWS01/9120320/1002/Local-woman-turns-emotion-from-cancer-battle-into-art
Ron Walters Ron Walters, longtime political analyst and scholar at Howard University and the University of Maryland who was a leading expert on race and politics, has died of cancer at the age of 72. Walters spent 25 years at Howard before becoming director of the African American Leadership Institute at the University of Maryland. He has written numerous books and more than 100 articles. In 1984, Walters served as a deputy campaign manager for the Rev. Jesse Jackson's presidential bid. He spent most of his professional life in Washington after earning his master's degree and Ph.D. in international studies from American University. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/09/11/ap/national/main6857289.shtml
Scarlett Margetanski Last April, Scarlett Margetanski was told that she would not live more than 30 days. But last month, Margetanski received word that she is now cancer free. In August, she was honored by the Bayonne Community Action League's Partners in Progress Award for her advocacy and involvement in charitable and community issues. She has also been instrumental in raising much needed awareness and financial support for the American Cancer Society through their Relay for Life event. A two-time cancer survivor, Margetanski was chosen not only for her strength and resilience as a cancer survivor herself, but for being an inspiration to others through her commitment to raising awareness and support of cancer prevention, detection, and research. http://hudsonreporter.com/view/full_story/9411965/article-An-angel-on-her-shoulder-Cancer-survivor-honored-for-her-courage-?instance=secondary_stories_left_column
Posted by su2cadmin on September 16, 2010 10:53 AM
Watch Dr. Sanjay Gupta as he goes behind-the-scenes of the September 10th Stand Up To Cancer show. The CNN special includes stories from patients living with cancer, and Gupta's report on an exciting vaccine being used in a clinical trial that uses a patient's own tumor to fight brain cancer. Gupta also sits down with Stand Up To Cancer producer Laura Ziskin as she discusses her personal battle with cancer and her commitment to fighting the disease.
The following stories are from our community of survivors and supporters from Facebook and su2c.org. We thank you for sharing your stories and for your commitment to Stand Up To Cancer every day.
Over the next three weeks we will continue to share stories from our SU2C community. If you would like your story to be considered, please create a My Stand profile at www.su2c.org.
Heidi Floyd Heid Floyd was pregnant when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Having been under her doctor's treatment and care during pregnancy, she now attributes her survival and the life of her baby son to his efforts. "It was a difficult time of course, but now I have a healthy, strong baby boy, and I am still fighting this disease," says Heidi. "I have four beautiful children, but I work every day to make sure that they don't ever have to sit in that chemo chair."
Kathleen Florio At the age of 49, Kathleen Florio can now call herself a cancer survivor. She has been symptom-free for one year after beating cervical, ovarian, colon and liver cancer (all stage 4). Kathleen Stands Up for her mother whom she lost to lung and brain cancer in November 2009 after they underwent treatment together.
Andrew Cook First diagnosed with CML (Chronic Myelogenous leukemia) 2 1/2 years ago, Andrew Cook has been in chemotherapy cycles ever since. Very close to NED (No Evidence of Disease), Andrew is walking nearly 10 miles a day in training for a marathon happening next year. "Whatever you are diagnosed with, don't ever let it own you," Andrew says. "To do so means it has won. Keep fighting with all that you have."
Karissa Ma After being married for only four short months, 30-year-old Karissa Ma found a lump in her breast on Christmas Eve 2004. Despite her doctor's assurance that nothing was wrong, Karissa insisted on having a mammogram. Later, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and had a double mastectomy, reconstructive surgery, and six months of chemotherapy. "I hope I am a constant reminder to my doctor that this can happen to young people," says Karissa. "No one is immune. Cancer does not discriminate."
Posted by su2cadmin on September 23, 2010 10:23 AM
Stand Up To Cancer was thrilled to have Fitz and The Tantrums (FATT) rock our stage during the cancer-fighting event on September 10. Unfortunately, everyone at home didn't catch their amazing performance because After Hours live stream ended after 30 minutes. Our heartfelt apologies to Fitz, Noelle and all The Tantrums who bravely closed the show - and apologies to our audience at home who didn't get to see them do it!
Thanks to the amazing performance of Fitz and the Tantrums, the 46 Mommas had a well-deserved rocking good time at the Stand Up To Cancer After Party at Sony Pictures Studios. Momma Karla, one of the 46 Mommas said, "They sang and danced like we felt. 'Electrifying!'"
As members of the Dangerbird Records roster, FATT are part of the family of the much beloved Pablove Foundation, an organization founded by Dangerbird principal Jeff Castelaz and his wife Jo Ann Thrailkill.
The Pablove Foundation is named after Pablo Castelaz, the son of Jeff and Jo Ann, and the little brother of Grady Gallagher. On May 17, 2008, Pablo was diagnosed with bilateral Wilms' Tumor, a rare form of pediatric cancer. The disease appeared out of nowhere, with no warning signs. He underwent treatment at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, and on June 27, 2009, Pablo lost his battle with cancer.
Devastated but determined, Castelaz set out to ride coast to coast, and picked up support from the arts and cycling community along the way. Dangerbird artists Silversun Pickups, filmmaker Christopher Nolan, punkers Against Me, and Tour de France legend Lance Armstrong all stepped up, raising thousands of dollars for Castelaz's cause while he sped across the country for over 43 days, riding in honor of his son's memory. During his trip he met with families touched by cancer, visited hospitals, and dedicated his time each day to a different child's fight against the disease.
Castelaz is hitting the road this fall on the second Pablove Across America tour to spread a very important message: kids get cancer too. He will cycle city-by-city for close to a month, beginning October 2, 2010 in Seattle and covering some 1,425 miles. The music industry leader and his crew of cyclists will visit children's hospitals in Seattle, Portland, the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles, while joining up with fellow riders who are dedicated to raising money and awareness in the fight against pediatric cancer. The charity ride's full schedule can be found at www.pabloveacrossamerica.com/schedule/.
The event kicks off September 30, 2010 with a benefit show featuring Dangerbird artists Minus the Bear at the legendary venue, The Crocodile, in Seattle. Show your support for the Pablove Across America Tour by visiting www.pablove.org and please 'Like' them on Facebook.
You can also 'Like' Fitz and the Tantrums on Facebook, and check out their new record "Picking Up The Pieces" on iTunes. Like what you hear? Show them some love by voting in KROQ's Locals Only favorites.
Stand Up To Cancer wishes the Pablove Across America Tour the best of success as they close out their Childhood Cancer Awareness Month activities. Thank you for being a part of our 2010 show and joining us in the fight against this disease.
"Ovarian cancer is a disease that whispers," said Cory, 52, spokeswoman for the Federal Aviation Administration in Chicago and a five-year ovarian cancer survivor. "Women need to be aware of the early warning signs for treatment to be successful." Ovarian cancer claims the lives of nearly 15,000 American women each year, according to the American Cancer Society. It mainly affects post-menopausal women but can strike at any age. Often called the "silent disease" because its symptoms are so vague, ovarian cancer is diagnosed at advanced stages in three out of four women and most patients die within five years. But when diagnosed and treated early, the five-year survival rate is greater than 90 percent, according to the Cancer Society. http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/ct-x-c-health-ovarian-cancer-0922-20100922,0,1634816.story
The American Cancer Society reports that in 2010, approximately 1,970 men will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer. Compare that with the 207,090 women who are estimated to receive breast cancer diagnoses in 2010, according to the National Cancer Institute. "It never occurs to men that we can get breast cancer," said Lucier, a male breast cancer survivor. "We're oblivious, and that's what's so dangerous. You don't expect it." Men's minimal breast development and negligible exposure to female hormones greatly reduces the likelihood that their breast duct cells will undergo cancerous changes, but it does not completely eliminate the possibility that they can get breast cancer, explains the American Breast Cancer Society. http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-09-22/a-z/sc-health-faces-1010-breast-men-20100922_1_breast-duct-cells-val-lucier-breast-cancer
A dramatic boost in research into women's health issues over two decades has helped reduce the effects of such life-threatening conditions as breast cancer, cervical cancer and cardiovascular disease in women, according to a study released Thursday. However, the study shows little progress on such health issues as lung cancer, which remains the leading cause of cancer death in women in the U.S. and still has relatively few screening and treatment options. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703384204575510200491469626.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
Almost half of all patients who undergo fecal blood tests to screen for colon and rectal cancer fail to follow up with a repeat test within two years as recommended, a new study reports. The test, which requires a stool sample that patients can take themselves and mail to a laboratory, is simple, inexpensive and supported by medical evidence. But it loses its effectiveness if patients do not adhere to regular repeat screenings, according to the authors of the study, being published in Annals of Family Medicine. "This is not just a one-time deal," said the lead author, Dr. Joshua J. Fenton, assistant professor of family and community medicine at the University of California, Davis. "It's a lot like a mammogram or a Pap smear -- it's a test that you need to do on a regular basis if you want it to give you the benefit you're looking for, reducing your risk of dying of colon cancer." http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/21/health/research/21screening.html
Posted by su2cadmin on September 27, 2010 12:50 PM
Walter Rumbel In April 2008, Walter Rumbel was taken to the hospital for pre admission testing after suffering a heart attack. At that time, doctors noticed a spot on his right lung. After performing a biopsy, they quickly informed Rumbel that he had lung cancer. He was diagnosed with stage 2 adenocarcinoma, in the early stages. Fortunately, doctors were able to remove the lower lobe of his right lung just a few months later before the cancer had spread to his lymph nodes or anywhere else in the body. Rumbel has been cancer-free ever since, and hopes that his fight is now over for good. http://yesterday.standup2cancer.org/custom/?c=profile&a=index&id=112268
Ray Christiansen At the age of 30, Ray Christiansen was diagnosed with stage 4 testicular cancer that had already spread to his liver, lungs and brain. "Being the stubborn SOB that I am, I was not ready to let cancer beat me," says Christiansen. After rigorous treatments including chemotherapy, radiation, stem cell transplants, one testicle removed and two egg-sized tumors removed from his brain, Christiansen is happy to say that he has survived five years later. Earlier this year, he had both of his hips replaced as a result of his treatment, but says he is almost back to normal and pain-free. "Never give up the fight..." says Christiansen. "You can do it. Be mind strong." http://yesterday.standup2cancer.org/custom/?c=profile&a=index&id=111671
Nichole Kedrowski 29-year-old Nichole Kedrowski was in search of the "American Dream," but since her brain cancer diagnosis last year, has begun to cherish each day as a precious gift. She has already completed one year of chemotherapy, has begun raising awareness, and is reaching out to others affected by this disease. "If we all shared our love, understanding and support of each other, there is so much healing that can be done in the world," says Kedrowski. "My mission in life now is to fight for life and the lives of others." http://yesterday.standup2cancer.org/custom/?c=profile&a=index&id=111660
Terrence Martin In the fall of 1985, Terrence Martin was diagnosed with his first of 20 melanomas. Many years later, a nagging cough sent him to the doctor. An x-ray and biopsy quickly revealed metastatic melanoma in one of Martin's lungs, and in December of 2008. the lobe was removed. Having always been active, Martin entered the Florida doubles Racquetball tournament just eight months later and won. Carefully monitored by his doctors at this time, additional cancers were later found in Martin's body. But after receiving new drug treatments, Martin has now seen a 30% reduction in the size of his tumors. "I am 80 years old, and while I am not as active as I would like, I still play racquetball three times every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday," says Martin. "...Bike riding and swimming are part of my 'keep something in the tank program.' I want to offer hope to those who have similar cancers that there is still a chance to enjoy life." http://yesterday.standup2cancer.org/custom/?c=profile&a=index&id=111503
This Saturday October 2nd, friends and families across America and the world are
making plans to gather and wear yellow in support of LIVESTRONG Day. SU2C
stands with the LIVESTRONG Foundation and Lance Armstrong in encouraging
everyone to wear yellow to raise awareness and support for the over 28 million
people living with cancer worldwide.
Right now, cancer takes more lives than AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined.
This year alone, almost 8 million people worldwide will die of this disease making it
the world's leading cause of death.
LIVESTRONG Day is held annually on October 2nd, the anniversary of Lance
Armstrong's own cancer diagnosis, as a celebration of survivorship. It is also a
worldwide rally to support the movement to bring an end to this disease. As a fellow
friend and supporter of SU2C, Lance Armstrong stood up with us on September
10th and on Oct 2nd SU2C is proud to stand with Armstrong and LIVESTRONG.
The time to take action is now. Both SU2C and LIVESTRONG believe that when we
all stand together in the fight and create a movement, we will one day triumph over
this devastating disease and its unsettling statistics.
To celebrate LIVESTRONG Day, SU2C will proudly wear yellow on October 2nd. By
standing together we can make a difference and be heard. This is a cyber rally you
don't want to miss!
Make sure to wear your yellow SU2C Survivor shirt if you have one! (Sorry...new orders won't arrive in time for 10/2/10)
September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. SU2C Stands Up with the thousands of children diagnosed with cancer every year and the families who support them.
There are 12,500 new cases of cancer in children every year and 2,500 children die of cancer each year. Childhood cancers have increased by nearly 30 percent in the last two decades. Though pediatric cancer kills more children in the United States than any other disease, it makes up only 1 percent of all cancers, said Dr. Howard Katzenstein of the Aflac Cancer Center in Georgia and Emory University. Since 1980, only one new cancer drug has been approved for children; 50 have been approved for adults, and most children are given adult treatments in child-size doses. He said researchers and the pharmaceutical industry needed to invest in finding the cause of childhood cancers and developing better treatments with fewer side effects. "Children are not just small adults," he said. "They're different. They handle drugs differently. They have different side effects." http://abcnews.go.com/WN/person-week-mollie-ward-cancer-crusader/story?id=11665006&page=1
In the U.S., when a company receives FDA approval for a drug that targets a neglected disease, it gets a voucher that can be used to get priority review from the FDA on another, larger market drug, which would speed up the approval review process and could lead to the more lucrative medicine hitting the market sooner. In August, a bill was introduced in the Senate to extend the priority review vouchers to include some pediatric rare diseases, such as cancer. The legislation was one of the key topics at last week's pediatric cancer summit run by the Pediatric Cancer Caucus, which works with legislators. Nancy Goodman, who lost a 10-year-old son to cancer in 2009 and whose Kids v Cancer group helped drive the effort to expand vouchers to include pediatric rare diseases, says about the potential number of vouchers, "That's the million dollar question." But even one voucher a year, she adds, would represent "a sea-change for kids with cancer and rare diseases." http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2010/09/21/need-for-speed-how-to-get-faster-drug-reviews-in-europe/
The imaging tests widely used in children's cancer treatment can expose some kids to potentially concerning levels of radiation, according to a recent study at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada. The findings, based on 150 pediatric cancer patients, offer a first look at the radiation doses these children can accumulate from various types of imaging tests during the course of their treatment. Medical imaging is a necessary part of children's cancer treatment, said the study's leader, Dr. Karen E. Thomas, and the benefits of a given test are likely to far outweigh the potential long-term effects on the risk of second cancer. That said, parents of children undergoing cancer treatment should not be afraid to ask questions, according to Thomas. That includes asking why a given test is being done, and whether a radiation-free alternative -- like an MRI or ultrasound -- could provide the same information. http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE68Q51520100927
For the first time, researchers have found a link between obesity and a common type of childhood cancer. The team of doctors discovered that being very overweight can aid in the development of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) - a new clue in the efforts to determine the true causes of childhood blood cancers. Previous research done at Childrens Hospital L.A. also reveals obesity could make treating certain blood cancers more difficult. "If the leukemia cells are hidden in fat and the chemotherapy can't effectively treat them there then that could be a reason for resistance," said Dr. Mettelman. "This was the first study to show that obesity itself actually accelerates leukemia progression." Experts agree the findings just add to the long list of reasons to encourage a fit and healthy lifestyle in children. http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/health/your_health&id=7670509
