CANCER ARTICLES FOR IMNY

Autobiography by: Nancy Novack I was diagnosed with stage IV ovarian cancer on April 29, 2004. It had metastasized into my liver. I was too happily innocent about the cancer world and I said two now-remarkable things: “Thank goodness, it is not appendicitis,” and “What is stage V?” This is the story of my evolution from a very shocked and frightened cancer patient with a form of cancer that has earned itself a lousy reputation. My simple and profound wish is that no one will ever go through cancer alone. I want every man, woman, teenager, and child who has to ‘walk the walk’ to have a hand to hold from someone who has been there, who understands the cancer mystery, and who will hang in there when times are tough. I suppose my mission since my “cancer journey” is all about determining the unmet needs of cancer patients, especially the emotional aspects, and do my best to find a way to fill them. The path started with finding ways to assist patients financially, moved to a call-to-action...

Foreword: To fully grasp the sensible nature behind the science of Immunology is to understand the logic of how our overall physiology works in the most uncomplicated terms possible.  It is this logic that frames our very co-existence with disease (and cancer) and how our bodies are naturally designed to suppress them. Basic biology attributes any contracted sickness or disease to a WEAKENED and COMPROMISED IMMUNE SYSTEM.     Our body's  immune system  accounts for approximately 1% of the body's 100 trillion cells.  The different cell lineages that develop all share one common objective: to identify and destroy all substances ( living or inert ) which are recognized as not being part of what "should be in the body .” Whether it is an abnormal cell or what are perceived as dangerous or damaged cells, they are actively hunted down and destroyed by effector cells of the immune system. Cancer cell attacked by Lymphocytes CELLULAR WA...

THE TWO‐PART MISSION TO SAVE LIVES Fact: Cancer is a grim and dark topic that no one enjoys talking about. It’s not uncommon for many to BURY the idea that you could be NEXT-- preferring to believe cancer can happen to someone else. But history shows that CANCER WILL ALWAYS SURPRISE YOU! This is why creating a ground attack and a crusade needs to happen to "get the drop on cancer."  We can do this by staying smart with awareness, get vigilant with a healthy lifestyle and keeping our eyes open for this sneaky disease before it catches you! Any cancer survivor, cancer specialist or patient advocate will tell you that fighting cancer requires a ONE‐TWO PUNCH comprised of EDUCATIONAL AWARENESS to reinforce a proactive lifestyle and the right information of what’s truly available in the treatment world. The second half of the battle is taking on the regimen of Early Detection and Prevention through REGULAR CHECKUPS & SCREENING. That’s the smarts behind the ‘GET CHECKED NOW!’ m...

My name is Vanessa Silva. I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007 after my father was first diagnosed with breast cancer where he was identified as BRCA2 positive.   I found out in a very roundabout way. I only went for a check-up because my doctor wanted to be proactive, and she just wanted to confirm that I was healthy.  More importantly, she wanted to check to see that I wasn't carrying the gene. But during the mammogram, they told me to go upstairs to see my doctor.  Right then and there I knew they were going to tell me I had cancer. I spoke to my doctor and she confirmed it. I can remember crying- then saying, "Okay, you need to get yourself together. There's options. They said it was at stage zero. It's not a death sentence. We're going to do what we have to do... but you're probably going to be BRCA2 positive, as well."  The battle for me started with chemotherapy- but not radiation. In a matter of weeks, they realized the cancer was more aggres...

By: Carmen Regallo-Dewitt (Awareness for a Cure Newsletter) In the global battle against chronic diseases and painful injuries, new products processed from the male side of the Cannabis Sativa (marijuana plant) called HEMP are capturing widespread attention and claiming recognized success from their health and wellness applications. According to the Food and Drug Administration, a purified form of the drug Cannabidiol (CBD) - an extract from the stem and stalk of the marijuana plant has been approved for public use based on more than 80 active chemicals as a nutritional supplement.   Manufacturers like CANBIOLA (Hicksville, NY) recently stated that “CBD is now Federally legal in all 50 states thanks to the 2018 Farm Bill recently passed by congress and signed by President Trump.”   Also, the FDA claims to “work with companies to provide patients access to experimental therapies while clinical trials are ongoing through expanded access provisions. These approaches help protect ...

By: Jennifer Cook (BIA-ALCL Survivor) Published/Edited by: Carmen Regallo-Dewitt / Lennard Gettz -Awareness for a Cure writing team By now, most people are aware of cancers like lung, breast, prostate etc. –enough to know how to research about it. But a cancer related to breast implants is something that unless you happen to be watching the news recently, you may be completely in the dark about it. Furthermore, many doctors are still not providing the right conclusion about implant-associated disorders, deeming implants to NOT cause cancer. In August of 2017, I was diagnosed with Breast Implant-Associated Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) and I immediately went on the internet looking for more information. I was aware of the disease prior to joining, but it was Jamie Cook who put me in touch immediately with a doctor at MD Anderson.  Within hours, someone called me with information on this disease and basically helped me make sure that I got the right treatment for it....

From an Interview with Awareness for a Cure reporter in 9/19/2018 They say you're cancer-free but in the back of your mind, there's always a chance of the 'boogerman' will jump up and get'ya. I was a Shelbyville firefighter back in 1973, and I worked there until '76. then I came back in '86 and officially retired 2011; the whole time, we didn't have any breathing (protection) apparatus. I worked there of a total, probably 33 years as a firefighter; a driver; a captain, but this captain still had to fight fires. We call it fire hall number one- as one of three stations in the city of Shelbyville, Tennessee.  When I came back in '86 they started carrying respiratory protection on their trucks, but we didn't use em, and then with all the new plastics and the new synthetic materials and stuff coming out; I think I was one of the first ones that started using it because I didn't want all that stuff in my lungs. Out of it, they say I've got a t...