Cancer Survival
August 16th, 2008 at 02:31pm
Under Cancer Survival
Picture this: The year is 2030 and you’re at the annual family reunion. It’s you and 99 of your dearest loved ones. Glancing around, you see people laughing, dancing, and barbequing. Then you notice something that isn’t so rosy. Only 14 people out of the entire bunch are at a healthy weight.
Think having 86% of your extended family labeled as fat is farfetched? It isn’t. A recent study at the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health is projecting that 86% of Americans will be either overweight or obese by the year 2030.
What can be done to prevent you and your family from becoming part of that 86%? The easiest step toward weight loss is healthy nutrition. And one of the best healthy eating tips is as simple as opening up a healthy recipe book. Healthy nutrition is something that nearly everyone has access to and can easily incorporate into their lifestyle.
The National Cancer Institute reports on their website that the number of obesity-related cancer deaths is at a staggering 14% for men and 20% for women. Furthermore it has been shown that, weight loss, fueled by healthy nutrition, is a key component in the prevention of cancer. Obesity is attributed to a number of cancers, including breast, ovarian, and colon cancer.
According to the American Heart Association, an estimated one-third of Americans are living with high blood pressure. Kidney disease, stroke, and heart disease are all complications that can arise from having high blood pressure. To combat these risks, you should be consuming a diet that is low in cholesterol, sodium, saturated fat, and trans fat. When preparing your meals, include plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, fish, and lean meats.
High blood pressure isn’t the only thing that can lead to stroke and heart disease. High cholesterol is another killer. Healthy eating tips that will help lower your cholesterol include: eating at least 25 grams of fiber a day, limiting alcohol consumption to one or two glasses daily, and reducing your intake of trans and saturated fats.
The modern American diet creates a daily dose of toxins in our system.
Poor nutrition can cause poor digestion. When this occurs toxins build
up in our bodies. Over time your liver weakens, it can’t do it’s job.
When your liver is weaken chemicals and poisons pass unchecked into your
bloodstream,to your brain,heart,lungs,bones reproductive organs,literally
every organ and cell in your body. At this point you get diseases.
You can safely detox your body and feel better with healthy nutrition. To change your diet, your first purchase should be a healthy recipe book. It is a must-have if you are serious about healthy nutrition and weight loss! Having a healthy recipe book at your fingertips makes it easy to identify nutritious foods that act as natural remedies for common illnesses.
For delicious recipes to help lower your cholesterol, assist with your weight loss and more, go to www.2yourgoodhealthrecipebook.com. For free information on healthy eating tips and natural remedies for common illnesses, check out www.yourgoodhealthsite.com. Take charge of your health today!
Hello World, My name is Sandra Essex. I live in the Atlanta Georgia Area. I am a 13 year Breast and Lung cancer survivor. I am a new internet Entrepreneur. I love and live my life to the fullest everyday. I love to travel. I love my family. I have been married for over 23 years. I enjoy sharing my life changing experiences with people. My mission in life is to help educate people around the world On the importance of a healthy diet, and it?s relation to a persons over all GOOD HEALTH and WELLNESS. I hope that you will find that our Articles will contain valuable information on Tips, and strategies for weight loss, smart eating habits, common health issues And over all healthy life style changes. Let?s enjoy this journey together. For more information visit: http://www.2yourgoodhealthrecipebook.com
By SANDRAESSEX
August 5th, 2008 at 08:52pm
Under Cancer Survival
It has been stated that one in three people will develop a form of Cancer at some point within their lives, making it one of the most prolific diseases that we are now seeing. Due to this doctors have to be highly aware of the possibility of Cancer when making a diagnosis.
The importance of an early diagnosis when it comes to Cancer cannot be emphasised enough; in many cases an early diagnosis is the difference between life and death. An early diagnosis is also the deciding factor on your life expectancy. Early diagnosis is crucial regardless of what type of Cancer you have; this is especially true in the case of lung, ovarian and stomach Cancer as they have a much lower mortality rate if they receive a prompt diagnosis.
Sadly some people aren’t treated as early as they should be. There are many reasons for this such as a patient didn’t think anything of their symptoms and dismissed them as something else so they didn’t bother going and seeing their doctor. Also many people go to their doctor with symptoms but these symptoms are similar to another disease with the same symptoms so they could easily be dismissed. All of these are common human error but it is important that a doctor goes down all avenues when they are diagnosing you.
An example of why it is so important to catch any form of cancer early is people who are diagnosed with ovarian cancer at the earliest stage they have a 92% to 93% of a five year survival but this can quickly be reduced to 11% or 12% if the cancer has seriously advanced.
An example of when a diagnosis goes beyond simple human error is if a smoker goes to see a doctor with a cough and the doctor merely puts it down to the fact that they smoke. This is completely unacceptable as a cough is one symptom of lung cancer. In a case such as this the doctor should have examined the matter further and investigated the possibility of lung cancer, if for nothing else than to rule it out.
There are many different types of cancer so in order to make an accurate diagnosis you need a medical professional to correctly interpret your symptoms and by looking at your test results thoroughly. Failure to accurately diagnose allows the cancer to spread and grow, which can be at an alarming rate depending on where the cancer is and how advanced or aggressive it is.
If a cancer diagnosis is failed to be made then your correct treatment will be delayed, which will increase your chance of dying from the disease; however this problem can also be turned around, which basically means that if a doctor makes a diagnosis of cancer and there is no cancer present then this can cause a person a lot of unnecessary emotional suffering and shock and it may even lead to them receiving the incorrect treatment. Any situation such as this will be viewed as a form of medical negligence.
If you feel that you have suffered from medical negligence in the past three years due to actions that were taken or actions that were failed to be taken when it comes to your Cancer diagnosis then you could be entitled to make a claim for compensation.
Thousands of men and women across the UK have already claimed the compensation that they deserve after being involved in some form of a medical negligence claim, now it’s your turn so get in touch with a legal team today to find out where you stand with making a claim for compensation.
Helen is the web master of Accident Consult, specialists in all aspects of Medical Negligence Compensation Claims.
By HelenCox
August 4th, 2008 at 10:23pm
Under Cancer Survival
Cancer is second only to cardiovascular disease as the leading cause of death in the Western world.
Although Cancer is primarily a disease of the elderly with more than 60% of deaths from cancer occurring in those over the age of 65, cancer can strike even the youngest of children.
Cancer appears to occur when the growth of cells in the body is out of control and cells divide too rapidly. Carcinomas can develop in almost any organ or tissue, such as the lung, colon, breast, skin, bones, or nerve tissue.
Most common sites are:
Prostrate 24%
Breast 13%
Lung 13%
Colon and Rectum 9%
Bladder 3%
Uterus 2.5%
The cause of Cancer is believed to be a combination of genetic factors and outside carcinogens such as tobacco, viruses, infection, asbestos, vinyl chloride, inappropriate diet.
Cancer often has no specific symptoms, so it is important that you limit your risk factors and undergo appropriate cancer screening. The signs and symptoms will depend on where the cancer is, the size of the tumor, and how much it affects the nearby organs or structures.
If a cancer spreads (metastasizes), then symptoms may appear in different parts of the body. As a tumour grows, it begins to push on nearby organs, blood vessels, and nerves. If the cancer is in a critical area, such as certain parts of the brain, even the smallest tumor can cause early symptoms.
But sometimes cancers start in places where it does not cause any symptoms until the cancer has grown quite large. Pancreatic cancers, for example, do not usually grow large enough to be felt from the outside of the body.
By the time a pancreatic cancer causes these signs or symptoms, it has usually reached an advanced stage.
A cancer may also cause symptoms common to many other problems, such as; fever, fatigue and weight loss. This may be because the cancer uses up much of the body’s energy or it may cause the release of substances which affect metabolism.
Some lung cancers make hormone-like substances that affect blood calcium levels, affecting nerves and muscles and causing weakness and dizziness.
It is important to know what some of the general (non-specific) signs and symptoms of cancer are, but remember that having any of these does not mean that you have cancer.
Most cancers can be treated and some cured, depending on the specific type, location, and stage. The earlier tumors are found, the better the prognosis.
A good example of the importance of finding cancer early is melanoma skin cancer. Skin cancer can be easy to remove if it has not grown deep into the skin, and the 5-year survival rate (percentage of people living at least 5 years after diagnosis) at this stage is nearly100%.
Screening for breast cancer with mammograms has been shown to reduce the average stage of diagnosis of breast cancer in a population.
Colorectal cancer can be detected through fecal occult blood testing and colonoscopy, which reduces both colon cancer incidence and mortality, presumably through the detection and removal of pre-malignant polyps.
Similarly, cervical cytology testing (using the Pap smear) leads to the identification and excision of precancerous lesions.
Testicular self-examination is recommended for men beginning at the age of 15 years to detect testicular cancer.
SIGNS and SYMPTOMS
Pain may be an early symptom with some cancers such as bone cancers or testicular cancer.
Long-term constipation, diarrhea, or a change in the size of the stool may be a sign of colon cancer.
Pain with urination, blood in the urine, or a change in bladder function (such as more frequent or less frequent urination) could be related to bladder or prostate cancer.
Skin cancers may bleed and look like sores that do not heal.
A long-lasting sore in the mouth could be an oral cancer and should be dealt with right away, especially in patients who smoke, chew tobacco, or frequently drink alcohol.
Sores on the penis or vagina may either be signs of infection or an early cancer, and should not be overlooked.
Unusual bleeding can happen in either early or advanced cancer.
Blood in the sputum (phlegm) may be a sign of lung cancer.
Blood in the stool (or a dark or black stool) could be a sign of colon or rectal cancer.
Blood in the urine may be a sign of bladder or kidney cancer.
A bloody discharge from the nipple may be a sign of breast cancer.
Many cancers can be felt through the skin, mostly in the breast, testicle, lymph nodes (glands), and the soft tissues of the body. A lump or thickening may be an early or late sign of cancer. Self examination is an important diagnostic measure, particularly for breast tumors.
While they commonly have other causes, indigestion or swallowing problems may be a sign of cancer of the esophagus, stomach, or pharynx (throat).
A cough that does not go away may be a sign of lung cancer.
A tumor may be suspected for a variety of reasons, but the definitive diagnosis of most malignancies must be confirmed by histological examination of the cancerous cells by a pathologist.
TREATMENT
Once diagnosed, cancer is usually treated with a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
Radiation therapy may be used to treat almost every type of solid tumor, including cancers of the brain, breast, cervix, larynx, lung, pancreas, prostate, skin, stomach, uterus, or soft tissue sarcomas.
Most forms of chemotherapy target all rapidly dividing cells and are not specific for cancer cells, although some degree of specificity may come from the inability of many cancer cells to repair DNA damage, while normal cells generally can.
Contemporary methods for generating an immune response against tumours include intravesical BCG immunotherapy for superficial bladder cancer, and use of interferons and other cytokines to induce an immune response in renal cell carcinoma and melanoma patients.
Pain medication, such as morphine and oxycodone, and anti-emetics, drugs to suppress nausea and vomiting, are very commonly used in patients with cancer-related symptoms. transmission and disease.
Advances in cancer research have made a vaccine designed to prevent cancer available. The vaccine protects against four HPV types, which together cause 70% of cervical cancers and 90% of genital warts.
The consensus on diet and cancer is that obesity increases the risk of developing cancer. The cancer-fighting components of food are also proving to be more numerous and varied than previously understood, so patients are increasingly being advised to consume fresh, unprocessed fruits and vegetables for maximal health benefits.
Dick Aronson has been involved in the healthcare industry for 35 years. He has written numerous articles on the subject and runs a number of informative websites, viz: Go to Cancer Information-online , Go to Prostate Information-online and for unique health products Go to Health Innovations
By DickAronson
August 3rd, 2008 at 06:08pm
Under Cancer Survival
Cancer is now the leading cause of death globally. It is estimated that cancer will kill 84 million people in the next ten years. While the causes of cancer are complex, it is well known that that certain things can lower the risk of getting it. The most important recommendations are to avoid toxins and eat healthy foods. Nature foods has many nutrients that are known to help protect against cancer.
Studies have shown that Sterol/Sterolins and Omega 3, 6 and 9 can increase natural killers (NK) cell activity and act as a potent immunomudulator for the treatment and restoration of immune dysfunction.
Gamma Oryzanol (Ferulic acid) is know to be anti-mutagenic. Inositol, IP6, Polyphenol, Fiber, Tocotrienols and Antioxidants are all known to be anti-carcinogenic. Polyphenols and Tocotrienols have been shown to inhibit Phase 1 microsomal enzymes, and the lipoprotein fraction of nature foods has been shown to inhibit abnormal cell prolifeation.
Numerous epidemilogic studies reported an association between high fiber intake and reduced incidence of colon cancer and breast cancer. A 1992 study by Harvard Medical School found that men who consumed only 12 grams of fiber a day were twice as likely to develop precancerous colon changes as men whose daily fiber intake was about 30 grams. Scientist theorize that insoluble fiber adds bulk to stool, which in turn dilutes carcinogens and speeds their transit through the lower intestines and out of the body.
12 studies found a link between high fiber intake and reduced risk of breast cancer. In the early stages, some breast tumors are stimulated by estrogen circulating in the blood stream. Scientist believe that fiber may hamper the growth of these tumors by binding with estrogen in the intestine, preventing it from being reabsorbed into the bloodstream.
IP6 has been shown to exhibit significant anti-cancer activity and to inhibit tumor cell growth in colon, intestinal, and liver cancers. Carotenoids (including the Alpha Carotene, Beta Carotene, Lutein, Lycopene, Zeaxanthin and Precrytoxanthin/Crypthoxanthin found in nature foods) offer powerful protection against many different types of cancer. Lycopene in particular has been associated with lower rates of prostate cancer.
Pangamic Acid (B15) has shown to have a unique ability to release a type of cyanide only at cancer sites, thereby destroying cancer cells while at the same time, nourishing non-cancerous tissue.
Sterols and sterolins (found in plants) are great immune supporters. They help the immune system to stop cancer, kill bacteria, destroy viruses and slow down the aging process. They have also been shown to keeep patients infected with the HIV virus from developing AIDS.
When a person has a weakend immune system, even a simple cold or flu can esclate and becoming a life threatening illness. Having a strong immune system is the best defense against illness and disease.
One of the most important nutrients CoQ10 which is a immune booster routinely recommended as part of people suffering from cancer such as cardiovascular disease, Muscular Dystrophy, periondontal Disease and many more.
Nutritionally strengthening and supporting the immune system is essential, especially after the age 50 because the body’s natural defenses decline with age.
Bardnurz Sham, Write an article to educate people so that they can improve their life by eat well and have a wonderful life. web: Health And Longevity You will find the best natural products at *BestHerbSupplements.com
By BardnurzSham
July 29th, 2008 at 11:27pm
Under Cancer Survival
Learning to fully live during tough times…
“Bad times have a scientific value. These are occasions a good learner would not miss.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
Ken’s asleep now. It’s been a big couple of days. Seems like a life time has come and gone; perhaps it has. Surgery for the new melanoma was Wednesday morning—early. Ten hours later, it was over. Four hours later he was out of recovery and into the next phase of life, learning to survive cancer. My work with the men at the Oregon State Correctional Institution gave me gave me an appreciation for freedom. Ken’s rollercoaster ride with cancer has given me a whole new appreciation for life and a deep understanding of the preciousness of each of life’s moments.
I know now why people close down and create walls around themselves for protection. Being open is painful when what is present is filled with sadness and suffering, but that is my commitment, to not close down in any way so here I sit wide open, allowing it all to be what it is, without story, without running or hiding. The love of everyone is so present here too. One would miss that if they closed down. You have to accept it all, to remain open to it all, or you miss the joy inherent in the sorrow, you miss the deep connection that lies amidst the pain.
The natural instinct of self-preservation creates walls easily, automatically, lending itself well to fight or flight, and misses the opportunity of being present. It would be nice if we could partition off the good from the bad and experience only happiness and joy, but we can’t. When we partition off the unacceptable, we partition ourselves off from life. We build walls that prevent us from experiencing all of life. Rather than experiencing life, being truly alive, we unconsciously tone down our experience to one we deem more acceptable. Unfortunately what we get is a mental experience rather than the entire experience, one that leaves us feeling disconnected and lost.
“Every life has dark tracts and long stretches of somber tint, and no representation is true to fact which dips its pencil only in light, and flings no shadows on the canvas.” Alexander Maclaren
A picture is worth a thousand words, so let me draw one. When we build a wall, it is as if we create a shell around ourselves. Consider yourself an egg inside an egg shell. Without the shell the egg slides all over the place…including into the frying pan…erase that…good for a picture but the analogy, while accurate, will most likely add more fear rather than opening an opportunity to shed it.
Let’s try again with a trip down memory lane. Back in 1976 John Travolta starred in a movie called, “Boy in the Plastic Bubble”, a film about a boy who was forced to live in a plastic isolation chamber because he was born with a non-functioning immune system, leaving him vulnerable to even the most common everyday viruses. The bubble is a great analogy for what we do to ourselves when we say ‘no’ to any aspect of our lives. In “The Grand Experiment” we call it the crystalline shell. Rather than being forced to live inside the bubble, though, we choose it, believing it to be safer than this painful experience of life. The virus we are vulnerable to is fear. When something good comes along, we don’t drop the layers and step free of the bubble. If we did that, the painful energy might find us, so instead, we engage life, the good and the bad from inside the bubble.
None of this is conscious, and though it may sound contradictory, it is a choice. It becomes a choice when we realize what is happening. At that point, we choose either to stay safely inside the bubble or choose to crack it, dissolve it, dismantle it…whatever it takes to live freely. Even knowing, we may continue to choose what appears to be safety, at least until the pain of being ensconced within the bubble exceeds the pain we perceive to be on the outside. In the movie, John Travolta’s character fell in love with the girl next door. He decided that life on the outside, even if it meant his death, was better than a long, safe life, disconnected from the ability to fully love—a true coming of age story.
Coming of age…what does that mean? It usually means growing up and entering into adulthood. Consider using it to mean growing into a true human, into our humanity, into our full compassion, fully aware of what it means to be human and that includes the good and the bad, the suffering and the pain. We are not meant to find the golden bucket at the end of the rainbow. There is no prince on a white horse. We cannot and should not choose only the apparent good in life. If we do we miss out on life…messy life…complex life…real life. We miss out on the ability to engage life. We miss out on the ability to live life fully present—present and accounted for! We look through the bubble and wonder why it feels as if we are missing out on something, why we feel so disconnected, why life just doesn’t satisfy. Inside the bubble we have the appearance of safety, but it is killing us slowly, roasting us one dream at a time. Outside is painful. Outside is joyful. Outside is all full! Outside is life. Inside is mind’s version, mind’s game, mind’s diversion from life.
Live now. None of us know how long we have here or how long the people we love will be with us. These moments are precious. They are God’s gift to each of us when we choose to fully experience life. Hell is inside the bubble of mind’s making. Heaven is filled with sorrow and suffering, joy and ecstatic, full-on living and it is here, outside the bubble. Come out and play.
“Just as the wave cannot exist for itself, but is ever a part of the heaving surface of the ocean, so must I never live my life for itself, but always in the experience which is going on around me.” Albert Schweitzer
Gayle Gregory, co-author of The Grand Experiment, an Expedition of Self-Discovery, is a coach and consultant dedicated to radically transforming humanity’s interactions, personally, locally and globally. Freedom from fear is not only possible, it is our birthright! Her coaching business is Pure Possibility and is affiliated with WE, Workplace Evolution.
By GayleGregory
July 12th, 2008 at 03:47am
Under Cancer Survival
Breast cancer radiotherapy is at best an ordeal and at worst a living nightmare for many women.
The worst moment after being told you really do have cancer is being told you will need chemotherapy and radiotherapy as treatment to fight the disease. Having been there I know it’s shocking and I felt I just simply would never cope with it all. I’m writing this article and describing my experiences in the hope that it will make it easier for others to cope. If that applies to you then my thoughts are with you - good luck on your journey. Be strong and you’ll see it through.
My own breast cancer treatment regime was to consist of four treatments of FEC chemo, four weeks of radiotherapy treatment then four treatments of Taxotere chemo. This would all take the best part of ten months.
Having survived the first part of the chemo ( just! ) I went into my radiotherapy a bit bruised and battered. The first thing that needed done was going to a simulator to have the very complicated process of marking out where your treatment would be. This is done with lasers and details of where your tumour or tumours were. Small tattoos are then done to mark out the treatment area. This enables the machine to be set up very quickly every day during treatment.
I mentally decided that for the four weeks of radiotherapy I would treat it like a job. It took 45 minutes or so to drive to the hospital and back every day. The Western General in Edinburgh where I had all my treatments has a fantastic set up for radiotherapy patients. There is a dedicated car park next to the unit and you are guaranteed a space or they will valet park your car. This was amazing and a big weight off my mind as your appointment only lasts five minutes and you have to be there in time as the machines are in use constantly.
The actual radiotherapy lasts a few minutes and is painless-quite relaxing really. Some people find the treatment very tiring. I didn’t, but I think if you’ve had chemo first then your perception of tiredness changes! The going to the hospital every day is a bit of a bind but use any mental trick to over come this.
After a few weeks of treatment the skin over the treated area can become very red and fragile. No soap or creams should be used as these can make your skin even more sensitive. This does clear up but it did cause discomfort for a few weeks. The skin on this area will always be more sensitive and sun should be avoided. It’s also worth mentioning not to forget the exit area – mine was on my back – where the radiotherapy exists your body during treatments.
Radiotherapy treatment, for me, was the least unpleasant of the treatments I went through. At the outset it seems daunting but really it’s not – honestly!
Marjory Ramsay is a nurse and mother in Edinburgh. She has blogged about her breast cancer treatment experiences in the hope that others might find help or comfort. You can read her breast cancer survivor story and about the symptoms of breast cancer by following these links.
By MarjoryRamsay
July 12th, 2008 at 03:35am
Under Cancer Survival
Herceptin Treatment is a fairly new treatment for breast cancer. It was originally licensed for women who had some form of meteastatic breast cancer spread but a little over two years ago it was licensed to be used on any woman with early stage breast cancer. For me this was amazing timing as I had just had a mastectomy and it was discovered that the tumour I had was HER-2 positive. This is the only type of tumor suitable for herceptin treatment.
So, it was organized that after chemotherapy and radiotherapy I would have seventeen Herceptin treatments at three weekly intervals. To be honest after all the other treatments I was tired and weary. However, I was aware of how important this treatment was and decided to give it my all!
Herceptin works by interfering in the way which breast cancer cells divide and grow. Some breast cancer cells divide and grow when a protein that naturally occurs in the body attaches itself to another protein known as HER2, which is found on the surface of the breast cancer cells.
Herceptin blocks this process by attaching itself to the HER2 protein so that the growth factor cannot reach the breast cancer cells. This stops the cells from dividing and growing.
Herceptin only works in people who have high levels of the HER2 protein. It appears to have little effect in those who do not. Approximately one in five breast cancer patients are HER-2 positive
The reasoning behind giving Herceptin over seventeen treatments is that the timescale from diagnosis to the end of Herceptin is approximately eighteen months … and eighteen months is the most likely time for the tumour to return, or metastic spread to occur – clever don’t you think!
During my treatments – which I got at home- I felt tired but not the dreaded near death tiredness of chemotherapy, and it only lasted a few days. That said there was a build up effect and nearing the end of it I did feel pretty ropey a lot of the time. My biggest problem with Herceptin was cannulation. Having had Epirubicin as one of my chemo drugs my veins in my hand and arm were hard and near impossible to cannulate.
The nurses could only use one arm because my lymph nodes had been removed on the other side during the mastectomy and no cannulations or injections should be done on that side to try to prevent infection. The poor nurses! Me a quivering wreck and no veins to be seen. It did cause me a lot of stress but they managed it every time. Virtually no cancer centres in the UK use portacaths - which are the commonest approach to this problem elsewhere in the world.
I was quite lucky not to have experienced too many side effects during my herceptin treatment. I did experience diarrhoea but while this is unpleasant, it’s manageable. Forward planning about location of toilets and Imodium in your handbag!
Flu like symptoms are also common following administration of the drug.
One of the more serious herceptin side effects is a reduction in heart function. To monitor this it’s normal to have an injection fraction scan every three months to determine if any damage has been done. These scans terrified me at first as I didn’t want anything to interrupt my treatments but I needn’t have worried as my heart function improved on Herceptin. Trust me to be different!
People can also experience allergic reactions and this is the reason the first two treatments are usually given in hospital.
My message to anybody out there who is embarking on Herceptin treatment is it’s not as bad as chemotherapy, it truly is life saving and it will be over before you know it! Stick with it and see it through. It’s tough but you’ll be glad you did once it’s over.
Marjory Ramsay is a nurse and mother in Edinburgh. She has blogged about her breast cancer treatment experiences in the hope that others might find help or comfort. You can read her breast cancer survivor story and about the symptoms of breast cancer by following these links.
By MarjoryRamsay
July 11th, 2008 at 08:15pm
Under Cancer Survival
Diagnosed with cancer as a teenager, Zoё Szypillo. 23, didn’t thin she’d get to her 17th birthday. But she was never going to give up on her dreams
“Ever since I was eight, I’d dream of becoming a model. Dressed up in my mum’s clothes and high heels, I’d practice catwalk poses I’d seen in fashion shows on television.
“As I approached my teens, my ambition remained unchanged. I told my family that one day I’d be parading in front of the cameras, and they all believed me. They told me I was an attractive girl; I was slim and, with the determination and energy I had then, they made me think I could do it.
“I was 15 and on holiday in Spain with my mum when I found a small lump on my left calf. As it had appeared overnight, Mum though it must be a mosquito bite. But there was something niggling at the back of my mind. I’d read about cancer starting from lumps and was a bit scared.
“When I mentioned my fear to Mum, she told me not to be so ridiculous and that, as always, I was being a drama queen. But I couldn’t relax and enjoy myself.
“By the end of the holiday, the lump had grown to the size of a small grape and started to hurt. When we got home, Mum took me to see a doctor. As he ran his fingers over the bump, he told me it was probably the result of deep bruising and would disappear over time. But over the next few months, the lump almost doubled in size and I felt sick if I touched it.
“Some days it was unbearable. I was really active – I palyed netball for my school and was in the running team – but I had to stop doing both, as every time anyone brushed past me, I was scared they’d hit the lump.
“It had been a year since it had appeared, so I went back to the doctors. He told me I’d need to go the hospital for an MRI scan to find out what it was.
“I was petrified. Something inside me told me the doctors would finally discover my lump was cancerous, but I held it together. As I sat waiting for my results in the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, I clutched Mum’s hand and could feel her shaking. She was more scared than me.
“I remember the doctor calling me in and saying, I’m sorry to saying, ‘I’m sorry to say this Zoё, but the scan has revealed the lump could be soft tissue sarcoma – a rare form of cancer. We’ll need to remove it to…’ The rest is a blur. My head felt it was about to explode with all the questions I had. Would I die? Would I lose all my hair from chemotherapy? I wanted to ask, but I couldn’t get any words out of my mouth.
“Over the next few weeks, as we waited for the operation date, I thought about my future and read everything I could about cancer. It was reassuring to find other people who’d successfully had their lumps removed, but I never came across anyone as young as me, which scared me.
“Within a month, the lump was removed. I was kept in for a few days as another scan was necessary to make sure they’d removed all of it. Although weak from the operation, I was feeling optimistic.
“But six weeks later, my bubble was burst. The scan revealed that the cancer was still there. It meant I’d need to have chemotherapy and another operation to remove the rest of the cancer.
“Although I was devastated, I felt able to get through it all – at least I’d get better. But as I was mustering enough strength to get through the next stage of treatment, the doctors had another shock for me.
“They told me that if this operation wasn’t successful, they’d have no choice but to amputate my whole leg in order to stop the cancer from spreading to the rest of my body. But that wasn’t all. They informed me that if I didn’t respond to the treatment, I could die within two years.
“For the first time since I’d found the lump, I broke down and cried.
“Mum told me to stay strong and focus on my dreams. My ambitions became my driving force and kept me going. I wasn’t prepared to give up.
“But then I remembered the chemo. The doctors had told me all my hair would fall out – including my eyelashes and eyebrows. What chance did I have now of becoming a model? My long, thick, jet-clack hair was my pride and joy. It was so long, I could site on it. I couldn’t picture myself with a bald head and every time I ran my fingers through my hair, I fell to pieces and cried.
“Eventually, I asked my cousin Tracey, who’s a hairdresser, to cut it off. At the time, Victoria Beckham had cropped hair and I loved the style. And, besides, I figured I was going to lose it anyway, so I might as well go for it. I would never have been brave enough before, but what was stopping me now?
“It was pointless. Two days later my hair started falling out in clumps. I found hair all over my pillow and bath towel, and them, one day, as my mum was brushing it, it just came out in her hands. In a matter of weeks, I’d gone from having gorgeous long hair to having none. I didn’t cry: I was just numb. Looking at myself in the mirror, I didn’t recognize my reflection and dreaded the thought of going back to school.
“It was only when I bumped into another girl at the hospital who’d also been diagnosed with cancer that I thought about wearing a wig. She looked beautiful as she walked down the corridor of the hospital, with her long blonde hair cascading across her shoulders; nobody would have known she’d lost all her real hair. So I persuaded my mum to take me shopping.
“We spent hours in the shop, but none of the wigs suited me. Eventually, I opted for one that was similar to my previous style, but it was old-fashioned and, after wearing it once, I gave up. It was itchy and irritating, and nothing like having real hair. Instead, I chose to go out wearing only a scarf over my head. Nobody at school made fun of me; I think they all knew how ill I was.
“While all this was going on, I was also supposed to be studying for my GCSEs, but I couldn’t concentrate. I was too weak from the chemotherapy. And it was hard being with school friends who were making plans for their futures when I didn’t even know if I had one.
“Although I was only 15, I felt more like 80. The chemo made me depressed and I often hallucinated after treatments – I’d wake up and have to block the gap under my bedroom door with pillows, convinced that spiders were waiting to come and crawl all over me. It was horrible.”
“Over the next few months, the only thing that kept me going as I battled against the illness and constant sickness was the thought of achieving my ambitions. And I got a major boost when, despite being ill and having to miss lots of school, I managed to pass my exams at grade C, with an A in PE.
“This spurred me on. I wanted to be a success and look after my family as they had looked after me. Mum had had to give up her job in retail to care for me, and we’d struggled financially. But I knew one day I’d repay her for all her support.
“Just after my 16th birthday, I received the good news that I’d been waiting for. The chemo had worked. The tests for the cancer were clear. I was in remission.
“Something inside me knew the cancer had gone for good. I felt normal for the first time in ages and had the strength to get on with the rest of my life.
“I decided not to return to school, but to find a job. I’d nearly lost my life through cancer, so I wasn’t going to waste any time. I knew exactly what I wanted and was prepared to go out there and get it.
“I started off working as a receptionist for a local company, while I focused on how to get into modeling. Soon afterwards, I landed a modeling contract.
“My boyfriend Ben, who I met at school and have been with for seven years, knew I was worried about the possible rejections.
“So he’d sent a couple of photographs off to an agency. I didn’t know what he’d done until I had a call from the agency, Supermodel UK, saying they thought I looked great and inviting me to a shoot. I wasn’t angry with Ben: I was ecstatic. I realized that luck was finally on my side.
“Since then I’ve appeared in advertisements, modeled for Maxim and FHM, and featured in a music video for the band Undercut. Last your, my agent told me he thought I had the right look for a role in a British-Punjabi Hollywood film, Sajna Ve Sajna. I jumped at the chance to audition for the part of the lead frmale dencer. At last I could prove what I was capable of.
“The shock of facing death can make someone go either way – give up completely or grab every opportunity with both hands and live every day as it comes. I decided to do the latter and show people that, despite everything, I was never prepared to give up on my dreams.”
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By WomenStory
July 2nd, 2008 at 10:19pm
Under Cancer Survival
Mesothelioma is a form of lung cancer, predominantly caused by exposure to asbestos fibers. In fact, mesothelioma is a cancer of the mesothelium, the sheath that covers major organs such as the lungs (pleurum), the heart (pericardium) and the abdominal cavity (peritoneum). Pleural mesothelioma is by far the most common kind.
Mesothelioma and Asbestos
When asbestos fibers are inhaled, they become embedded in the lining of the lungs. Due to their small needle-like size, the normal defenses of the body are unable to detect them. Usually, any foreign bodies such as this would either be coughed up, or be removed through a build-up of mucus around them. But nor asbestos. They cause inflammation of the lungs and tissue damage, leading to scarring and coughing. These are the initial symptoms of asbestosis, though asbestosis is not mesothelioma.
No one knows for sure why cancers develop, but once cancerous cells are formed in the pleura, it gradually becomes thicker, and over time restricts breathing and causes shortness of breath and coughing. What is known as ‘pleural effusion’ occurs, as the fluid of the pleura, designed to lubricate the movement of the lungs against the other organs nearby, builds up and exerts pressure on the lungs. The thickening of the pleura continues as an increasing number of cells become cancerous, until death eventually occurs.
The Effect of Smoking
Although smoking is known to lead to a number of forms of cancer, it does not in itself promote mesothelioma. However, a patient that has been exposed to asbestos, and who also smokes, will be more liable to contract the disease than a non-smoker will. This is why smokers are generally awarded lower sums in compensation than non-smokers with the same condition. However, it would be wrong to state that smoking is a cause of mesothelioma.
It is, however, the cause of many more lung cancer cases than mesothelioma caused by asbestos, and smoking and asbestos together also increase the risk of the patient developing general lung cancer, just as prolonged exposure to asbestos causes more than just mesothelioma. Asbestos lung cancer and mesothelioma are not the same thing.
Symptoms
The major symptoms are shortness of breath, weight loss, nausea and pain. This is true of all forms of mesothelioma, not only pleural mesothelioma. In the case of peritoneal mesothelioma, the abdomen becomes very painful and distended, just as the pleural version causes tightening and swelling in the chest due to pleural effusion. The pressure created can also result in pain, apart from that of the cancer itself.
Diagnosis
If the disease is not diagnosed early, then survival is unlikely. Therefore, any person who has previously worked in the asbestos industry, or has used asbestos in their employment, should make their doctor aware of that fact. They can then be placed on a schedule of regular examinations designed to detect the first signs of the disease. If the condition is detected early enough, most treatments available can be used effectively, and surgery is much more likely to be effective if the area affected is able to be isolated.
If you have contracted the disease, stopping smoking is essential, and you must try to avoid all infections of the lungs and airways. It is possible to have the condition treated, but if diagnosed too late then treatment tends to be palliative, and designed to make the patient as comfortable as possible.
It is essential, therefore, that people that have a history of contact with asbestos inform their physician immediately to make sure that if the symptoms do occur, they are spotted before any lasting harm can be done. Only then will there be a hope of a cure and successful recovery from this insidious disease.
More information on mesothelioma is available at Worry Bead where details on the different types of the disease can be obtained.
By RuthJones
June 17th, 2008 at 03:39am
Under Cancer Survival
My younger brother, Junaid, passed away recently after a two year battle with cancer. He died as I was holding his hands at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto on March 19, 2008 at 11:10am. Our whole family was there at his bedside when he passed away. He was only 33 years old.
Especially difficult to bear was the fact that just over a year into my brother’s illness he had made a miraculous recovery after enduring several rounds of chemo, radiation and various alternative health treatments. (When Junaid was first diagnosed with stage four base-of-the-tongue cancer, he was given 7 months to live with less than a 10% chance of survival).
Unfortunately, a few months after the recovery, the cancer reemerged with a vengeance. The tumor at the base of his tongue started growing and eating through sensitive nerve and gum tissue – eventually devouring part of his jaw bone.
The pain was so excruciating (despite all the different pain meds he was on) that he wanted to end his life on many occasions. Just trying to manage the pain was an ongoing struggle with frequent visits to his pain doctor. It’s a horrible, horrible disease that no one should have to go through.
I’m astounded at the enormous courage and inner strength my brother displayed throughout this whole ordeal. His dream in life was to become an actor; and despite his weakened state and slurred speech, he kept on auditioning for parts even though he kept getting turned down repeatedly.
He lived and died honorably and was the most honest person I’ve ever known. I’m very grateful for the time I had to spend with my brother before he passed away. He is my role model and hero who taught me many valuable life lessons from his example.
One day when my brother Junaid was staying over at the hospital, a friend of his dropped by our home hoping Junaid would be there. I protectively blocked the front porch entrance and told him my brother was not in. He had a grip of steel when we shook hands and I immediately formed an impression about this person.
I later told Junaid about his friend dropping by and mentioned that he looked a bit like a street thug. Without missing a beat, my brother covered the trach tube in his throat with his fingers and strained in a raspy voice: “He’s lived a hard life and has no one to love him. You have to shower people with love – because nobody else will.”
My knees almost buckled as I fought back tears. My younger brother was teaching me a lesson in humility and love. I was ashamed of myself for having judged someone I barely knew.
I learned that my brother had befriended a number of people that most of society had rejected, and he showered them with love and kindness.
What a powerful message. I believe we can all make a difference in the world by showering people with love. And it doesn’t take much. A kind gesture to a neighbor. Catching someone doing something right. Warmly welcoming a newcomer who feels out of place in a group. Visiting a sick co-worker at the hospital. Lending a helping hand or giving encouragement to anyone that needs it.
Shower people with love.
You know, I’ve spent a longtime trying to figure out exactly how to break this news to you. In my desire to honor my brother and raise awareness in a big way, a crippling paralysis overwhelmed me - rendering me incapacitated and not knowing what to do.
How ironic that I found the answer to my problem in my own Hero Soul book! In the chapter titled ‘Peace’ I began with Anne Frank’s quote: “How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”
I’m taking Anne Frank’s message to heart by not waiting and starting now. I’m volunteering for the upcoming Canadian Cancer Society’s “Relay for Life” to help raise funds for cancer research and support services while celebrating cancer survivors and remembering loved ones lost to cancer.
I’ve set up a tribute page with a photo of my brother, to honor his message and help raise funds for cancer research. If you’d like to make a contribution, please visit: http://convio.cancer.ca/goto/junaidkhan
Let’s do our part in making cancer history so we can help save lives and prevent someone from going through what my brother had to go through. Let’s not wait – let’s start now!
“I have found that among its other benefits, giving liberates the soul of the giver.” - Maya Angelou
Sharif Khan (http://www.herosoul.com) is the author of “Psychology of the Hero Soul,” an inspirational leadership book on awakening the hero within. He has set up a tribute page to honor his brother’s powerful message of love at: http://www.showerpeoplewithlove.com
By SharifKhan
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