Polk County Relay For Life

Study Supports Mammograms for Women in Their 40's

2011-11-30T20:46:00.001-08:00

Women in their 40s with no family history of breast cancer are just as likely to develop invasive breast cancer as women whose mother or sister has had the disease, according to a new study.

These preliminary findings support a recommendation for all women 40 to 49 to get annual mammograms, not just those with a family history of breast cancer, said Dr. Stamatia V. Destounis, a Rochester, N.Y., radiologist. Women with no family history are typically considered low-risk.

Destounis evaluated cancer patients who were seen from 2000 to 2010 at the Elizabeth Wende Breast Care facility, where she is a managing partner.

"Invasive cancer [cancer that spread to the lymph nodes] was diagnosed in 64 percent of patients without family history and 63 percent with," she said.

She is scheduled to present her findings Tuesday at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America in Chicago.

During the decade studied, 373 women 40 to 49 years old were diagnosed with breast cancer after mammography screening at the center. Of the nearly 40 percent who had a family history (meaning a primary relative with the disease), 63.2 percent had invasive breast cancer, while in the no-family-history group, 64 percent of the patients had invasive disease. (Of those without a family history, 16 had a personal history of breast cancer.)

When the researchers looked at the cancers' aggressiveness, they found 29 percent of cancers in women without a family history and 31 percent of those with a family history had spread to the lymph nodes.

While some experts agree with Destounis that annual mammograms should begin at 40, others do not. The American Cancer Society recommends annual screening with mammograms for women starting at age 40. However, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends women 40 to 49 discuss screening with their doctor and then decide. The Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care earlier this month recommended that women age 40 to 49 at average risk not get routine mammograms.

"I don't see that this study helps inform a woman about whether she should start mammograms at age 40 or at age 50," said Dr. Michael LeFevre, co-vice-chair of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. One limitation of the study is that it was conducted at a single facility, a limitation that Destounis acknowledges. However, she said the women are ethnically diverse and from all income levels.

The study finding, LeFevre said, ''doesn't say anything about the probability of a woman dying in her 40s."

LeFevre also pointed out that "having an aunt die of breast cancer at age 85 is not the same as having a mother or sister with breast cancer at 42," when it comes to family history. When a woman discusses with her doctor when she should begin mammograms, LeFevre said that discussion should definitely include details about family history.

Lawry Named Hero of Hope

2011-11-23T20:07:00.001-08:00

Article in the November 23, 2001 edition of The Mena Star

Lawry Named as Hero of Hope by American Cancer Society

MENA, Ark. – The American CancerSociety’s Mid-South Division recently named Regina Lawry as a “Hero of Hope.” Lawryis one of 20 cancer survivors and caregivers from the Mid-South states ofAlabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee to berecognized.

Lawry is a cancer caregiver, havinglost many relatives to cancer, including her mother and sister. She is a longtime Relay For Life volunteer, and currently serves on the Relay For Life StateLeadership Council.

The Heroes of Hope program is in its fourthyear. Honorees will serve as spokespeople for the American Cancer Society intheir communities. Those selected have triumphed over cancer, made significantvolunteer contributions to the American Cancer Society, and made an impact inthe lives of others.

“The Heroes of Hope program provides ahighly visible symbol of personal victory over the disease, as well asencourages support and participation in the programs of the Society,” saysKeisha Pittman, an American Cancer Society 2010 Hero of Hope and co-chair ofthe 2011 Heroes of Hope program.

The Heroes of Hope represent thecourageous struggle of all cancer patients and their caregivers as they dealwith the physical and emotional aspects of the cancer experience.

“Hearing their stories makes astatement that progress is being made in cancer research and prevention, andthat there is hope for the future for people who are diagnosed,” added LeeAdkins, co-chair of the 2011 Heroes of Hope program, and a 2010 Hero of Hope.

The American Cancer Society saves livesand creates more birthdays by helping people stay well, by helping people get well,by finding cures and by fighting back. For more information, contact the AmericanCancer Society at 1-800-227-2345 or visit online at cancer.org.

Susan Niebur - Atrophysicist, Survivor, and Mom

2011-10-24T14:26:00.000-07:00

Guest blog from Susan Niebur. Susan is a four time cancer survivor, astrophysicist, and mom of two happy little 4 and 6 year old boys. Susan is now fighting metastatic breast cancer in her spine, neck, ribs, and hips, with chemo and pain meds, still looking for that "new normal."

_______________________________________

I am alive today because of research funded by organizations like the American Cancer Society and the federal government.

I was diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer in June 2007. I had a year of chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation, all developed by really smart researchers funded through the efforts of men and women like you. The treatments worked, and I have *lived* for 4.5 years while my babies grew up and went to school. I am grateful, so grateful, for that.

But the cancer came back. Now, like 150,000 other women and men in America, I am living with metastatic disease. Metastatic breast cancer, as some of you know all too well, is when the cancer moves away from the breast and recurs in the lungs, the liver, and other vital organs.

Now, I’m going to let you in on a dirty little secret: No one dies of breast cancer confined to their breast. Some of us die from treatment, but most of us die when the cancer has moved to our vital organs and shut them down. We die of metastatic disease. There are treatments we can try, but there is no cure.

When I was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer this year, I was reassured that there were 20 chemotherapy drugs that we could try. We tried one. It worked, for a while. Then it stopped working. Three of the 20 drugs are in short supply right now, so I can’t have those. There are sixteen drugs left.

I will be on chemotherapy once a week, for the rest of my life. That is, until we’re out of drugs that work. That is why I believe we need more research. All of us with metastatic disease — and the 30% of women whose breast cancer will spread and become metastatic — will die without more research.

Oh, and — Research on metastatic disease is woefully underfunded, at just 3% of all breast cancer research.

Fight with me.As I fight for my life each day at radiation or each week at chemo, join me and the American Cancer Society as we fight for more birthdays.

Online And On-Site Support From Cancer Networks

2011-10-05T09:30:00.000-07:00

Online And On-Site Support From Cancer Networks

Support networks are important for anyone, but they are vitally important for those affected by cancer: survivors, family, and friends. Research links cancer support groups to improved emotional health and an enhanced quality of life.

Peer support is the main reason most people join cancer survivor networks, and that support comes through online and on-site programs. The cancer survivors themselves generally provide online content, and group members typically lead the community meetings.

Membership in most cancer survivor networks is free, although many groups welcome donations. Some groups are open to anyone affected by cancer, either directly or indirectly, while others are established especially for the benefit of survivors themselves. Whether someone is facing a treatable skin cancer or going through extremely difficult and painful mesothelioma treatments, joining a cancer survivor network can be invaluable.

The Benefits Of Community Support Groups

Most cancer survivors already have the support of their doctors, loved ones, neighbors, and colleagues. What they need most is the support of someone who has “been there.” On-site support groups allow cancer survivors to establish the special relationships necessary to cope with the disease.

Cancer survivors can find support in their healthcare communities, churches, civic centers, and even schools. Hospice centers provide support for end-of-life challenges.

Cancer support groups allow those affected by cancer to interact with each other. Group members share personal stories, exchange firsthand knowledge, and recommend resources. Most of all, they develop important connections that doctors and loved ones, though well meaning, simply cannot provide.

The Benefits Of Online Support Groups

Online networks are ideal resources for cancer support. They help cancer survivors find each other, and give them a sense of belonging. Online groups are a place to share feelings and frustrations honestly, openly, and even anonymously, if desired.

There are many great survivor networks on the Internet. Cancer Care and Cancer Survivors Network are two to consider. Some groups are open to people with all cancer types, from breast cancer to mesothelioma and other malignancies. Some networks are designed to support people with specific cancers. For example, “Reach to Recovery” supports breast cancer survivors and “Man to Man” offers prostate cancer support.

Joining an online support network offers many benefits. Cancer survivors can create a profile, access other member pages, and interact with each other. Blog comments, email, chat rooms, instant messaging, and discussion boards allow them to communicate freely. And online sources provide links to helpful resources, programs, and services, as well.

By: David Haas

Fruits and vegetables may reduce colorectal cancer risk

2011-09-26T14:13:00.000-07:00

Eating fruits and vegetables may reduce the risk of some colorectal cancers, according to a new study.

Austrailian researchers examined the diets of 918 colorectal cancer patients and 1,021 people with no history of the disease and found that consumption of certain vegetables and fruits were associated with a decreased risk of cancer in the proximal and distal colon -- that is, the upper and lower portions of the colon.

Consumption of brassica vegetables (also known as cole crops) such as broccoli, kale, cauliflower, turnips and cabbage, for example, appeared to reduce the risk of cancer in the upper colon, while both total fruit and vegetable intake (and total vegetable intake alone) reduced the risk of cancer in the lower colon.

They also found that eating more apples and dark, yellow vegetables was linked with a significantly reduced risk of lower colon cancer.

Yet higher levels of fruit juice consumption were associated with an increased risk for rectal cancer.

The study appears in the October issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

"Fruits and vegetables have been examined extensively in nutritional research in relation to CRC (colorectal cancer), however, their protective effect has been subject to debate, possibly because of different effects on different subsites of the large bowel," lead investigator Professor Lin Fritschi, head of the Epidemiology Group at the Western Australian Institute for Medical Research, said in a journal news release.

"It may be that some of the confusion about the relationship between diet and cancer risk is due to the fact that previous studies did not take site of the [colorectal cancer] into account. The replication of these findings in large prospective studies may help determine whether a higher intake of vegetables is a means for reducing the risk" of cancer in the lower colon, Fritschi concluded.

Breast Cancer Researcher - Dr. Roy Duhe

2011-08-17T13:49:00.000-07:00

Dr. Roy Duhé spends every workday trying to cure cancer and teaching others how to become cancer researchers. His American Cancer Society-supported lab at the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) is working on two projects related to breast cancer treatment. One involves an enzyme called JAK, and the other is a new, unexplored area in cancer therapy that involves fatty acid metabolism.

Dr. Duhé says even when effective drugs are available, researchers try to create better drugs that aren't so difficult to take, or have fewer side effects. “Once a person survives cancer, we want their lives to be full and productive.”

Duhé is the Associate Director for Cancer Education for the UMMC Cancer Institute and a 2011 winner of the American Cancer Society St. George National Award for outstanding volunteers. He says the stories of the women in his family have made him more dedicated to cancer research.

Duhé’s mother, Dazie, died of breast cancer in the 1970s when she was just 55. He says her experience with breast cancer pre-dated a lot of drugs available now. But even with so many advances in breast cancer treatment, his sister, Gwen, died of the disease about 30 years later at age 54. Duhé’s mother-in-law is a breast cancer survivor, which he credits to new drugs discovered through research. And as he says in his fundraising letter for Making Strides Against Breast Cancer: “My other sister has breasts, my wife has breasts, my daughter has breasts, and as a matter of fact, I have breasts too. I don’t want them, or you, or any of the other women and men that we love to go through the ordeal that Dazie and Gwen endured.”

Duhé says American Cancer Society events like Making Strides Against Breast Cancer and Relay For Life are a fantastic way for researchers to meet the community of cancer survivors and volunteers. “Meeting the people who benefit from research is an incredible motivator for people like me.”

Duhé was himself a Relay For Life team captain for about 6 years, but as his research began taking up more of his time, he began joining other teams, like the UMMC Cancer Care Breast Services team led by Debbie Simpson (see her story in this issue). Simpson calls Duhé “optimistic, enthusiastic and encouraging.”

Duhé says it’s very important for scientists to come out of their labs and go into the community and understand what the real problems are. “Every cancer survivor has a unique story and it’s a way for us to learn from them.” He encourages cancer patients and survivors to participate in clinical research, to let Congress know cancer research should be a priority, and to tell their personal stories.

Eating Right during Treatment and Beyond

2011-08-10T08:45:00.000-07:00

During cancer treatment, you may have a complicated relationship with food. Sometimes, your different treatments affect what and how much you can eat. Sometimes, eating is the very last thing you feel like doing, especially if you're suffering from side effects such as nausea and dry mouth. Throughout treatment, though, one of the best things you can do is to eat a balanced diet that gives your body all the nutrition it needs to help you get well. After treatment, the same holds true: Eating well can help you feel well, and it can even help you lower your risk of additional cancers in the future.

The good news is, whether you've just begun cancer treatment, have just finished, or are just looking for ways to improve your health, the basic principles for eating well are the same. Although you may need to adjust your diet to meet your specific needs, following the guidelines below can put you on the path to good nutrition.

Eat five or more servings of vegetables and fruits each day. These foods are packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and many other substances that work together to help your body get the nutrients it needs — and potentially lower your risk of certain kinds of cancers. An easy way to fit in five servings is to eat a fruit or veggie at every meal, and then choose fruit or vegetables as a healthy snack. By simply making this change, you'll be well on your way to five a day.

Choose whole grains over processed and refined grains and sugars. Because whole grain foods aren't processed as much as other foods, they often retain more nutrients and are higher in fiber, both good things when it comes to getting the best nutrition. Aim to get at least three servings of whole grains a day, and limit your intake of refined carbohydrates and starches, such as candy, cakes, cookies, pastries, sweetened cereals, and other high-sugar foods.

Limit your intake of processed meats and red meats. Red meats and processed meats like hot dogs can both be high in saturated fat, and they may contain other substances that could increase your risk for prostate and colon cancers. If you eat meat, go for lean cuts and smaller portions, and choose meats such as chicken and fish instead of beef, pork, and lamb.

You may have to go to different sources to get this information, but you should get it soon after treatment ends. Some doctors and hospitals are now helping patients create survivor care plans as they reach the end of cancer treatment. If you're working with your health care team, your plan may also include:

Contact information for support groups

Other support resources

Tips for living a healthy lifestyle to reduce your risk of cancer recurrence or new cancers

A schedule for screening for recurrences or to look for new cancers

Information about your legal rights regarding employment and insurance

Following these guidelines is a good start, but every person is different, and your nutritional needs may change during and after treatment. If you want help determining how you can get the very best nutrition for you, talk with your doctor or a nutrition expert, such as a dietician. He or she can give you ideas for ways you can eat better, work with you to create a meal plan, and help address any side effects that might be impacting you.

Ovarian Cancer Risk

2011-08-09T14:01:00.000-07:00

Are You At Risk For Ovarian Cancer Ovarian cancer is not the most common cancer in women, but it’s one of the most deadly. The reason ovarian cancer tops the list of most lethal cancers is because it’s usually not diagnosed until it has spread outside the ovaries where it can’t be easily treated. The key to conquering this form of cancer is for women to know their risk factors and see their gynecologist yearly for a check-up. What are the most common risk factors for ovarian cancer?

Risk Factors for Ovarian Cancer

Some women are genetically predisposed to breast cancer, because they inherited one of two genes called BRCA1 and BRCA2. Having one of these two genes increases the risk of both breast and ovarian cancer in women. A woman with BRCA1 or BRCA2 has a lifetime risk for getting ovarian cancer as high as 40%. This is why women who have a strong family history of breast or ovarian cancer, especially if the cancer occurred prior to menopause, should talk to their doctor about testing for these genes. If they test positive, some women may elect to remove their ovaries once they’ve finished childbearing.

Other Ovarian Cancer Risk Factors

Genetics can certainly increase a woman’s risk for ovarian cancer, but other factors can too. Anything that increases the number of times a woman ovulates over a lifetime raises the risk of ovarian cancer. This is why using oral contraceptives, having multiple pregnancies and breastfeeding lowers ovarian cancer risk. Each month a woman breastfeeds after a pregnancy reduces the risk of ovarian cancer by as much as 2%.

As might be expected, women who don’t get pregnant or take birth control pills have a higher risk of ovarian cancer – and so do women with a history of endometriosis. Lifestyle factors play a role too. Women who use talc powder in their genital area are at greater risk, probably because the talc causes low-grade inflammation. There are other possible risk factors that are still unproven including vitamin D deficiency and eating a diet deficient in antioxidants like those found in fruits and vegetables.

Hormones also increase the risk of ovarian cancer. Women who use estrogen without progesterone after menopause for five or more years have a greater risk of ovarian cancer compared to women who don’t use hormonal therapy – and women who take fertility drugs for longer than a year, particularly those who don’t became pregnant while taking them are at higher risk according to some studies.

Reducing the Risk for Ovarian Cancer: What Can You Do?

Know your family history and talk to your doctor about BRCA gene testing if you have a family history of ovary and breast cancer. Breastfeed your children after pregnancy since this can reduce the risk of getting this deadly disease. Eat a healthy diet that includes lots of fruits and vegetables – and make sure your vitamin D level is adequate. Don’t use hormonal therapy after menopause unless the benefits clearly outweigh the risks, and avoid using powder containing talc. Most importantly, get regular gynecologic exams, especially after menopause. It could save your life.

Cancer Survivor Terry Schwartz

2011-06-29T10:10:00.000-07:00

Despite being diagnosed with terminal cancer two years ago, Terry Schwartz of Lincoln continues to build schools in Latin American and African countries through Maranatha Volunteers International.

According to his nominator, Steve Wiley: "Terry said, ‘If I only have a short while to live, I'm going to live it doing what I love.'"

And so he does.

Schwartz's efforts, primarily as a construction superintendent for Maranatha, produce positive changes for the people who benefit from the schools and churches that are built. But those efforts also produce positive changes in the volunteers that Schwartz takes on Maranatha trips.

The volunteer crew members sometimes include troubled youths who undergo a life-changing experience from seeing their work through Maranatha produce positive results for others.

"For me, it's more about changing the lives of the volunteers than it is leaving things better in the communities we work in," says Schwartz. "It's just something that's important to my wife Dina and I. If not for our family here in Lincoln, we'd probably stay over there."

It's not as though Schwartz, 57, needs more things to do. When he is in Lincoln, he works as vice president of the Racquet Club, which is owned by his father, Marlyn. The family also has a partnership in the Old Cheney Center and owns Old Cheney Plaza and other properties nearby, so Terry manages approximately 50 business tenants.

He owned and operated Schwartz Construction until nine years ago, when his father asked him to work with him.

"I told him I like doing mission trips, and I'd work for him if he didn't make me feel guilty for taking trips," Schwartz says. "He had no idea what he was agreeing to!"

Last year, Terry and Dina spent a month in India and five and one-half months in Africa. In the past five years, they have gone on five to six Maranatha mission trips every year.

"I've been gearing my life around it," Schwartz says.

Each year, some of those trips involve leading a group of 40 inner-city youths from large metropolitan areas. Most would be in jail if they weren't signed up for the trip as a community service project, Schwartz says.

"When we start the trip, these kids have unbelievable gang attitudes and carry knives, have bad vices and freely admit they will work harder to get out of work than work," he says. "But the trips are a life-changing experience for many of them."

A former prostitute turned her life around after going on a mission trip and is studying to be a physician, Schwartz says. A former gang member is now a corpsman in the U.S. Navy. Another young man was failing at a military academy and in trouble for drug-related crimes before volunteering to serve on a mission trip led by Schwartz.

"He came with us, and in two years he went to the top of his class at the academy," Schwartz says. "He said the trip was the turning point in his life. It's fun to be a part of that kind of life-changing experience for those kids."

Not all of the trips are with inner-city youth in trouble with the law. Earlier this year, Schwartz led a group of 30 "really good kids" from Nebraska and Kansas to Choluteca, Honduras.

"It was pretty cool that 30 Kansas and Nebraska kids built three buildings in five days," Schwartz says. The group was the third of eight from Maranatha scheduled to help construct a nine-building K-12 school complex.

Schwartz has been volunteering for mission trips through many organizations, including Maranatha, since 1969, when he joined his father on a mission to Mexico.

The prospects of continuing such mission trips seemed dim on May 22, 2009, when Schwartz was diagnosed with prostate cancer that had spread to bones.

"From there it goes to the liver and lungs," he says. "On the Gleason scale of one to nine, I was a nine. There is no 10. That means you're dead."

Dr. Misop Han, a urologist at Johns Hopkins Medical Center in Baltimore, excised the prostate in surgery but told Schwartz that even after surgery, statistics indicate he would still have less than a 1 percent chance of living longer than 90 days.

"He told me he had never excised a prostate as tumor-ridden as mine," Schwartz says. "It's amazing to me that I'm still here after having all this stuff. There's no doubt in my mind that prayer is the reason I'm still here. Not just my own prayers, but other people's too. God has given me some additional time."

Schwartz says that when he is on a mission trip, he feels productive enough that he can forget about his health issues.

"God has plans for every one of us," he says. "I feel that doing these trips is part of God's plan in my life. Even when I don't feel like going or I don't feel like we can afford to go, when Maranatha calls us, we're going to go. I really enjoy the change it makes in our lives as well as the lives of the people we help and the volunteers."

Maranatha volunteers have completed projects in Lincoln as well, Schwartz notes. The People's City Mission, nonprofit Christian Heritage and building renovations at Union College are examples.

After Hurricane Katrina, Schwartz joined a group that spent six weeks in Louisiana rebuilding a school.

"Maranatha has a lot of work in the U.S. for people who don't like to travel outside of the states," he says.

When he travels, Schwartz, an avid photographer, enjoys shooting photos and sharing them with the local residents.

"In Zambia, I gave over 800 people photos of themselves," he says. "Not one of them had ever had a photo taken before. Those people have absolutely no material possessions, but they're such happy people."

On such mission trips to Africa, Schwartz brings along fellow photography enthusiast Dick Dirkson, host of the Maranatha Mission Stories TV program on 3ABN Christian TV and the Hope Channel.

"We spend a week after the construction shooting photos on Safari," Schwartz says.

Schwartz's parents, Marlyn and Sharon, and brother, Bruce, often join Terry and Dina on mission trips as well.

Schwartz notes that Maranatha mission trips are open to everyone, and he has had volunteer helpers from under age 10 to over 90. No skills are necessary. "We train people and make sure they have fun so they'll keep coming back," he says.

One Person Can Make A Difference

2011-05-15T13:11:00.000-07:00

One person can make a difference. Nowhere is that more evident than with the story of the American Cancer Society Relay For Life, which began in Tacoma, Washington. In the mid-1980s, Dr. Gordy Klatt, a Tacoma surgeon, wanted to enhance the income of his local American Cancer Society office and to show support for all of his patients who had battled cancer. He decided to personally raise money for the fight by doing something he enjoyed – running marathons.

In May 1985, Dr. Klatt spent a grueling 24 hours circling the track at Baker Stadium at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma. He ran for more than 83 miles. That first year, nearly 300 of Dr. Klatt’s friends, family, and patients watched as he ran and walked the course. Throughout the night, friends donated $25 to run or walk with Dr. Klatt for 30 minutes. His efforts raised $27,000 to fight cancer.

While circling the track those 24 hours, Dr. Klatt thought about how others could take part in his mission to fight cancer. He envisioned a 24-hour team relay event that could raise more money to fight cancer. Over the next few months, he pulled together a small committee to plan the first team relay event, known as the City of Destiny Classic 24-Hour Run Against Cancer.

In 1986, with the help of Pat Flynn – now known as the “Mother of Relay” – 19 teams took part in the first team Relay event on the track at the historic Stadium Bowl and raised $33,000. An indescribable spirit prevailed at the track and in the tents that dotted the infield.

Relay has developed into an overnight event where people bring tents and sleep out around the tracks. People of all ages come out to bring the community together to Celebrate those who have survived cancer, Remember those who cancer has taken from us and Fight Back by raising money to fight for a cure. Now, over 4 million people take part in Relay events in over 5,000 communities in the United States.

Just like Gordy Klatt, each person involved with the Polk County Relay For Life makes a difference in the fight against cancer. Since 2007 when the first Relay For Life event was held in Polk County well over a quarter of a million dollars has been raised to help fight cancer. You can make a difference by attending the Relay For Life event to be held May 20th at Janssen Park starting at 6:00 P.M.

Hope Has No Curfew

2011-05-10T21:09:00.000-07:00

HOPE HAS NO CURFEW

Cancer Doesn’t Sleep and Neither Will We

Sometimes people wonder why we Relay all night long and stay overnight.

The Relay For Life event symbolizes the journey of a cancer survivor.

RELAY FOR LIFE starts at dusk and ends the next morning. The light and darkness of the day and night parallel the physical effects, emotion, and mental state of a cancer patient while undergoing treatment.

Often times RELAY begins when the sun is setting, symbolizing the time a person has been diagnosed with cancer. Immediately there is a lot of support. People rally to lend a helping hand, much like the Opening Ceremony at Relay when everyone cheers that first lap for Survivors.

As Survivors start their cancer treatment, it’s hard and taxing, just like when the light of day fades into darkness. As midnight comes, teams continue to walk the track, but it gets harder as the walking continues into the 6th and 7th hour and the night gets colder.

This time represents when a cancer patient becomes exhausted, sick, maybe not wanting to go on, possibly wanting to give up. As a Relay participant, you have been walking and feel much the same way. You are tired, want to sleep, you may even want to go home, but YOU CANNOT STOP or give up.

Around 4:00 to 5:00am symbolizes the coming of the end of treatment for the cancer patient. Things are beginning to look brighter, just like the break of dawn. A sense of HOPE emerges. The morning light brings on a new day full of life and new beginnings.

For the walkers who are making laps around the track, when the sun begins to peak, there is a strong sense of HOPE that they too can make it through.

As we make the final lap…… as a cancer survivor gets the final clearance from their doctor, we celebrate and we cross the finish line together.

It wasn’t easy -- It took a team……. It took commitment……. It took Hope.

Healthy Diet To Help Prevent Breast Cancer

2011-05-09T18:40:00.000-07:00

Has it ever occurred to you that there could be a connection between breast cancer and your diet? Some researchers say that there are two key things in preventing cancer- estrogen regulation and immunity boosting. Dr. Kristi Funk, MD, says that while a genetic change is the root of all breast cancer, breast cancer is fed and fueled by estrogen. Dr Funk believes that if we can decrease estrogen in our bodies, we can remove some of that fuel that makes cancer cells multiply and divide. How do you do that? Here are 7 things, directly from a blog that Dr. Funk wrote, that help suppress estrogen.

1. Three cups of green tea a day can help prevent breast cancer because of its high EGCG antioxidant content. Squeeze a little lemon into your cup and increase the antioxidant power of your tea.

2. Garlic is a good immunity booster that also has anti-inflammatory properties.

3. Olive oil and flaxseed oil contain monounsaturated fat, which can help suppress breast cancer.

4. Turmeric helps decrease estrogen. As little as one teaspoon a day has been shown to reduce tumor growth. Get your daily dose by mixing it into salad dressings, rice or vegetable dishes.

5. Cruciferous vegetables, such as kale, bok choy and Swiss chard bind estrogen in your GI tract and reduce tumor stimulation. They also detoxify the liver, which helps reduce the toxins flowing through your body that can irritate cells and turn them into early cancers.

6. Seaweed/Kelp are high in iodine, this is another estrogen reducer.

7. A daily supplement of Vitamin D (2000 IU) can prevent tumor metastasis, reduce cancer cells and aid estrogen inhibitors. Calcium-rich foods, such as sardines, salmon, milk and cheese are also highly recommended. Or, 15-20 minutes of sunshine every day can help you in getting your daily dose of Vitamin D.

With or without cancer, clearly it’s best to eat a diet that’s as healthy as possible loaded with lots of vegetables.

Your Dollars At Work

2011-04-06T09:43:00.000-07:00

Thanks in part to the generous contributions to the American Cancer Society Relay For Life, the Society is saving lives by helping people stay well and get well, by finding cures, and by fighting back. These are just a few examples of how your contributions make a difference in the Society’s lifesaving mission.

Helping people stay well

Our telephone counseling service, the American Cancer Society Quitline®, doubles a person’s chances of quitting tobacco for good.

We develop guidelines for recommended cancer screenings and nutrition and physical activity, so people know what tests they need to find cancer early and how to help prevent the disease.

We provide tips, tools, and online resources to help people set goals and stay motivated to eat healthy and maintain an active lifestyle.

Helping people get well

Our phone lines are open every minute of every day and night to help connect people with the answers they need. Each year, we provide information, help, and support to the nearly one million individuals who call us at 1-800-227-2345. In addition, our Web site, cancer.org, offers access to the latest information and news on cancer and helps people locate programs and services in their area.

We offer an online support community for cancer survivors and caregivers to share stories and find support.

We assist cancer patients in need with getting transportation to and from their treatments and offer help with free lodging for cancer patients and their caregivers.

Through our clinical trials matching service, we connect patients with thousands of different treatment options.

With sites at hospitals and treatment centers across the country, our American Cancer Society Patient Navigator Program provides one-on-one guidance to people facing cancer through every step of their journey.

Finding cures

We’ve had a hand in nearly every major cancer breakthrough of the last century, including confirming the link between cigarette smoking and lung cancer, establishing the link between obesity and multiple cancers, developing drugs to treat leukemia and advanced breast cancer, and showing that mammography is the most effective way to detect breast cancer.

We’re the largest private funder of cancer research in the United States.

We fund researchers with cutting-edge ideas, often early in their careers. Of the researchers chosen for Society funding, 44 have gone on to win the Nobel Prize, the highest honor in scientific achievement.

Fighting back

The majority of Americans are now covered by a smoke-free law, thanks in part to the efforts of the Society and our nonpartisan advocacy affiliate, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN).

We help mobilize communities to fight back against cancer with events such as Relay For Life and Making Strides Against Breast Cancer®

We have helped uninsured, underinsured, and low-income women get breast and cervical cancer screening tests and follow-up treatment since 1991 and, along with ACS CAN, we have successfully fought for legislation protecting this care.

By supporting Relay For Life, you help make the American Cancer Society’s mission possible, and that helps us all move closer to our ultimate goal: a world with less cancer and more birthdays.

For more information about programs and services of the American Cancer Society, please visit www.cancer.org or call 1.800.227.2345 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Helping A Smoker Quit

2011-03-29T13:56:00.000-07:00

Do's and Don'ts when helping a smoker quit.

Do respect that the quitter is in charge. This is their lifestyle change and their challenge, not yours.

Do ask the person whether he or she wants you to ask regularly how he or she is doing. Let the person know that it's OK to talk to you whenever he or she needs to hear encouraging words.

Do help the quitter get what she or he needs, such as hard candy to suck on, straws to chew on, and fresh veggies cut up and kept in the refrigerator.

Do spend time doing things with the quitter to keep his or her mind off smoking -- go to the movies, take a walk to get past a craving (what many call a "nicotine fit"), or take a bike ride together.

Do try to see it from the smoker's point of view -- a smoker's habit may feel like an old friend that has always been there when times were tough. It's hard to give that up.

Do make your home smoke free, meaning that no one can smoke in any part of the house. Remove lighters and ash trays from your home.

Do help the quitter with a few chores, some child care, cooking -- whatever will help lighten the stress of quitting.

Do celebrate along the way. Quitting smoking is a BIG DEAL!

Don't doubt the smoker's ability to quit. Your faith in them reminds them they can do it.

Don't judge, nag, preach, tease, or scold. This may make the smoker feel worse about him or herself. You don't want your loved one to turn to a cigarette to soothe hurt feelings.

Don't take the quitter's grumpiness personally during his or her nicotine withdrawal. The symptoms usually pass in about 2 weeks.

Don't offer advice. Just ask how you can help with the plan or program they are using.

If your ex-smoker "slips"

Don't assume that he or she will start back smoking like before. A "slip" (taking a puff or smoking a cigarette or two) is pretty common when a person is quitting.

Do remind the quitter how long he or she went without a cigarette before the slip.

Do help the quitter remember all the reasons he or she wanted to quit, and forget about the slip as soon as possible.

Don't scold, tease, nag, or make the quitter feel guilty. Be sure the quitter knows that you care about him or her whether or not he or she smokes.

If your quitter relapses

Research shows that most people try to quit smoking several times before they succeed. (It's called a relapse when smokers go back to smoking like they were before they tried to quit.) If a relapse happens, think of it as practice for the time he or she will succeed. Don't give up your efforts to encourage and support your loved one. If the person you care about fails to quit or starts smoking again:

Do praise him or her for trying to quit, and for whatever length of time (days, weeks, or months) of not smoking.

Do encourage him or her to try again. Don't say, "If you try again..." Say, "When you try again..." Studies show that most people who don't succeed in quitting are ready to try again in the near future.

Do encourage him or her to learn from the attempt. Things a person learns from a failed attempt to quit may help him or her quit for good next time. It takes time and skills to learn to be a non-smoker.

Do say, "It's normal to not succeed the first few times you try to quit. Most people understand this, and know that they have to try to quit again. You didn't smoke for (length of time) this time. Now you know you can do that much. You can get even further next time."

Breast Cancer Treatment and Excercise

2011-03-17T09:54:00.000-07:00

If you're going through breast cancer treatment, exercise may be one of the last things on your mind, but studies show that staying active during treatment can help ward off some common side effects of treatment, such as fatigue. Working out regularly also has profound benefits in quality-of-life post-treatment. A collaboration between the American Cancer Society in New England and Miriam Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island, is looking at just how much of a difference exercise can make.

Called Moving Forward Together 2, the study pairs American Cancer Society Reach To Recovery volunteers with current breast cancer patients in a 12-week telephone-based counseling program that promotes exercise. Reach To Recovery volunteers are breast cancer survivors who are specially-trained to provide emotional support and guidance to newly diagnosed breast cancer patients. This program adds exercise motivation to the equation.

The study has two arms: one group will be offered educational information about the benefits of exercise in addition to traditional Reach To Recovery services; the other will engage in moderate-intensity physical activity as well. Survivors reach out to patients by phone.

Reach To Recovery volunteer, Sally Scanlon, is among the women taking part. Scanlon, a 10-year stage II breast cancer survivor, says she saw a "huge benefit" from upping her physical activity after her own diagnosis. She's seen other women find similar benefits through exercise.

"The woman I was counseling was going through some difficult family situations on top of going through treatment. While she was waiting for her mother at the nursing home, she would get on the treadmill. You could just see what a stress release exercising had become for her," Scanlon says.

Participating in the program has also helped Scanlon keep her own exercise program on track.

"I thought, 'She's exercising, and she's going through chemo!'", Scanlon says.

Cancer Survivor Serves Community

2011-03-09T14:15:00.000-08:00

Dorothea Amey of Moorpark leads an active life. Married and having raised two sons, she was a public school teacher and later an educator with the Seventh-day Adventist Church and a missionary in Zimbabwe and Zambia. In retirement, she is still active with the Camarillo Adventist church and works in “the Pantry,” the church’s outreach arm to those who need food and household items when times are tough.

Amey also was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. She’s an eight-year survivor.

“I was working at Pacific Union College in Napa Valley and one day I became jaundiced and kind of itchy,” said Amey, now 66. “I went to the hospital and they thought it was hepatitis,” she said. Further tests revealed the cancer.

“We knew that most people don’t survive more than six months,” Amey said. “But I believe that good medicine and my faith in the Lord, has sustained me,” she said. “I’m a happy person and truly I don’t think about cancer every day. I garden and I do my own housework. I live my life.”

Amey underwent a complex and life-altering surgery called a “Whipple” and went through chemotherapy. The Whipple procedure is the most common surgery for pancreatic cancer and involves removal of the head of the pancreas, a portion of the bile duct, the gallbladder, and the duodenum.

Amey’s life is filled with opportunities to serve and she says that’s what drives her. “I’ve been all over the world and I’ve seen so many things,” she said. “That has given me a lot of peace.”

As of three years ago, her doctor has found no cancer in Amey’s body. “Dr. (William) Isacoff at UCLA is a leader in this field, in pancreatic cancer. He gives people hope when many don’t have it,” said Amey.

In January, Isacoff told Amey she no longer needed chemotherapy, though she’ll continue to have blood tests and scans because pancreatic cancer is always in the blood stream. It can show up at any time.

“Chemo is no walk in the park,” said Amey’s husband, Gene. “It wears her down, but she does OK.”

Amey also talks to patients at UCLA’s hospital and takes phone calls from around the nation from cancer patients, offering words of encouragement. “I’m certainly focused on my faith walk, but I don’t push that on people. They’re so fearful, they just need someone to relate to and I do that,” Amey said.

It is her work with the pantry that Amey loves most.

“I consider myself a cheerleader for the group,” Amey said. “We have between 300 and 400 people that are fed each week. It’s one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done,” she said. “With the economy as it is, it’s been very busy, but we have our successes, too.”

Amey teared up as she described one woman who was living in her car and came to the pantry.

“She came in one day to tell us she didn’t need us anymore, that she had an apartment and a job and she left some money with us as a donation,” said Amey. “It was incredible.”

“When (Amey) comes in, she does whatever needs to be done,” said Milly Johnson, director of the pantry. “As a missionary, she learned to dig in and do the hard work. It’s in her personality. It’s part of her makeup.”

“She’s been on an amazing journey,” said Pastor Dennis Stirewalt of Camarillo Seventh-day Adventist Church. “She’s a fighter and a lady of real grace.

Sharon Cohrs - Climbing For A Cause

2011-02-18T11:10:00.000-08:00

The American Cancer Society is proud to hold more than 5,100 Relay For Life events in the United States and in 19 countries around the world. Sharon Cohrs of Australia is just one inspirational survivor that’s part of the International Relay For Life movement.

Sharon and her husband are avid mountain climbers, and in 2007 they were preparing to climb Aconcagua, a 22,841 foot tall peak in South America, the highest mountain outside of Asia, when Sharon found a pea-sized lump in her left breast. After a biopsy and days of waiting, she learned she had breast cancer. “Instead of embarking on an amazing adventure with my husband doing what we love, I was undergoing surgery and chemotherapy treatment,” she says.

Sharon had climbed several soaring mountains in the past 4 years, but this time she was scaling a different kind of mountain. Taking “one step at a time,” she remained focused, positive, and determined to beat breast cancer.

Now she is “Climbing for a Cause” in an effort to raise $250,000 for cancer research and to bring awareness to the disease. With a goal of being the first breast cancer survivor in the world to reach the summit of Mount Everest, Sharon climbed Ama Dablam in Nepal in October 2009 and is climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and Cho Oyu in Nepal this year. When Sharon reaches the peak of each mountain, she showcases her Relay For Life pride by putting on her Relay shirt and taking a photo with her homemade banner saying, “Survivors can conquer mountains.”

Sharon’s story is an incredible message of hope. Will you share yours as well to motivate survivors worldwide to keep up the fight? Use this form to submit your message of hope and encouragement to cancer survivors across the globe, then encourage friends and family to do the same. Help us gather 1,000 messages of hope by the end of February! The more messages we have, the stronger our collective voice will be.

Your Donations At Work

2011-02-13T20:25:00.000-08:00

One of the most frequently asked questions of those who are fund raising for Relay For Life is, "Where does my money go". Here is some information that will help you answer this very important question. These are just a few examples of how the contributions you raise make a difference in the American Cancer Society’s lifesaving mission.

Helping people stay well

* Our telephone counseling service, the American Cancer Society Quitline®, doubles a person’s chances of quitting tobacco for good.

* We develop guidelines for recommended cancer screenings and nutrition and physical activity, so people know what tests they need to find cancer early and how to help prevent the disease.

* We provide tips, tools, and online resources to help people set goals and stay motivated to eat healthy and maintain an active lifestyle.

Helping people get well

* Our phone lines are open every minute of every day and night to help connect people with the answers they need. Each year, we provide information, help, and support to the nearly one million individuals who call us at 1-800-227-2345. In addition, our Web site, cancer.org, offers access to the latest information and news on cancer and helps people locate programs and services in their area.

* We offer an online support community for cancer survivors and caregivers to share stories and find support.

* We assist cancer patients in need with getting transportation to and from their treatments and offer help with free lodging for cancer patients and their caregivers.

* Through our clinical trials matching service, we connect patients with thousands of different treatment options.

* With sites at hospitals and treatment centers across the country, our American Cancer Society Patient Navigator Program provides one-on-one guidance to people facing cancer through every step of their journey.

Finding cures

* We’ve had a hand in nearly every major cancer breakthrough of the last century, including confirming the link between cigarette smoking and lung cancer, establishing the link between obesity and multiple cancers, developing drugs to treat leukemia and advanced breast cancer, and showing that mammography is the most effective way to detect breast cancer.

* We’re the largest private funder of cancer research in the United States.

* We fund researchers with cutting-edge ideas, often early in their careers. Of the researchers chosen for Society funding, 44 have gone on to win the Nobel Prize, the highest honor in scientific achievement.

Fighting back

* The majority of Americans are now covered by a smoke-free law, thanks in part to the efforts of the Society and our nonpartisan advocacy affiliate, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN).

* We help mobilize communities to fight back against cancer with events such as Relay For Life and Making Strides Against Breast Cancer®

* We have helped uninsured, underinsured, and low-income women get breast and cervical cancer screening tests and follow-up treatment since 1991 and, along with ACS CAN, we have successfully fought for legislation protecting this care.

* By supporting Relay For Life, you help make the American Cancer Society’s mission possible, and that helps us all move closer to our ultimate goal: a world with less cancer and more birthdays.

For more information about programs and services of the American Cancer Society, please visit www.cancer.org or call 1.800.227.2345 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Miracle Cures

2011-02-02T12:39:00.000-08:00

Miraculous cancer cure!" shouts the headline. "My cancer is completely gone!" says a woman in the testimonial. "One pill can guarantee better health!" claims the email. A quick and easy cure for cancer is the heartfelt wish of people facing the disease and of doctors and researchers who are working to treat it. Too often, though, ads and offers that promote "miracle" cures do not deliver as promised. In fact, some treatments can actually be harmful to a person's health. So how can you tell if a particular treatment is the next big thing or a potential hoax?

The first thing to consider is whether the treatment falls into the category of complementary medicine or alternative medicine. Complementary medicine is a form of treatment used along with mainstream medical care. For example, some people find that activities such as aromatherapy, massage, meditation, or yoga are useful in controlling symptoms. These methods do not treat the cancer, but if they are chosen carefully and used properly, they can help improve your quality of life. Alternative medicine is just the opposite: a treatment used instead of standard or mainstream medical treatment. Alternative medical treatments, although they may seem promising, often have not been scientifically tested or proven to work. Patients who choose these treatments may sometimes give up or delay the use of proven treatments, and that can give cancer more time to grow and pose a dangerous health risk.

The next thing to think about is if the treatment follows some of the common characteristics you might find in a questionable or fraudulent treatment claim. For example, is the treatment or drug a secret, or is it or only offered by one person or clinic? Once a treatment is found to be helpful, it will often be used by other qualified professionals, not just one doctor. Does the article or information offer personal stories of amazing results, but no actual scientific evidence? Again, without research and testing, it's hard to know if a treatment truly works. Does the treatment promise a cure for all cancers or other serious illnesses, such as AIDS, chronic fatigue, or multiple sclerosis? These illnesses are complicated, and claims promising a single cure for all are almost certain to be false.

Last but not least, do your own research. If you're considering alternative or complementary treatments, learn about new treatments from respected sources you can trust, and work to uncover the potential benefits and risks. Then, talk to your health care professionals about any treatment you are considering. The decision to use an alternative or complementary treatment should not be taken lightly, and being well-armed against false claims could not only save you time and money, but it could also save your life.

Breast Cancer Risk Assessment

2011-01-02T07:19:00.000-08:00

A new study reconfirms something often forgotten by women and sometimes even by doctors: just because breast cancer has not struck a family before does not mean family members are safe from the disease.

Researchers tracking more than 6,000 women for up to six years found that most cases of breast cancer occurred in those without a family history of the disease, although many of the women had other known risk factors that can help predict an individual woman's likelihood of developing the disease.

Breast cancer accounts for about a quarter of all cancers in women, with nearly 200,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer -- disease that has spread beyond the milk ducts or milk-making glands -- diagnosed in the U.S. every year.

"I have newly-diagnosed breast cancer patients ask me all the time how they could have developed the disease since they did not have a family history," researcher Dr. Lawrence Wickerham of the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project (NSABP) Allegheny Center, in Pittsburgh, told Reuters Health in an e-mail.

Prior studies have shown that more than 70 percent of primary care doctors ask women about their family histories, while less than half collect information on other known risk factors such as whether a woman's period began before age 12 - which raises risk - or whether she has given birth, which lowers risk.

Wickerham, along with lead researcher Angelina Sontag, of Eli Lilly and Company, and their colleagues analyzed the roles of various risk factors among 6,322 postmenopausal women who had participated in two large trials of osteoporosis medications. (Eli Lilly and Company, a maker of breast cancer treatments, also funded the current study.)

At the time of each trial, all of the women were under 86 years old and none had received a previous diagnosis of breast cancer.

The team used the Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool (http://www.cancer.gov/bcrisktool), an online questionnaire developed by NSABP and the National Cancer Institute, to go back in time and predict the odds that the women would develop invasive disease over the next five years.

The risk calculator incorporates age of first menstruation, current age, ethnicity, reproductive history, prior breast biopsies and family history. Its score, on a scale of zero to eight, represents a woman's five-year risk as a percentage.

Some 600 women in the study group -- approximately one in ten -- had a family history of breast cancer and nearly all of these met the predictive tool's definition of high risk: a score of 1.66 percent or above.

More than half of the remaining women without family histories of breast cancer also fit into the high-risk category, however.

A total of 92 women, or 1.5 percent of the study population, went on to develop invasive breast cancer over an average follow-up period of 4 to 6 years. As expected, the actual rate of breast cancers increased with the predicted risks, as well as in the presence of a family history.

Nevertheless, more of the total number of breast cancer cases ended up being reported in women with predictions below the high-risk cut-off or without a family history.

Close to half (40) of the women who developed the disease received a risk score below 1.66 percent, for example, and nearly two of every three (60) diagnosed women had been assigned risks between 1 and 2 percent and had no family history of breast cancer.

"The single largest risk factor for developing a breast cancer is being a woman and the second largest is being a women over 50," said Wickerham. "However, there are some women who are at greater than average risk, particularly those with a family history."

The most common known risk factors found in the study population were being at least 65 years old and beginning menstruation before the age of 12, report the researchers in the journal Menopause.

"Physicians and other health care providers should consider using methods beyond asking about family history to access breast cancer risk," added Wickerham, alluding to the Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool. "Such efforts can help better identify women at increased risk and can better focus screening and prevention strategies for them."

Second Hand Smoke

2010-11-26T19:26:00.000-08:00

Around one in a hundred deaths worldwide is due to passive smoking, which kills an estimated 600,000 people a year, World Health Organization (WHO) researchers said on Friday.

In the first study to assess the global impact of second-hand smoke, WHO experts found that children are more heavily exposed to second-hand smoke than any other age-group, and around 165,000 of them a year die because of it.

"Two-thirds of these deaths occur in Africa and south Asia," the researchers, led by Annette Pruss-Ustun of the WHO in Geneva, wrote in their study.

Children's exposure to second-hand smoke is most likely to happen at home, and the double blow of infectious diseases and tobacco "seems to be a deadly combination for children in these regions," they said.

Commenting on the findings in the Lancet journal, Heather Wipfli and Jonathan Samet from the University of Southern California said policymakers try to motivate families to stop smoking in the home.

"In some countries, smokefree homes are becoming the norm, but far from universally," they wrote.

The WHO researchers looked at data from 192 countries for their study. To get comprehensive data from all 192, they had to go back to 2004. They used mathematical modeling to estimate deaths and the number of years lost of life in good health.

Worldwide, 40 percent of children, 33 percent of non-smoking men and 35 percent non-smoking women were exposed to second-hand smoke in 2004, they found.

This exposure was estimated to have caused 379,000 deaths from heart disease, 165,000 from lower respiratory infections, 36,900 from asthma and 21,400 from lung cancer.

For the full impact of smoking, these deaths should be added to the estimated 5.1 million deaths a year attributable to active tobacco use, the researchers said.

While deaths due to passive smoking in children were skewed toward poor and middle-income countries, deaths in adults were spread across countries at all income levels.

In Europe's high-income countries, only 71 child deaths occurred, while 35,388 deaths were in adults. Yet in the countries assessed in Africa, an estimated 43,375 deaths due to passive smoking were in children compared with 9,514 in adults.

Pruss-Ustun urged countries to enforce the WHO's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which includes higher tobacco taxes, plain packaging and advertising bans, among other steps.

"Policy-makers should bear in mind that enforcing complete smoke-free laws will probably substantially reduce the number of deaths attributable to exposure to second-hand smoke within the first year of its implementation, with accompanying reduction in costs of illness in social and health systems," she wrote.

Only 7.4 percent of the world population currently lives in jurisdictions with comprehensive smoke-free laws, and those laws are not always robustly enforced.

In places where smoke-free rules are adhered to, research shows that exposure to second hand smoke in high-risk places like bars and restaurants can be cut by 90 percent, and in general by 60 percent, the researchers said.

Studies also show such laws help to reduce the number of cigarettes smoked by smokers and lead to higher success rates in those trying to quit.

Great American Smokeout

2010-11-03T20:32:00.000-07:00

2010 American Cancer Society Great American Smokeout Facts at a Glance

• This year, the Great American Smokeout will be held November 18.

• Quitting and avoiding tobacco products is one of the most important steps to creating a world with less cancer and more birthdays. It helps Americans stay well by reducing their risk of cancer.

• The Great American Smokeout is designed to motivate and empower smokers with personalized tools, tips, and support to help them quit for good.

• The Society hosted its first Great American Smokeout in 1976 as a way to inspire and encourage smokers to quit for one day.

• Smokeout does more than urge smokers to quit for a single day -- it encourages people to help create a world with less cancer and more birthdays by committing to making a long-term plan to quit for good and/or by supporting laws that help protect communities from tobacco.

• The American Cancer Society and its nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action NetworkSM (ACS CAN), have been successful in protecting the public from cigarettes and secondhand smoke:
• Today, nearly 75 percent of the United States population is covered by 100 percent smoke-free workplace and/or restaurant and/or bar laws, despite aggressive efforts by tobacco companies to defeat such laws.*
• Thirty-five states, the District of Columbia, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Puerto Rico now protect nonsmokers by prohibiting smoking in workplaces, and/or restaurants, and/or bars.*
• Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia have increased their cigarette taxes since 2000.*

• In 2007, 39.8 percent (13.4 million) of adult current everyday smokers had stopped smoking for at least one day during the preceding 12 months because they were trying to quit. **

• Tobacco use remains the single largest preventable cause of disease and premature death in the United States.*

New Cancer Drug Shows Promise

2010-11-02T13:40:00.000-07:00

An experimental cancer drug is proving effective in treating the lung cancers of some patients whose tumors carry a certain genetic mutation, new studies show.

Because the mutation can be present in other forms of cancer -- including a rare form of sarcoma (cancer of the soft tissue), childhood neuroblastoma (brain tumor), as well as some lymphomas, breast and colon cancers -- researchers say they are hopeful the drug, crizotinib, will prove effective in treating those cancers as well.

In one study, researchers identified 82 patients from among 1,500 patients with non-small-cell lung cancer, the most common type of lung malignancy, whose tumors had a mutation in the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene.

Crizotinib targets the ALK "driver kinase," or protein, blocking its activity and preventing the tumor from growing, explained study co-author Dr. Geoffrey Shapiro, director of the Early Drug Development Center and associate professor of medicine at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School, Boston.

"The cancer cell is actually addicted to the activity of the protein for its growth and survival," Shapiro said. "It's totally dependent on it. The idea is that blocking that protein can kill the cancer cell."

In 46 patients taking crizotinib, the tumor shrunk by more than 30 percent during an average of six months of taking the drug. In 27 patients, crizotinib halted growth of the tumor, while in one patient the tumor disappeared.

The drug also had few side effects, Shapiro said. The most common was mild gastrointestinal symptoms.

"These are very positive results in lung cancer patients who had received other treatments that didn't work or worked only briefly," Shapiro said. "The bottom line is that there was a 72 percent chance the tumor would shrink or remain stable for at least six months."

The study is published in the Oct. 28 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

In recent years, researchers have started to think of lung cancer less as a single disease and more as a group of diseases that rely on specific genetic mutations called "driver kinases," or proteins that enable the tumor cells to proliferate.

That has led some researchers to focus on developing drugs that target those specific abnormalities. "Being able to inhibit those kinases and disrupt their signaling is evolving into a very successful approach," Shapiro said.

The good news is that drugs such as crizotinib seem to work well in patients with the mutation, noted Dr. Roman Perez-Soler, chairman of the department of oncology at Montefiore Medical Center and professor of medicine and molecular pharmacology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City. But the bad news is that it means that patients who don't have the specific mutation won't be helped.

Only an estimated 2 percent to 7 percent of non-small-cell lung cancers have the ALK mutation, according to the study.

"This is great news for people with this type of tumor," Perez-Soler said. "Researchers have identified a group of patients, unfortunately a small group, who because of a very specific genetic abnormality are extremely sensitive to these targeted treatments and as a result of that can benefit from this drug without toxicity. It's very encouraging."

In a second study in the same journal, crizotinib was effective in a 44-year-old man with inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor, a rare form of sarcoma, which is also driven by the ALK abnormality, said Shapiro, who was senior author of that paper.

Still, there are caveats. Over time, tumors can adapt to such targeted therapy, eventually rendering it ineffective, experts said. In fact, a third study in the same journal identified ways in which lung cancers had already started to mutate and overcome crizotinib.

Moreover, while drugs targeting a specific tumor genotype are promising, there could be so many different genotypes that it would be impractical to come up with drugs targeting all of them, Perez-Soler said. Still other tumors might be fueled by multiple abnormalities.

"Many cancers may be much more complicated," he said. "And every tumor is different. Each one has a number of sophisticated ways to overcome interventions to block growth, and some may be better prepared than others to do that. That is why you see heterogeneity in the response to the drug. There is no such thing as identical twins when we talk about tumors."

Researchers are currently enrolling patients for a larger, Phase III clinical trial of crizotinib, Shapiro said. The study was funded by Pfizer, which is developing crizotinib for clinical application, and by grants from the U.S. National Cancer Institute, among others.

Lung cancer remains one of the most deadly cancers and new treatments are desperately needed, the researchers said. "Advanced lung cancer still remains a very lethal disease," Shapiro said. "It's the biggest cancer killer of both men and women in the U.S. and worldwide, and the unmet clinical need is extreme."

NASA Imaging Technology Helps Fight Breast Cancer

2010-10-15T14:30:00.000-07:00

The same software used by NASA scientists to determine the depths of lakes from space could also be used by doctors to detect changes in breast density during mammograms.

The imaging technology was approved in July by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, under the name MED-SEG, for use in medical reports, though the software can't be used for diagnosis because clinical tests haven't been conducted yet.

A big problem with mammography is that it's hard to detect cancers in a woman's breasts if the tissue is too dense, said Dr. Molly Brewer, a professor of gynecologic oncology at the University of Connecticut Health Center. That could lead to missed opportunities to find breast cancer early.

"What happens when a radiologist reads a mammogram, CT scan or an MRI, is they look at differences in density, but that's subject to the human eye," Brewer said at a news conference today. "That's where differences can occur – we may not see with our eyes what a computer can see."

The MED-SEG could reduce the importance of subjectivity in reading mammograms, and allow doctors to get clearer results from an imaging test. The software may also fill a void between mammograms, which don't always detect changes in density, and magnetic resonance imaging tests (MRIs), which are more sensitive but also expensive, and can falsely reveal problems that aren't really there, Brewer said.

Accurately measuring breast density is important because previous research has found that among women with early breast cancer, those with the highest breast density are at the highest risk for cancer recurrence.

And mammograms currently miss up to 20 percent of breast cancers. Doctors have a harder time diagnosing women with dense breast tissue because the tissue looks similar to tumors in mammograms, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Brewer is working with Bartron Medical Imaging Inc., the owner of MED-SEG, to develop clinical trials to test the software in doctors' offices. The trials are set to start within the next six to eight months.

The software works because it doesn't look only at an image's individual pixels, which don't provide much information or context by themselves, said developer James C. Tilton, a computer engineer at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, who developed the software. Instead, it groups pixels based on their level of detail, and distinguishes hard-to-see details in the image, he said.

"I was surprised that something I developed for a large-scale earth science study could be applied effectively on such a small scale," Tilton said.

For example, in a satellite image of the Earth, all lakes would appear blue and all land would appear green. But in an image using the software, shallow lakes would have a different shade of blue than deeper lakes, he said.

The same goes for images of breast cells. Without the software, a cell is hard to distinguish from its background. But the software enhances the activity happening in the cell, making it easier to see fine detail, Tilton said.

Number 1 in Research

2010-10-04T18:02:00.000-07:00

The American Cancer Society is #1 in research funding besides the federal government!

Your support of Relay For Life has allowed the American Cancer Society to be involved in nearly every major breast cancer research breakthrough of the last century, including:

* Funding research into breast-conserving surgery, using lumpectomy plus radiation for treatment
* Establishing mammography as the gold standard to find breast cancer early
* Discovering lifesaving treatments such as Herceptin and Tamoxifen
* Discovering genes for inherited breast and colon cancer
* Confirming the knowledge that genetics, diet, lack of exercise, and alcohol abuse can increase a person's cancer risk
* Discovering cancer-causing oncogenes and tumor-suppressor genes

October - Breast Cancer Awareness Month

2010-10-01T17:13:00.000-07:00

The American Cancer Society recommends the following guidelines for finding breast cancer early in women without symptoms:

Mammogram: Women age 40 and older should have a mammogram every year and should continue to do so for as long as they are in good health. While mammograms can miss some cancers, they are still a very good way to find breast cancer.

Clinical breast exam: Women in their 20s and 30s should have a clinical breast exam (CBE) as part of a regular exam by a health expert, preferably every 3 years. After age 40, women should have a breast exam by a health expert every year. It might be a good idea to have the CBE shortly before the mammogram. You can use the exam to learn what your own breasts look and feel like.

Breast self-exam (BSE): BSE is an option for women starting in their 20s. Women should be told about the benefits and limitations of BSE. Women should report any changes in how their breasts look or feel to a doctor or nurse right away.

If you decide to do BSE, you should have your doctor or nurse check your method to make sure you are doing it right. If you do BSE on a regular basis, you get to know how your breasts normally look and feel. Then you can more easily notice changes. But it's OK not to do BSE or not do it on a fixed schedule.

The most important thing is to see a doctor right away if you notice any of these changes:

* A lump or swelling
* Skin irritation or dimpling
* Nipple pain or the nipple turning inward
* Redness or scaliness of the nipple or breast skin
* A discharge other than breast milk

But remember that most of the time these breast changes are not cancer.

Women at high risk: Women with a higher risk of breast cancer should talk with a doctor about the best early detection plan for them. This might mean starting mammograms when they are younger, having extra screening tests, or having more frequent exams. There are charts called risk assessment tools that a doctor can use to figure out whether you are at high risk.

Why Should I Donate To Relay

2010-09-17T08:41:00.000-07:00

Thanks in part to the generous contributions to the American Cancer Society Relay For Life, the Society is saving lives by helping people stay well and get well, by finding cures, and by fighting back. These are just a few examples of how contributions make a difference in the Society’s lifesaving mission.

Helping people stay well

* Our telephone counseling service, the American Cancer Society Quitline®, doubles a person’s chances of quitting tobacco for good.
* We develop guidelines for recommended cancer screenings and nutrition and physical activity, so people know what tests they need to find cancer early and how to help prevent the disease.
* We provide tips, tools, and online resources to help people set goals and stay motivated to eat healthy and maintain an active lifestyle.

Helping people get well

* Our phone lines are open every minute of every day and night to help connect people with the answers they need. Each year, we provide information, help, and support to the nearly one million individuals who call us at 1-800-227-2345. In addition, our Web site, cancer.org, offers access to the latest information and news on cancer and helps people locate programs and services in their area.
* We offer an online support community for cancer survivors and caregivers to share stories and find support.
* We assist cancer patients in need with getting transportation to and from their treatments and offer help with free lodging for cancer patients and their caregivers.
* Through our clinical trials matching service, we connect patients with thousands of different treatment options.
* With sites at hospitals and treatment centers across the country, our American Cancer Society Patient Navigator Program provides one-on-one guidance to people facing cancer through every step of their journey.

Finding cures

* We’ve had a hand in nearly every major cancer breakthrough of the last century, including confirming the link between cigarette smoking and lung cancer, establishing the link between obesity and multiple cancers, developing drugs to treat leukemia and advanced breast cancer, and showing that mammography is the most effective way to detect breast cancer.
* We’re the largest private funder of cancer research in the United States.
* We fund researchers with cutting-edge ideas, often early in their careers. Of the researchers chosen for Society funding, 44 have gone on to win the Nobel Prize, the highest honor in scientific achievement.

By supporting Relay For Life, you help make the American Cancer Society’s mission possible, and that helps us all move closer to our ultimate goal: a world with less cancer and more birthdays.

Stand Up To Cancer Telethon

2010-09-09T06:49:00.000-07:00

Cancer is an equal opportunity disease. Every race, color, gender and age is susceptible to the more than 100 different types of cancer that have been identified. Cancer doesn't care if you're rich and famous or poor and unknown. It can strike at any time. And even if you catch it early and receive proper medical treatment, cancer may still kill you.

According to the American Cancer Society, about 11 million people in the United States have had some type of cancer. Every minute, one person dies from the disease. Research to find a cure -- or better treatments options -- is ongoing, but more funds are needed.

On Friday night, The Stand Up to Cancer telethon hopes to raise those funds. Hosted by Katie Couric, Diane Sawyer and Brian Williams, the star-studded event will run simultaneously on ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC and more than a dozen cable stations, in the hopes of reaching the largest audience.

The first Stand Up to Cancer telethon, which was broadcast in 2008, raised over $100 million. This year's event aims to exceed that amount. A large group of celebrities are slated to appear on the program and help run the phone bank, including Lance Armstrong, George Clooney, Will Smith, Gwyneth Paltrow, Christina Applegate, Fran Drescher, Elizabeth Edwards, Michael C. Hall, Sharon Osbourne, Maura Tierney, Denzel Washington, Renee Zellweger, Kathy Bates, Richard Branson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and many others. The show will also feature musical performances by Stevie Wonder, Queen Latifah, Martina McBride, Neil Diamond and Herbie Hancock.

"On Sept. 10, we'll send a resounding message: We can cure cancer. It's going to take guts, brains and the ongoing support of the public, but we can do this," Laura Ziskin, a Hollywood producer and cancer survivor, said.

Breast Cancer Prevention Drugs

2010-08-19T13:09:00.000-07:00

New Information on Drugs Used to Prevent Breast Cancer

Postmenopausal women at a high risk of developing breast cancer may want to talk to their doctors about the drugs raloxifene (Evista) and tamoxifen (Nolvadex), according to new data from the STAR (Study of Tamoxifen and Raloxifene) trial.

One of the largest breast cancer prevention trials to date, STAR involved more than 500 cancer centers across the US, Canada, and Mexico. It began in 1999 and was extended in 2006 because initial results were unclear. These new results don’t settle the score on which drug is more effective, but suggest women discuss the pros and cons of each drug with their doctor in the context of their medical history and risk factors.

The STAR trial was funded by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and led by researchers from the National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project (NSABP), a group that has conducted several large-scale clinical trials on breast cancer. The lead principal investigator was Victor G. Vogel, MD, MHS, formerly American Cancer Society National Vice President for Research.

In the study, almost 20,000 postmenopausal women were given either tamoxifen or raloxifene and were carefully followed to see whether they developed invasive or non-invasive breast cancer. Researchers also looked at whether side effects differed significantly between the 2 drugs. The follow-up period was extended for a median of 81 months, compared to 47 months in the initial trial.

Side effects of tamoxifen include fatigue, hot flashes, vaginal dryness or discharge, and mood swings. More serious side effects include an increased risk of developing cancers of the uterus and blood clots.

Raloxifene was initially used to help prevent osteoporosis (bone loss). It is also associated with an increased risk of blood clots.

Researchers found that the drugs were equally effective in reducing the risk of developing invasive breast cancer (50%), but women who took raloxifene had a slightly greater risk of developing invasive breast cancer than those who took tamoxifen (24% higher risk). Women on raloxifene also had a slightly higher risk of being diagnosed with this non-invasive disease

However, when it came to side effects, the women on raloxifene had 36% fewer uterine cancers and 29% fewer blood clots than the women who were assigned to take tamoxifen.

Death rates over the time of the study were the same for both groups of women, regardless of whether they took tamoxifen or raloxifene.

Based on these findings, the study authors conclude women at high risk for breast cancer discuss the pros and cons of each drug in context of their own medical history and risk factors. Women at high risk include those with a strong family history of the disease, certain genetic mutations (such as BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations), or with a personal history of pre-cancerous breast changes. To learn more about each of these drugs, see Medicines to Reduce Breast Cancer Risk.

There are other ways to help lower your risk of developing breast cancer – keeping your weight in check, exercising regularly, and limiting your consumption of alcohol.

Cancer is Costly

2010-08-16T13:27:00.000-07:00

Cancer is the world's top "economic killer" as well as its likely leading cause of death, the American Cancer Society contends in a new report it will present at a global cancer conference in China this week.

Cancer costs more in productivity and lost life than AIDS, malaria, the flu and other diseases that spread person-to-person, the report concludes.

Chronic diseases including cancer, heart disease and diabetes account for more than 60 percent of deaths worldwide but less than 3 percent of public and private funding for global health, said Rachel Nugent of the Center for Global Development, a Washington-based policy research group.

Money shouldn't be taken away from fighting diseases that spread person-to-person, but the amount devoted to cancer is way out of whack with the impact it has, said Otis Brawley, the cancer society's chief medical officer.

Cancer's economic toll was $895 billion in 2008 — equivalent to 1.5 percent of the world's gross domestic product, the report says. That's in terms of disability and years of life lost — not the cost of treating the disease, which wasn't addressed in the report.

The World Health Organization has long predicted that cancer would overtake heart disease this year as the leading cause of death. About 7.6 million people died of cancer in 2008, and about 12.4 million new cases are diagnosed each year.

Tobacco use and obesity are fueling a rise in chronic diseases, while vaccines and better treatments have led to drops in some infectious diseases.

Many groups have been pushing for more attention to non-infectious causes of death, and the United Nations General Assembly has set a meeting on this a year from now. Some policy experts are comparing it to the global initiative that led to big increases in spending on AIDS nearly a decade ago.

"This needs to be discussed at the UN — how we are going to deal with this" rising burden of chronic disease, said Dr. Andreas Ullrich, medical officer for cancer control at WHO.

The answer is "not a fight against each other," but more cooperation on areas that overlap, such as cancers with infectious causes, such as cervical cancer and HPV, human papillomavirus, Ullrich said.

Any review of priorities is sure to be contentious, though.

The cancer society's report is the first major effort to look at the economic cost in terms of global productivity. It was done with Livestrong, cancer survivor and cyclist Lance Armstrong's foundation. Authors plan to publish it in a scientific journal and to present it Thursday at the biannual meeting of the World Cancer Congress in Shenzen, China.

Researchers used the World Health Organization's death and disability reports, and economic data from the World Bank. They calculated disability-adjusted life years, which reflect the impact a disease has on how long and how productively people live.

"That has become a more and more common way of looking at the global burden of disease," said Wendy Max, a health economist at the University of California, San Francisco, who is familiar with the work and the methods the researchers used.

Lung and related cancers account for $180 billion of the $895 billion total. Smokers die an average of 15 years earlier than nonsmokers, the report says. Heart disease follows cancer, with an economic impact of $753 billion.

"Heart conditions usually hit people towards the end of their life. The cancers struck people much earlier in their life cycle," said the lead author, cancer society health economist Hana Ross.

In a separate article published online Monday by the British medical journal Lancet, cancer scientists and advocates urged more money to fight cancer in poor countries.

Only 5 percent of cancer treatment and prevention money goes to the countries that bear 80 percent of the burden of the disease, said one of the authors, Dr. Julio Frenk, dean of Harvard's School of Public Health.

"We are literally being victims of our own success" — more people are surviving infectious diseases and living long enough to develop cancer, but treatment gaps remain, he said.

Dr. Lawrence Shulman, chief medical officer of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, said cure rates for breast cancer are 80 percent or more in the U.S. and half that in many other countries.

Many treatments are quite affordable "and could be successfully delivered in even the poorest settings," he said.

Celebrity Waiter Dinner

2010-08-15T08:24:00.001-07:00

Last night my wife and I along with our friend and fellow Relay For Life volunteer, Crystal, attended the American Cancer Society Celebrity Waiter Dinner held at the Texarkana, Arkansas Country Club. The dinner was a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. Many thousands of dollars were raised at this fun event.

Organizer Stina Brown did an awesome job of putting a great evening together. Stina is our Polk County Relay For Life Community representative. She is passionate about the American Cancer Society, and is great to work with. The Celebrity Waiter Dinner consisted of Celebrities of the Texarkana area each having their own table which they decorated and then during the dinner served as the waiter. Our waitress was Junior Miss Arkansas.

Besides paying to attend, each person was to tip their waiter as a donation to the ACS. There was a competition to see which waiter could raise the most money in tips. Over 7,000 dollars in tips was raised.

During the evening, My wife Gina was recognized for receiving the ACS Voluntarism Leadership Award for her work with the Polk County Relay For Life. I was proud to see her hard work appreciated.

The entertainment for the evening was an Elvis impersonator from Memphis. He did a great job and was very energetic. He sang to Crystal and gave her a lei during the Blue Hawaii set.

Elvis performed for almost two hours with several costume changes. Besides being a great entertainer, he was very personable, visiting with everyone after the show and taking photos.

The Celebrity Dinner was a very enjoyable evening. On our drive home we discussed how we could make something like it work in Mena. Maybe someday there will be an American Cancer Society Celebrity Waiter Dinner in Mena. Stay tuned!

Carcinogen Research

2010-07-23T19:24:00.000-07:00

A new report from the American Cancer Society and other world-leading health groups identifies gaps in research for 20 suspected carcinogens whose potential to cause cancer is as yet unresolved. The report is designed to prioritize agents for additional research, and to lead to well-planned epidemiologic or mechanistic studies leading to more definitive classification of these agents.

The report, “Identification of research needs to resolve the carcinogenicity of high-priority IARC carcinogens,” is a concerted effort to identify ways to close existing gaps in knowledge for particular agents classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) by identifying information needs and the research to address them for 20 selected agents. The agents are generally in IARC Groups 2A, 2B, and 3. The project originated as part of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s (NIOSH) National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) to enhance occupational cancer research, and involved collaboration with IARC, the American Cancer Society, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), and the National Cancer Institute (NCI). The effort was co-sponsored by the American Cancer Society. The agents prioritized as needing additional study are:

* Lead and lead compounds
* Indium phosphide
* Cobalt with tungsten carbide
* Titanium dioxide
* Welding fumes
* Refractory ceramic fibers
* Diesel exhaust
* Carbon black
* Styrene-7,8-oxide and styrene
* Propylene oxide
* Formaldehyde
* Acetaldehyde
* Dichloromethane, methylene chloride (DCM)
* Trichloroethylene (TCE)
* Tetrachloroethylene (perc, tetra, PCE)
* Chloroform
* Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
* Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP)
* Atrazine
* Shift work

“There is significant concern among the public about substances or exposures in the environment that may cause cancer, and there are some common occupational agents and exposure circumstances where evidence of carcinogenicity is substantial but not yet conclusive for humans,” said Elizabeth Ward, Ph. D., vice president, Surveillance and Health Policy Research at the American Cancer Society and lead author of the report.. “The objectives of this report are to identify research gaps and needs for 20 agents prioritized for review based on evidence of widespread human exposures and potential carcinogenicity in animals or humans.” Dr. Ward, one of the organizers of the meeting and lead author of a version of the report that appears in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, added that the report highlights the importance of research in occupational settings for the identification of human carcinogens as well as the need for funding and access to populations for this work to continue.

The full report can be viewed at:

http://monographs.iarc.fr/ENG/Publications/techrep42/index.php

Article: Ward EM, Schulte PA, Straif K, Hopf NB, Caldwell JC, et al. 2010 Research Recommendations for Selected IARC-Classified Agents. Environ Health Perspect doi:10.1289/ehp.0901828

About the American Cancer Society

The American Cancer Society combines an unyielding passion with nearly a century of experience to save lives and end suffering from cancer. As a global grassroots force of more than three million volunteers, we fight for every birthday threatened by every cancer in every community. We save lives by helping people stay well by preventing cancer or detecting it early; helping people get well by being there for them during and after a cancer diagnosis; by finding cures through investment in groundbreaking discovery; and by fighting back by rallying lawmakers to pass laws to defeat cancer and by rallying communities worldwide to join the fight. As the nation’s largest non-governmental investor in cancer research, contributing about $3.4 billion, we turn what we know about cancer into what we do. As a result, more than 11 million people in America who have had cancer and countless more who have avoided it will be celebrating birthdays this year. To learn more about us or to get help, call us any time, day or night, at 1-800-227-2345 or visit cancer.org.

Sonja Bowling

2010-07-22T10:24:00.000-07:00

The American Cancer Society is saving lives and creating a world with more birthdays. We have been a leader in the fight against cancer since 1913, and we've made great progress thanks to the generous support of donors like you. Cancer deaths continue to decline, due in large part to advances in research and increased awareness and usage of life-saving cancer screenings like mammograms and colonoscopies.

Despite this progress, more than 1.5 million people in the United States will be diagnosed with cancer this year, and the needs of cancer patients are on the rise. Requests for patient support services have increased: services like transportation to cancer treatment and lodging near cancer treatment centers are needed now more than ever.

Sonja Bowling is one of those patients. When she was diagnosed with breast cancer, she faced not only a cancer diagnosis, but a 3-hour commute to treatment in Lexington, Kentucky. At first, she stayed in a hotel near the treatment center, but then she reached out to the American Cancer Society for help and learned about our Hope Lodge in Lexington. “It is so expensive going through cancer. It is wonderful to be able to stay here and not have to worry about lodging expenses,” Bowling says. Hope Lodge is just one of the ways the American Cancer Society provides help and hope to cancer patients.

Sonja needed our help, and the American Cancer Society was there for her. With your help, we can continue these services in communities across the Mid-South.

Cancer Prevention Study - 3

2010-05-23T14:20:00.000-07:00

Friday afternoon Gina and I traveled to Hot spring to attend the Garland County Relay For Life which is the largest Relay in Arkansas. They have over 60 teams with over 730 participants. Even though we were interested in seeing a Relay of that size, the main reason that we attended was so that we could sign up for CPS-3.

CPS-3 stands for Cancer Prevention Study 3. The American Cancer Society first began conducting long-term studies in the 1950s. For these studies, large groups of individuals were recruited through a successful partnership between the American Cancer Society researchers and volunteers. The study population provides information (e.g. lifestyle, medical, or behavioral) and then are followed over time to assess their health outcomes and to determine how those outcomes are related to the previously collected exposure data. The commitment of the study participants and the volunteers who recruited them has been vital to the success of these studies.

Past long-term American Cancer Society follow-up studies have played a major role in cancer prevention at the American Cancer Society, as well as in other national and international efforts. More than 300 scientific articles by American Cancer Society epidemiologists have been published from these studies and findings have significantly contributed to tobacco-related research, and to the understanding of obesity, diet, physical activity, hormone use, air pollution, and various other exposures in relation to cancer and other diseases.

Results from previous American Cancer Society long-term follow-up studies have demonstrated:

* The link between cigarette smoking and lung cancer
* The significant impact of being overweight or obese on risk of cancer occurrence and death
* The impact of hormones, physical activity, diet, various medications and vitamins, and various other factors in relation to cancer risk
* The impact of air pollution on cardiopulmonary conditions motivating the Environmental Protection Agency to propose more stringent limits on particulate air pollution
* the link between aspirin use and reduced risk of colon cancer
* the link between postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy and various gynecologic cancers (such as breast and ovarian cancer)
* the link between diabetes and cancers of the pancreas and colon
* the link between physical activity and lower risk of various cancers (including breast, colon, and aggressive prostate cancer)

American Cancer Society researchers will be studying CPS-3 members for the next 20 to 30 years. The CPS-3 study population will have environmental and lifestyle exposures that may be meaningfully different from previous study populations and will help further advance understanding of the factors that cause or prevent cancer.

Gina and I were proud to be part of such a study. To enroll takes about twenty to thirty minutes. Enrollment consists of filling out a questionnaire that asks a number of lifestyle and medical questions. After filling out the questionnaire medical professional drew four vials of blood from you. Gina was very calm as her blood was drawn.

Actually those drawing the blood were extremely good. I have an extreme aversion to needles, but the girl who drew my blood did such a good job that I barely noticed. I just looked away and the deed was done. The most painful part for me was removing the tape that was placed over the insertion point. Having blood drawn was a small price to pay for being a part of such an important study.

CPS-3 researchers need a blood sample to measure things such as hormones, nutrients, vitamins, chemicals, metals, and genetic factors that may be related to the risk of developing cancer. Questionnaire data provides a detailed picture of the participants lifestyle and environment, but the most accurate picture of actual exposures or susceptibility to disease may come from what can be measured in the blood. It is important to collect the blood sample when the participant is first enrolled in the study so that a new health problem does not alter the levels of anything that is measured.

After signing up for the CPS-3 study we stayed for a look around the Relay For Life that was going on. The Garland County Relay is held at the Oaklawn Jockey Club, one of the premier horse racing venues in the South. The event is big! Even getting parked is a time consuming process. The track for the Relay team members to walk on is so big that it doesn't seem like there are that many participants. We enjoyed being there but it just wasn't the same as our smaller hometown Relay where we know most of the people.

The Survivor Lap was really something to see with that many Survivors lined up in one place to take a lap honoring them. We were a bit disappointed that they weren't given purple survivor t-shirts. The sea of purple shirts would have been awesome.

If you are near a CPS-3 sign up location I would recommend that you become involved in this important study. Click here to see if there is a location near you.

Relay Provides Time To Celebrate, Remember

2010-05-05T06:22:00.001-07:00

This is an article from the April 29, 2010 edition of The Mena Star written by Andy Philpot

RELAY PROVIDES TIME TO CELEBRATE, REMEMBER

For three consecutive years, the Relay For Life has been on Mena's spring schedule through the organization of Regina and Richie Lawry, as well as a collection of devoted volunteers that have given the residents of Mena an opportunity to celebrate. This is no ordinary celebration though, as it is a chance to celebrate the victories of life, as well as the lives once close to us.

The fact remains that there is currently no cure for cancer, but through the American Cancer society, efforts are continually being made towards defeating the disease, and according to Regina Lawry, to have a day where no one will have to hear the words "you have cancer". Relay For Life has become an annual event in Mena that not only gives locals an opportunity to celebrate, but also to raise funds toward the ongoing battle against cancer as a cure is sought out.

Cancer touches so many of our lives, whether directly, or in the form of having a friend, family member, or loved one who has battled the condition. Relay For Life is organized to give those who have claimed victory against the disease a chance to showcase they are a survivor, as well as recognize the importance of the caregivers who are so crucial in the battle as well.

In the months leading up to the Relay celebration, teams are formed throughout the community to raise funds in a variety of ways, which all go to the American Cancer Society in efforts of reaching a cure. Teams range from businesses across town, to churches, to schools, to organizations, all working toward the same goal of continuing the fight against cancer. The response has been overwhelming over the past three years, with totals this year exceeding $48,000 raised for the American Cancer Society.

As the yearly event kicks off with its welcome from organizer Regina Lawry, the Survivor Walk is truly an inspiration, as local cancer survivors all sporting their purple shirts take laps to showcase their victory over cancer, and the collection of people are your friends, family, and co-workers. The survivor lap is accentuated with smiling faces both of those walking, and those witnessing a sight of celebration of another year of life.

With musical performances throughout the night, the environment is that of a party, but while there is time to celebrate, there is also a time to remember those who we have lost to cancer. Leading up to the Relay event, luminary bags are purchased, each in honor of someone who has either battled cancer, or has been lost to the disease. When the lights are dimmed, and the candles are aglow within the named luminary bags, the names of all the loved ones are read to remember, honor , and celebrate their life as well.

The luminaries each represent a life, and all have a story within them. While they represent the light of that person's life, it also glows throughout the night to represent the hope that continues that one day there will be a cure for cancer.

The Relay celebration is an all night event that lasts until 10:00 A.M. the following morning, in representation that "cancer never sleeps", and throughout the night, team members can be seen walking laps until the break of dawn.

Last years Relay event, which was scheduled for late April, was postponed due to the tornado and the damage in Janssen Park, but was held in late May. This year's event was relocated to the CMA facility at Iron mountain due to the rainy weather conditions, but the atmosphere was powerful, and the strong support shown by the community was evident by the numbers in attendance, and certainly with the total funds raised.

Relay For Life dates back to May of 1985 when Dr. Gordon Klatt wanted to raise money for the American Cancer Society in honor of his patients, and walked a track for 24 hours, and throughout the night, friends paid $25 to run or walk 30 minutes with him. He walked approximately 83 miles and raised $27,000 to fight cancer. The following year the first official Relay For Life event was organized, and now the event has grown to include nearly four million people over 5,000 communities across the United States.

2010 Polk County Relay For Life

2010-04-28T19:59:00.000-07:00

Last week was extremely hectic. The Relay For Life was scheduled for Friday evening. Gina and I spent the week getting things ready for the big event. All week we kept a wary eye on the weather forecast. We decided that we would have to make a decision on what to do by Thursday. Thursday morning the forecast was for rain Friday and Saturday with the possibility of severe weather Friday evening. We knew that there would be no outside in the park event this weekend. The Christian Motorcycle Association allowed us to rent their large multipurpose building at their Iron Mountain Campground a few miles south of Mena. Because we had to change venues at the last minute we worried that the Relay might not be well attended, but our community made us proud. Attendance was excellent.

Friday morning I was awake early trying to figure out the logistics of moving the Relay. We started setting things up at about 10:00 A.M. Gina and Lisa figured out a way to outline a small track in the building to be used for the Relay laps. All of the teams had to set up around the track. It was very crowded and some of the teams were two deep around the track but we managed to get everyone in.

The Relay started at 6:00 P.M. with the boy scouts posting the flag as Susan Brewer sang the national anthem.

After short talks by Gina and Mayor McKee, the Survivors kicked of the Relay by walking the Survivor Lap.

The next group to be honored was our Caregivers. They play such an important role in the battle against Cancer. My wife, daughter and granddaughters walked in this lap.

After the Caregivers have made their laps, the teams each took a lap around the track. We had 21 teams present representing 382 people who had signed up for Relay to help in the fight against cancer.

When the team laps were completed, anyone who wanted could walk the track. Each team is supposed to have a team member on the track. While everyone was walking we were listening to top notch entertainment from local bands Muzzleloader, Lana Gail McDonald & StormRider, Weird Harold & the RubberBand, HindSight, Katie Beth Head, and Richie Owens & Six Mile Creek. The musicians were great and really go into the spirit of Relay. Here is a video of a lap around the track while Jerod, the lead singer of Muzzeloader came down of the stage and sang while walking with the Relayers.

Here in this video Vinnie Lee, guitarist for Weird Harold & The RubberBand, takes a lap with the Relayers while playing lead guitar.

The youngest entertainer of the evening was my granddaughter Autumn. She came all the way from Baton Rouge, Louisiana with her Mommy and her sister to attend Relay For Life. She wanted to sing, and when you are in charge of an event one of the perks is allowing your granddaughter to sing. She sang Jesus Loves Me.

All of the teams had food and activities throughout the evening. Our team had a jail set up where you could have a Sheriff Deputiy arrest and handcuff someone if you paid a dollar. It cost five dollars to get out of jail, or you had to stay in jail for ten minutes.

At 9:00 P.M. the celebration of the last three hours quieted down and the Luminaria Ceremony began. The Luminaria Ceremony is the opportunity for people to come together to remember loved ones lost to cancer and honor those who have won their battle. This is one of the most moving parts of Relay For Life. The Luminaria line the track, and the name of each person represented there is respectfully read from the stage. Jim Huff read the names while Richie Owens and Bear Barton played softly in the background as people looked for that special Luminary that honored their loved one.

After the Luminaria Ceremony the party that is Relay For Life starts once again and continues on through the night. At this time most of the people from the community who have come to enjoy the evening have left for their homes and just those who are on a Relay team are left. As it gets later we lose some participants, but at 6:00 A.M. Saturday morning we still had 14 teams circling our track. That is a record for the most teams to spend the night at a Polk County Relay For Life. At the 2007 Relay, the first one held in Polk County, there were only two teams left when morning came. To help keep ourselves awake and entertained during the night we had special theme laps such as Pajama Lap, Bell Lap, Stuffed Animal Lap, Cowboy Lap, Blanket Lap, Crazy Hat Lap, Wheels Lap and many more. Everyone seemed to enjoy the theme laps and some of the teams got very creative.

There were people circling the track all night long, but not everyone was able to stay awake. Even Gina took the time to take twenty winks on her cot that her sister Lenora bought for her to take to Relay. Because I had to keep the theme laps going I wasn't able to get a nap in. Some slept on the hard cement floor.

When morning came it was time for everyone to take down their booths and clean their area. By 9:30 the building was once again empty and there were no signs of the crowds that had been there for the evening or the die hard team members that had spent the night. Relay For Life was over for another year. Even with the weather and a change of venue it was very successful. Polk County has raised over 50,000 dollars for the fight against cancer. It had been a Hard Days Night, but I find that working for such a worthy cause and knowing that is it important to so many people makes me feel alright.

Complementary and Alternative Treatments

2010-04-15T13:33:00.000-07:00

You may have a friend who knows someone who knows someone who had a brother-in-law who used herbs to cure his cancer. Or a buddy who followed a detoxification diet and cured his heart disease. And so on, and so on. We’ve all heard or read the stories about miracle cures, and they can be very compelling — especially if you have a potentially life-threatening disease like cancer. But stories about amazing cures aren't proof that a treatment works.

There are a number of non-traditional treatments that can complement traditional cancer care and help you feel better. But there are also alternative treatments that can be harmful; so, before trying anything new, talk to your doctor.

The American Cancer Society considers complementary medicine and alternative medicine to be different from one another. Most physicians do, too:

Alternative medicine is used instead of standard or mainstream medical treatment, often with negative outcomes for the patient. Alternative therapies are either unproven because they have not been scientifically tested, or they have been tested and found not to work. They may cause the patient to suffer because they are not helpful, because they can delay the use of proven methods, or because they are actually harmful.

Complementary medicine is used along with mainstream medical care. If carefully chosen and properly used, some complementary medicines or therapies can help relieve certain symptoms of cancer, relieve side effects of cancer treatment, or improve a patient's sense of well-being – all of which can improve your quality of life. Examples might include meditation to reduce stress, peppermint or ginger tea for nausea, and guided imagery to help relieve stress and pain during medical procedures.

In contrast to alternative therapies, most complementary mind-body methods are extremely safe. Some cancer treatment centers and clinics now offer something called integrative therapy, which is simply the combined use of proven mainstream treatments and complementary methods.

More and more doctors and scientists are now studying complementary therapies and medicines with the same careful methods used to study drugs. Results from many of these studies have been published in reliable, mainstream medical journals. As more of these studies are completed, patients and health care professionals will be able to make even better decisions about these treatments.
Complementary therapies to consider

Here is a partial list of complementary methods that some people have found helpful when used along with standard cancer treatment.

Acupuncture: An important part of traditional Chinese medicine, this technique involves inserting very thin needles into the skin at specific locations called acupoints in order to treat a number of symptoms. While there is no evidence acupuncture is an effective treatment for cancer, it may help with mild pain and nausea associated with cancer treatment.

Aromatherapy: Inhaling or applying fragrant substances to the skin may help patients cope with stress, chronic pain, nausea, and depression.

Art therapy: Creative activities may help people express emotions and deal with physical and emotional problems.

Biofeedback: This is a treatment method that can help a person gain control over physical processes that are usually controlled automatically, such as heart rate, blood pressure, temperature, sweating, and muscle tension. By giving a person a greater awareness of bodily functions, biofeedback can help a person regulate or alter other physical functions that may be causing discomfort.

Massage therapy: Studies suggest massage can decrease stress, anxiety, depression, pain, and fatigue in cancer patients.

Music therapy: This therapy is offered by trained health care professionals who use music to promote healing and enhance quality of life.

Prayer and spirituality: Spirituality is generally described as an awareness of something greater than the individual self. It is often expressed through religion and/or prayer, although there are many other paths of spiritual pursuit and expression.

Tai chi: An ancient Chinese martial art, tai chi combines movement, meditation, and breathing to improve health and well-being. It has been shown to improve strength and balance in some people.

Yoga: This is a form of anaerobic exercise that involves a program of precise posture and breathing activities. In ancient Sanskrit, the word yoga means "union."

Even though these practices are considered safe, always talk to your doctor and/or health care team first.

Signs of cancer treatments to avoid:

* Those that promise a cure for all cancers
* Those that tell you not to use standard medical treatment
* Those that claim to offer benefits with no side effects
* Those offered by only one person or clinic
* Those that require travel to another country
* Those that use terms like "scientific breakthrough" or "miracle cure"
* Those that offer stories of amazing results, but no scientific evidence
* Those that attack the medical or scientific community

Relay For Life will be April 23,24

2010-04-09T09:44:00.000-07:00

The 2010 Polk County Relay For Life will be held at Janssen Park on Friday, April 23 starting at 6:00 P.M. and going on through the night until 10:00 A.M. Saturday morning.

The American Cancer Society Relay For Life is a life-changing event that gives everyone in our community a chance to celebrate the lives of people who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and fight back against the disease. At Relay, teams of people camp out at Janssen Park and take turns walking around the track. Each team is asked to have a representative on the track at all times during the event. Because cancer never sleeps, Relay is an overnight event.

Relay starts with a Survivor Lap, an inspirational time when survivors are invited to circle the track together and help everyone celebrate the victories we’ve achieved over cancer. The Survivors Lap is an emotional example of how Relay participants are creating a world with more birthdays like those of each individual on the track.

There will be live entertainment, food, fun and games during the evening, with all proceeds going to the Relay For Life. After dark, we honor people who have been touched by cancer and remember loved ones lost to the disease during the Luminaria Ceremony. Candles are lit inside bags filled with sand, each one bearing the name of a person touched by cancer, and participants often walk a lap in silence.

No matter who you are, there’s a place for you at Relay and you can make a difference by attending this powerful event. Thanks to Relay participants, we are creating a world with more birthdays.

Richard Lawry - A Part Of The Relay For Life

2010-03-14T13:38:00.000-07:00

CITIZEN OF THE WEEK
March 10,2010 Polk County Pulse
Article written by Michael Reisig

Richard Lawry enjoys traveling with his wife, he loves tinkering on old cars and spending time with his son and his daughter, but one of his passions in life is promoting awareness about cancer and raising funds to defeat this dreaded disease in all it's aspects, so that his grandchildren can grow up in a world with less risk of cancer.

Lawry was born in Tennessee but he was raised in Colorado, in the Loveland area.

"My dad had a used car lot and a body shop," he recalled. "When I graduated from high school in 1973, I went on to take over my dad's business. My parents moved to Polk County in 1977. I got married to my wife, Regina, and we visited my folks in Mena several times. We decided it would be a great place to raise kids so, in 1981, we moved here.

My wife had lived in Denver all of her life, so there was a degree of culture shock in the transition, but we settled in and came to love the place," he continued. "Now we wouldn't be anywhere else. My dad had a car lot here as well, so after we settled in, I opened a glass and auto-body shop (Richie's Discount Auto Glass) at his location. I've done that for the last 30 years. In the process we raised two children, Cynda and Gavin, and we now have two grandchildren."

Lawry said that over the years his wife developed a passion for promoting an awareness about cancer, because her family has been stricken by the disease several times. Her mother, father, brother, and three sisters have all had cancer.

"Regina chose this as her mission - to help foster awareness on this disease and to help combat it," he explained. "She became involved with a program called Relay For Life, which is sponsored by the American cancer Society. She first learned about it when visiting her sister in Washington State. They promoted the Relay there which is a relay team event wherein participants walk to show there support for cancer survivors, and honor those lost to the disease.

"This may have its sober moments but it's really a feel-good event because everyone is there to celebrate survival - the survivors are the stars of the event," he continued. "There is great entertainment and it's a fun time - it's a celebration.

Lawry said in 2007 Polk County held its first Relay For Life, and when he and his wife heard about this, they wanted to be part of it all.

"The first year we had one of the relay teams, which is really the fund-raising part of the event, Lawry explained. "Each team does there fund-raising for about a three month period leading up to the relay, then continues fund-raising at the actual event by selling food or participating in other activities. It's an all night thing.

"This year's event is April 23 and right now we have 23 teams and over 350 people signed up to participate in the fund-raising and the Relay itself," he continued. "The Relay shows community spirit because we are honoring individuals from this community."

Lawry continued by saying that it's necessary for people to understand that survival rates have increased dramatically in the last 30 years, and that's due in large, to cancer research, and much of this cancer research is funded by The American Cancer Society and its Relay For Life program.

"I relay for my children and my grandchildren, so they will face a world with far less risk of cancer," he said. "We have to continually make advances against this challenge. We would really like to have the community come out on April 23 and share this celebration with us -- to spread awareness and understanding. Anyone interested in being a part of this can contact me at 394-6172.

"We are also having a 'Bark For Life' Dog Show on Sunday, March 28, at the Polk County Fairgrounds at 2 p.m.," he added. "This is a fun sort of tongue-in-cheek affair, with awards for the ugliest dog, hairiest dog, best dressed, etc. Come out and join the fun, and be part of a wonderful, important mission."

Saving Lives

2010-03-09T20:57:00.001-08:00

Relay For Life participant Tyler Luce

Saving Lives
by Tyler R. Luce

In every life there is a heart;
In every heart there is a soul;
Some people have cancer,
But everyone can help!
I have participated in Relay For Life
since I was two years old!

Just think
If a two year old kid can do this,
Cant you?
I am now 12 years old
And still in Relay!

JOIN
TODAY!

Save lives just like I have!

There's no telling how far
A little love can go!

Polk County Pulse Article

2010-03-04T11:34:00.000-08:00

2009 RELAY PARTICIPANTS ENJOY A RIDE AROUND JANSSEN PARK

This article is as it appeared in the March 3, 2010 Polk County Pulse

TEAMS FORMING FOR AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY'S RELAY FOR LIFE FUNDRAISER

The Polk County Relay For Life is an annual, local fun and fundraising event that is part of the nationwide American Cancer Society Relay For Life. Last year's tornado caused the event to be postponed for over a month. In spite of this, Polk County residents raised many thousands of dollars to help find a cure for cancer, provide services for cancer patients and to build cancer awaremess.

This year's event is set to begin at 6:00 PM on Friday, April 23 at Janssen Park in Mena.

Last year, Relay For Life team members had a great time at Janssen Park in Mena where the Relay was held. Relay For Life teams listened to music, shared stories, walked in teams around the park, enjoyed great food, played fun games and more.

The American Cancer Society Relay For Life is a life-changing event that gives everyone in communities across the globe a chance to celebrate the lives of people who have battled cancer, remember love ones lost, and fight back against the disease.

At Relay teams of people camp out at a local high school, park, or fairground and take turns walking or running around a track or path. each team is asked to have a representative on the track at all times during the event. Because cancer never sleeps, Relays are overnight events up to 24 hours in length.

Although every Relay For Life is different, there are certain traditions at all Relays, no matter where they are held. These traditions help participants celebrate, remember, and fight back.

The 2010 Polk County Relay For Life team captains will continue to meet Tuesday evenings at 6:00 PM at the MRHS Hospital Meeting Room to help raise money to fight cancer.

According to Polk County Chair Regina Lawry, approximately 19 teams with 207 participants have signed up for the polk County relay For Life so far. They include students and staff from area public schools, local businesses, churches, organizations and more. According to Lawry, there is still time to form a team and get involved. Check out the local website - www.relayforlife.org/polk or call Regina at 479-394-6172 for more information

Our Survivors

2010-02-28T14:57:00.000-08:00

An important part of the American Cancer Society Relay For Life is the celebration of nearly 11 million cancer survivors who are alive in the United States today. Survivors include anyone who has been diagnosed with cancer. Whether you are currently fighting your battle, or have been cancer-free for many years, you are a survivor. We also celebrate the many Caregivers who have provided countless hours of care and support.

Relay For Life is a special place for Survivors. Survivors are the main reason we continue to Relay. Survivors show us that we are making great strides in our fight against cancer, so we invite all survivors to come join us. We want to celebrate you during the opening ceremony of Relay, and invite you to walk in a special Survivors lap. If you would like to register to participate in this year's Survivor Lap & activities, please call Carol Lane at 479-216-3926. We will also honor survivors during the lighting of luminarias that shine to represent the hope for a future where cancer no longer threatens those we love.

More people are surviving cancer than ever before, and there are many reasons to celebrate. However, we know that more than 1.4 million people will be diagnosed with cancer this year and many will need a place to turn for inspiration, hope, and support. The American Cancer Society is the place to turn for help. No matter where you are in your cancer journey, The American Cancer Society offers free programs and services to help you through every step of the way. Call us anytime, day or night at 1-800-ACS-2345 (1-800-227-2345). Whether it is getting you the information you need to make treatment decisions and better understand your disease, helping you deal with the day-to-day challenges of living with cancer, such as transportation and insurance issues, or connecting you with others who have been through the cancer journey for emotional support, we are here and we can help. The many programs and services we offer are made possible by donations raised from Relay For Life events nationwide. The Polk County Relay For Life event will be held at Janssen Park in Mena on April 23-24.

Where Does The Money Go?

2010-02-21T10:24:00.000-08:00

One of the questions that you are sure to be asked while trying to raise funds for Relay For Life is "what does the American Cancer Society do with the money raised". Here is a short overview of some of the things that ACS does with the money that we raise right here in Polk County along with over 5,000 other Relays in the US each year.

Since the inception of its Research Program in 1946, The American Cancer Society has contributed to almost every major cancer discovery. As a result of research advances, there are more than 10 million cancer survivors in America.

• American Cancer Society funding of select researchers led to effective treatments like chemotherapy, radiation, and bone marrow transplants that extend thousands of lives each year.

• Many cancers such as breast, cervical, colon and prostate can be detected early when treatment is more effective. Society-funded research has led to the development of early detection methods such as the PSA test and mammography.

• If colon cancer is discovered and treated early, the 5-year relative survival rate is 90%.The Society has been a leader in raising awareness about the importance of getting tested for colon cancer to save lives.

• Original American Cancer Society scientific research contributed to the recognized link between smoking and lung cancer. The Society is helping smokers double their chances of quitting through our Quitline, 1-877-YES-QUIT.

• The American Cancer Society advocates for stronger smoking ordinances and state laws to protect employees and the public from tobacco smoke in an effort to reduce death and illness caused by smoke.

• The American Cancer Society works to fund researchers early in their careers, when funding is particularly hard to receive. Remarkably, 38 of those funded researchers have gone on to win the Noble prize.

• Any time, day or night, people facing cancer can connect with lifesaving information, resources, and support online at www.cancer.org or through our toll-free call center – 1-800-ACS-2345.

• You are never alone in the Cancer Survivors NetworkSM, an online community that connects patients, survivors, and caregivers with others who have “been there” for insight, moral support, and inspiration.

• When the best hope for a cure is at a cancer center far from home, Hope Lodge® provides a comfortable, nurturing environment where patients and caregivers can stay free of charge during treatment and focus on what is most important – getting well.

• Through I Can Cope® classes, medical professionals help patients and their families overcome fears through information and resources to understand their cancer experience.

• Patients need not worry about how to get to and from their treatments when trained American Cancer Society volunteers offer free transportation, friendship, and support through our Road to Recovery® program.

• A free consultation with a Look Good … Feel Better® beauty consultant helps female patients feel beautiful again by providing tools and tips to overcome treatment side effects and restore their pre-cancer appearance and self-esteem.

• The American Cancer Society offers many other programs, services, and resources to help with the cancer journey. Call the Society to find out which ones are right for you, 1-800-ACS-2345.

• Ensured access to breast and cervical cancer screenings for low-income women.

• Continuing to restrict youth access to tobacco.

• Reduced deaths and illnesses by advocating for stronger smoking ordinances and state laws to protect employees and the public from tobacco smoke.

Care For The Caregiver

2010-02-10T08:00:00.000-08:00

If you’re like so many caregivers, you have a hard time taking time out for yourself. Not only because your time is at a premium, but also because you may feel selfish thinking about your own needs when the needs of your loved one are considerable. Your loved one is ill and needs you. And because you are not ill, you may place your own health and needs way down on your priority list. But you do so at risk not only to yourself, but your loved one, too. If you aren’t strong and healthy, you can’t be there for your loved one. So make it a priority to take care of yourself. That may be the most selfless act of all.

Taking care of you involves eating a healthy, well-balanced diet; getting regular exercise; and taking time for relaxation and rest. It also involves getting regular cancer screenings and testing. The latter may be ignored by caregivers, yet these may be the most important – especially for a caregiver who is a first-degree relative (brother, sister, or parent) of the person with cancer. Being a close relative may mean that you are at a higher risk for the same type of cancer. The best defense against most cancers is to find them as early as possible – when they are more easily treated.

Luminaria

2010-02-05T19:25:00.000-08:00

Luminaria are an important part of Relay For Life events. They are paper bags filled with sand and illuminated by a small light or candle. Each Luminaria bears the name of a person who has faced cancer, or those who have lost their battle. Each bag represents a life and story, survivor or memory – all donated in the spirit of love.

The Luminaria are placed around the track and lit as sunset approaches. As night falls it is a beautiful and poignant scene to see all the lit luminaria.

LUMINARIA LINING THE TRACK AT RELAY FOR LIFE

There is a Luminaria Ceremony that offers everyone at Relay the opportunity to honor and remember those whose lives have been touched by cancer. Luminaria also raise money for Relay For Life.

REGINA LAWRY AND JIM HUFF AT LUMINARIA CEREMONY

A special Luminaria Ceremony will be held during the Polk County Relay For Life to be held April 23rd at Janssen Park in Mena. During the ceremony we will remember those lost to cancer and honor those who have survived. Luminaria will be lit at sundown to represent these individuals.

Anyone desiring to make a luminaria donation may do so by contacting Relay For Life team members. Each luminaria candle is $5.00. Each luminaria represents the life of someone who has battled cancer. It is a beautiful sight when all the bags with candles are illuminated around the track. The Luminaria Ceremony is a moving way to remember loved ones lost to cancer and to pay tribute to cancer survivors.”

THE REFRIGERATOR BOX LUMINARIA

RELAY FOR LIFE FLOAT IN THE PARADE

If you have never been involved in a Relay For Life, find out if there is one in your community and become a part of it. In 2009 there were over 5,000 Relay For Life events with 3.5 million people participating. Don't miss out on the fun of this important event. Last year over 400 million dollars was raised by Relay For Life for cancer research, education, advocacy and service.

RELAY FOR LIFE IS FUN AND FULFILLING

How Relay For Life Got Started

2010-02-03T07:35:00.000-08:00

Relay For Life is a life-changing event that brings together more than 3.5 million people to:

• Celebrate the lives of those who have battled cancer. The strength of survivors inspires others to continue to fight.
• Remember loved ones lost to the disease. At Relay, people who have walked alongside people battling cancer can grieve and find healing.
• Fight Back. We Relay because we have been touched by cancer and desperately want to put an end to the disease.

One person can make a difference. Nowhere is that more evident than with the story of the American Cancer Society Relay For Life, which began in Tacoma, Washington. In the mid-1980s, Dr. Gordy Klatt, a Tacoma colorectal surgeon, wanted to enhance the income of his local American Cancer Society office and to show support for all of his patients who had battled cancer. He decided to personally raise money for the fight by doing something he enjoyed – running marathons.

In May 1985, Dr. Klatt spent a grueling 24 hours circling the track at Baker Stadium at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma. He ran for more than 83 miles. That first year, nearly 300 of Dr. Klatt's friends, family, and patients watched as he ran and walked the course. Throughout the night, friends donated $25 to run or walk with Dr. Klatt for 30 minutes. His efforts raised $27,000 to fight cancer.

While circling the track those 24 hours, Dr. Klatt thought about how others could take part in his mission to fight cancer. He envisioned a 24-hour team relay event that could raise more money to fight cancer. Over the next few months, he pulled together a small committee to plan the first team relay event, known as the City of Destiny Classic 24-Hour Run Against Cancer.

In 1986, with the help of Pat Flynn – now known as the “Mother of Relay” – 19 teams took part in the first team Relay event on the track at the historic Stadium Bowl and raised $33,000. An indescribable spirit prevailed at the track and in the tents that dotted the infield.

In 2010 there will be Relay For Life events in over 5,000 communities. Check and see if you community is one of them, and if it is plan to participate.

Childhood Cancer

2010-02-01T20:39:00.000-08:00

The types of cancers that occur in children vary greatly from those seen in adults. Leukemias, brain and other nervous system tumors, lymphomas (lymph tissue cancers), bone cancers, soft tissue sarcomas, kidney cancers, eye cancers, and adrenal gland cancers are the most common cancers of children.

Leukemias are the most common childhood cancers. They account for about 33% of all childhood cancers.

Although there are exceptions, childhood cancers tend to respond better to chemotherapy. Children also tolerate chemotherapy better than adults. But, because chemotherapy can have some long-term side effects, children who survive their cancer need careful attention for the rest of their lives.

About 10,730 children under the age of 15 in the United States were expected to be diagnosed with cancer in 2008. Because of significant advances in treatment, 80% of these children will survive 5 years or more. This is a major increase from before the 1970s, when the 5-year survival rate was less than 50%.

May 29

2009-05-27T13:07:00.000-07:00

Relay For Life has been rescheduled for this Friday May 29, at Janssen Park in Mena, beginning at 6:00 p.m.

The final Relay planning meeting will be “bank night” at Union Bank in Mena on Thursday, May 28 from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. Team captains will bring their contributions to the bank and will receive T-shirts for their team members.

Richie Owens, Relay Entertainment Chair noted that he has lined up an impressive variety of musical entertainment for Friday night including Seventh Wave, Richie Owens and Six Mile Creek, Nick Charleton and Shed West, Katie Beth Head, GTX Fire Fall Down, and Katie Fox.

A special luminary ceremony will take place at 9 p.m. that will recognize cancer survivors and remember fallen victims of cancer. In addition, DJ Double Down will be hosting karaoke from 10 p.m. until midnight.

Beginning at midnight there will be theme laps around the park designed for the participants to have fun and to keep them up during the night as they continue their Relay For Life.

The American Cancer Society Relay For Life® is about celebration, remembrance, and hope. Participants honor cancer survivors, pay tribute to those who have lost their lives to the disease, and raise money to help fight cancer.

The event is open to the public at no charge. More than 25 teams with hundreds of members are participating and the teams will be providing refreshments, food, games and fun all through the night as they walk in a variety of themed walks around Janssen Park and raise money for cancer research.

Make sure to be at Janssen park Friday evening for a great evening of entertainment, and to support a great cause.

Postponed

2009-04-12T20:53:00.000-07:00

The Polk County Relay for Life will be postponed until further notice. We appreciate all of your efforts on behalf of the American Cancer Society and our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Mena.

Cancer Research

2009-04-07T10:41:00.000-07:00

As one of the many ways the American Cancer Society helps save lives, they dedicate millions of dollars each year to research and professional training and are the largest source of private, nonprofit cancer research funds in the United States.

Since 1946, the Society has invested more than $3.4 billion in research to help understand cancer’s causes, determine how best to prevent it, and discover new ways to cure it. A nationwide competition and rigorous external peer review ensures that only the most promising research is funded.

The Society's research program is unique in that it most often funds investigators at the beginning of their research careers, at a time when they are less likely to receive funding from the federal government. In this way, the Society's research program plays a crucial role in cultivating the next generation of cancer researches. The Society's priorities also focus on needs that are unmet by other funding organizations, such as funding for the current targeted research area of cancer in the poor and under served.

Since 1971, the number of cancer survivors alive today, now 10.8 million, has more than tripled and the 5-year survivorship rate is now 66%. Much of this success can be attributed to research. Each year since 1990, new cancer case rates and death rates from cancer have declined.

Here are some of the major accomplishments of ACS funded research

1946 to present -- Funded 42 Nobel Prize winners early in their careers.

1946 -- Research program begins with $1 million raised by Mary Lasker-- $2.5 billion has been raised since the inception of the research program.

1946 -- Wendell Stanley, PhD, becomes the first Society-funded researcher to win the Nobel Prize (for crystallizing a virus).

1954 -- The American Cancer Society’s Hammond-Horn study shows the first link between smoking and lung cancer.

1959 -- First cancer prevention study (CPS I) is launched. Data from this study and the subsequent 1982 study involves two million people and has been used in more than 100 other research studies. CPS-3 will follow half a million participants to identify factors that may cause cancer and will be the largest analysis of its kind in the United States.

1970 -- The first cancer-causing gene, or oncogene, is identified by American Cancer Society grantee Peter Vogt, MD, in a chicken tumor virus.

1973 -- Society-funded Paul Berg, PhD, clones the first gene (Nobel Prize in 1980).

1974 -- Society-funded V. Craig Jordan, PhD, shows that tamoxifen can prevent breast cancer in rats by binding to the estrogen receptor.

1990s -- Prostate specific antigen (PSA) test for screening and early detection of prostate cancer is developed by Society-funded T. Ming Chu, PhD.

1991 -- Society-funded research shows that young children recognize Joe Camel as easily as Mickey Mouse, demonstrating that the cartoon character reaches an audience well under the legal smoking age.

2000 -- Former Society grantee Brian Druker, MD, reports stunning success in treating chronic myelogenous leukemia with a molecularly targeted pill called Gleevec (manufactured by Novartis).

2003 -- American Cancer Society researchers, led by Eugenia Calle, PhD, conclude that overweight and obesity contribute to most types of cancer and could account for 14% of cancers in men and 20% of cancers in women.

2006 -- For the first time in history, the actual number of cancer deaths in the United States declined, thanks in large part to the American Cancer Society's groundbreaking work in cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment.

Press Release

2009-04-05T20:03:00.000-07:00

Relay for Life Set for Friday and Saturday April 17 & 18 at Janssen Park

According to Gina Lawry, Chair of the Polk County Relay for Life, “The 2009 American Cancer Society Polk County Relay for Life is set for Friday and Saturday April 17 & 18 at Janssen Park in Mena, beginning at 6 p.m. on Friday and ending with a closing ceremony Saturday morning at 10 a.m.”

“This community event is open to the public and there will be live entertainment, food vendors, information booths, fun activities and more,” noted Lawry.

“Approximately 350 people have signed up and formed 28 teams from all across the county to raise funds for the American Cancer Society.

They will be working together to increase cancer awareness through their fundraising activities and one person from each team will walk in the relay around Janssen Park for the entire event - from Friday night until Saturday morning,” she added.

The American Cancer Society Relay For Life® is a life-changing event that brings together more than 3.5 million people across the country each year to celebrate the lives of those who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and fight back against a disease that takes too much.

According to Co-chair Richie Lawry, “Money raised through Relay for Life has two purposes; to fund cancer research and to provide at no charge a variety of cancer related programs and services to patients and those affected by cancer.”

“Last year’s Polk County Relay raised over $60,000 and this year’s goal is $64,000,” he noted.

For information about cancer, access the American Cancer Society’s (ACS) website at www.cancer.org or call the 24-hour toll-free number, 1-800-ACS-2345.

For more information about the 2009 Polk County Relay for Life contact Gina Lawry at (479) 394-6172

Rotary Club Speech

2009-03-28T15:29:00.000-07:00

Recently I was asked to give a speech at the local Rotary Club about Relay For Life. This was the text that I prepared.

I have been asked to tell you a bit about Relay For Life. Relay For life is about people making a difference. Here is a story that shows how one person can make a difference.

The idea that became Relay For Life, began in Tacoma, Washington. In the mid-1980s, Dr. Gordy Klatt, a Tacoma surgeon, wanted to enhance the income of his local American Cancer Society office and to show support for all of his patients who had battled cancer. He decided to personally raise money for the fight by doing something he enjoyed – running marathons.

In May 1985, Dr. Klatt spent a grueling 24 hours circling the track at Baker Stadium at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma. He ran for more than 83 miles. That first year, nearly 300 of Dr. Klatt's friends, family, and patients watched as he ran and walked the course. Throughout the night, friends donated $25 to run or walk with Dr. Klatt for 30 minutes. His efforts raised $27,000 to fight cancer.

While circling the track those 24 hours, Dr. Klatt thought about how others could take part in his mission to fight cancer. He envisioned a 24-hour team relay event that could raise more money to fight cancer. Over the next few months, he pulled together a small committee to plan the first team relay event, known as the City of Destiny Classic 24-Hour Run Against Cancer.

In 1986, 19 teams took part in what was the first team relay event, and raised $33,000. An indescribable spirit prevailed at the track and in the tents that dotted the infield. What started as one man's dream is now an event taking place in over five thousand communities across America as well as in many other countries.

So what exactly is Relay For Life? It is much more than a walk around a track, Relay is a time to celebrate those who have battled cancer, remember those lost and get inspired to fight back. Those who have shared the same experience find common ground, hope and healing at Relay.

THE UNION BANK PURPLE ONIONS

If you have been into local banks, the hospital, and many other places around town you know that fund raising is what Relay for Life is about. It is true that Relay For Life is the main form of fundraising for the American Cancer Society. Every dollar raised makes a difference to people in our community whose lives are touched by cancer. The Society has contributed to almost every major discovery in cancer research. Millions of lives have been saved as a result, including people you may know. For those people and countless others, the research the Society has funded is resulting in better ways to prevent, detect, and treat cancer.

One of the first things that people ask, and rightly so, is how is the money raised by Relay used. One of the uses is for Cancer research, but as important as that is it is sometimes hard for people to really grasp that idea. There are many services that the American Cancer Society provides to people right here in Polk County. When cancer affects you or someone you love, the American Cancer Society can lessen your fears and provide inspiration through their many programs and services - all free of charge and made possible through Relay For Life donations. Your donations give those touched by cancer answers to their questions and offer places to turn for help in their community through the Society's Web site, http://www.cancer.org/ or their 24-hour toll-free number, 1-800-ACS-2345.

Tuesday evening my wife and I spoke at the Cancer Support Group that meets at RMCC. We learned of very positive experiences people had calling the toll free number.

To give you a bit of an idea of what the money is used for, here are the largest categories. Patient Support 20%; Prevention 20%; Detection and Treatment 16%; Research 14%.

But Relay For Life has another side besides fund raising. Relay brings people together and empowers them. We have a slogan. Celebrate - Remember - Fight Back.

A cancer survivor's recovery involves much more than medical treatments - it takes hope to heal. By participating in the Relay For Life, those touched by cancer can feel empowered to fight back against this disease.

To give you an idea of how Relay helps empower those touched by cancer, let me tell you my wife's story. Her mother died of cancer when Gina was just 21 years old. Her father had colon cancer, and all three of her sisters have had breast cancer. She is the only person in her immediate family that is cancer free.

GINA AND HER SISTERS

Several years ago, Gina's sister Roberta got involved with Relay For Life in Enumclaw, Washington. For a number of years, Gina would travel to Enumclaw to be a part of Relay For Life there. Two years ago, she learned that Polk County was going to have a Relay. She got involved in the 2007 Relay, and have been involved ever since. Relay helps her to celebrate her family that are cancer survivors, it gives her a positive way to remember her parents, and it gives her a way to fight back. Because she is such a fighter, she is passionate about Relay For Life. She is Fighting Back.

What is happening right here in Polk County this year? 28 teams are busy raising funds and cancer awareness. These are teams that represent businesses, churches, families, schools, professional organizations, clubs, and community organizations. 350 participants have signed up on our local Relay For Life website. Over 17,000 dollars have been raised. Last year local Relay For Life team members raised over $60,000.00. This year our goal is $64,000.00. Right now these teams are fundraising, but the big event is April 17th and 18th at Janssen Park.

SURVIVOR LAP - RELAY FOR LIFE 2008

What is going to happen that night? The teams will set up at the park with fundraisng ideas. There will be plenty of food, and lots of other fun activities. The entire community is invited to come to the park and help celebrate. The evening kicks off with the Survivor Lap. Relay is a big celebration to celebrate our cancer survivors. Over 100 have signed up with us to walk in that opening Survivor lap. We also honor Caregivers. To be the physical and emotional support for a cancer patient is a tough but very important job, and we honor those individuals. After these special laps around the park, the teams start walking with the goal of keeping at least one person from each team on the track at all times. Relay starts at 6:00 P.M. and continues until Saturday morning with the closing ceremonies starting at 10:00 A.M. We go through the night because cancer never sleeps. All evening there are lots of activities. There will be live music with a great program being put together by Richie Owens.

Highlighting the evening is a luminaria Ceremony of Hope held after dark to honor cancer survivors and to remember loved ones lost to cancer. The luminaria candles line the track and are left burning throughout the night. If you were at last years relay you know what an awesome sight that was. After the quiet reflective time of the luminaria ceremony, the celebration resumes with karaoke and other fun activities lasting all through the night.

LUMINARIA AT JANSSEN PARK 2008

At the closing ceremonies there will be drawings for the many items that are being given as prizes by the various teams.

We hope to have lots of people from the community join in the celebration that is Relay For Life.

Adam Bender

2009-03-26T07:39:00.000-07:00

Adam Bender slips a chest protector over his Astros jersey, buckles a shinguard to his right leg, positions a mask atop his head, grabs his catcher's mitt and hops out of the dugout.

Adam has his game face on. Or at least what passes as a game face for an 8-year-old. His eyes are serious. His freckled nose is crinkled with determination.

It is a cool, breezy Saturday morning at Veterans Park, which is already buzzing with activity. Baseball games are being played on three diamonds within a pop-up of each other. Parents are clustered in and around the stands, chatting and cheering. Players of all ages, wearing uniforms or team T-shirts, swarm the place.

Hardly anybody gives a second glance to the catcher in the Southeastern rookie league deftly playing on one leg.

Adam Bender is just another kid playing ball, which is exactly how his parents, Michelle and Chris, want it.

WATCH VIDEO

"I was a little hesitant when we first brought him up here for baseball," Michelle said. "I thought his spirit might be crushed if he got out every time. Then I thought, who am I to micromanage his feelings? He's going to have to learn how to deal with this stuff.

"The more I shelter him, the more he'll think, 'I'm fragile.' I don't think I'll ever tell him he can't do something."

Adam is amazing to watch. He takes his position behind the plate, resting on his right knee.

When a runner rounds third looking to score, Adam jumps up and holds his ground.

He suffered a mild concussion on one collision and missed a practice or two. But he recovered and was ready for action in the next game. At one point this season he led the rookie league in put-outs at home.

At bat, his athletic skill and balance allow him to take a full swing, and he usually makes contact. He hops to first base as quickly as he can. If he's safe, he uses crutches to run the bases. When he gets thrown out, he hops dejectedly back to the dugout.

He's a competitor, and not just in baseball.

Adam, who lost his left leg to cancer when he was 1, has played soccer for a couple of years. He uses crutches, and is a whirlwind on the field in Centenary United Methodist's "I Am Third" league.

He played YMCA flag football last fall for Bruce Rector, who has coached against Adam's baseball team.

At first, Rector wasn't sure if Adam could play football. "Then I slept on it. Having seen him play baseball, I knew he'd find a way to make it work," Rector said. "Sure enough, we put him at quarterback (using no crutches) and used a shotgun snap. He threw a lot of touchdown passes."

Adam lobbied to line up at receiver at least once so he could have a chance to score. On a conversion play, Adam hopped 5 yards down the field and made a diving catch in the end zone despite being double-covered.

"That's what I mean when I say if you turn him loose, he'll find a way," Rector said.

Adam shyly deflects question about himself. He admits that he "loves baseball" and "loves catching," but he doesn't think he's doing anything out of the ordinary.

Astros coach Dan Wyse said he went out of his way to get Adam on his team "because he's a good kid, a good catcher, and what he brings attitude-wise, he's an inspiration to everybody."

Michelle Bender appreciates the effect her son has on people young and old.

"Adam has helped other kids see that a person with a disability can be fun to hang out with, and play with, and they can still be a part of a community or part of a team. It's developed the kids' compassion.

"And if he can inspire even one family to allow their kid to try something they normally might not try, that's great."

Adam tried using a prosthesis but didn't like it because he felt it slowed him down. He is adamant about not using a wheelchair.

"He wants to play ball like everybody else," Michelle said. "He's always had that 'nobody's going to stop me' attitude."

Chris Bender thinks his son's "attitude and energy" channel naturally into sports. "He pops out of bed at 60 miles an hour and doesn't quit until he collapses at the end of the day. He's always wanted to do everything."

Doing everything that his older brother Steven and younger sister Morgan do is what pleases Adam's dad the most.

"The best thing about it is the normalcy," Chris said. "There will come a day when Adam will no longer be able to keep up. But he's had some measure of childhood where he's just like everybody else.

"He doesn't have to sit and watch his brother and sister play. He's out there playing with them."

And teaching a life lesson to everybody who's watching.

Rector does motivational speaking and leadership training, and he regularly relates Adam's inspirational story to adults.

"The lesson he teaches is that you need to let talented people with great heart get out there and do their thing," Rector said. "There's no such thing as an insurmountable obstacle for Adam. He's a winner."

Thank You

2009-03-13T09:20:00.000-07:00

Thursday night is our regular Relay For Life planning meeting. Our turnout was good considering the inclement weather. We finalized our sponsors and are ready to send the information to the t-shirt printer. Each sponsor has their name or logo printed on the back of the Relay For Life t-shirts that each participant receives. Even though the economy is much worse than it was a year ago, we have more sponsors than we did last year.

It is very refreshing that even in tough economic times so many people and businesses are willing to donate to a cause that gives others such hope. To all of the sponsors, team members, committee members, and everyone who donates to the Relay For Life: Thank You!!

Colon Cancer Myths

2009-03-09T12:47:00.000-07:00

Five Myths About Colon Cancer

Many times, colorectal cancer can be prevented. Still, it's one of the 5 most common cancers in men and women in the United States. Colorectal cancer is also one of the leading causes of cancer death in the United.States. Don't let these 5 common myths stop you from getting the lifesaving tests you need, when you need them.

Myth: Colorectal cancer is a man's disease.

Truth: Colorectal cancer is just as common among women as men. Each year, about 150,000 Americans are diagnosed with colorectal cancer, and more than 50,000 die from the disease.

Myth: Colorectal cancer cannot be prevented.

Truth: In many cases colorectal cancer can be prevented. Colorectal cancer almost always starts with a small growth called a polyp. If the polyp is found early, doctors can remove it and stop colorectal cancer before it starts. These tests can find polyps : double contrast barium enema, flexible sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy, or CT colonography (virtual colonoscopy).

To help lower your chances of getting colorectal cancer:

* get to and stay at a healthy weight
* be physically active
* limit the amount of alcohol you drink
* eat a diet with a lot of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and less red or processed meat .

Myth: African Americans are not at risk for colorectal cancer.

Truth: African-American men and women are diagnosed with and die from colorectal cancer at higher rates than men and women of any other US. racial or ethnic group.

Myth: Age doesn't matter when it comes to getting colorectal cancer.

Truth: More than 90% of colorectal cancer cases are in people age 50 and older. For this reason, the American Cancer Society recommends you start getting tested for the disease at age 50. People who are at a higher risk for colorectal cancer -- for example, those who have colon or rectal cancer in their families -- may need to begin testing at a younger age. Talk to your doctor about when you should start getting tested.

Myth: It's better not to get tested for colorectal cancer because it's deadly anyway.

Truth: Colorectal cancer is often highly treatable. If it is found and treated early, the 5-year survival rate is about 90%. But because many people are not getting tested, only about 4 out of 10 are diagnosed at this early stage when treatment is most likely to be successful.

Team Recruitment

2009-02-27T18:20:00.001-08:00

It has been a hectic week working for Relay For Life. Gina has been working almost nonstop this week on Relay Sponsorships and team recruitment. The deadline to get signed up on a team is March 1st. We want to get as many people signed up as possible. The Relay event is not until April 17, but we have a deadline to sign up so that we can get the t-shirts printed in time. As of February 27 we have 25 teams that have signed up with over 250 participants. We are still hoping for a few more teams to sign up this weekend.

Fundraising has started in earnest. A number of teams will be having drawings at the Relay. Around town you can contribute to Relay For Life, and have a chance to win a Wii, A 32" LCD HDTV, A rifle, A deer stand, a BBQ smoker, or a tent. There is a most beautiful baby contest, bake sales, breakfasts, people going door to door, and even nursing home residents raising money for Relay For Life. Even in these tough economic times, I have seen that most people are still willing to contribute to worthy causes. Gina like to tell people "I know times are hard, but having cancer is harder".

If you are not aware of what Relay For Life is; Relay For Life is a fun-filled, overnight event that empowers everyone to help fight cancer by raising money and awareness to support the American Cancer Society’s lifesaving mission. Teams of people camp out at local high schools, parks, or fairgrounds and take turns walking or running around a track or path. Each team is asked to have a representative on the track at all times during the event. Relay For Life symbolizes the hope that people lost to cancer will never be forgotten, that those who face the disease have support, and that one day cancer will be eliminated. Check out Relay For Life in your area. You can find an event near you by going here an putting in your zip code.

Fund Raising Tips

2009-02-23T12:30:00.000-08:00

1. Donate $20 yourself and ask four friends for $20 each

2. Ask 20 friends to donate $5 each

3. Ask 10 friends to donate $10 each

4. Send a letter to family and friends, explaining what Relay is and ask for a donation. Suggestion: Always ask for more than you expect. Example: If you want $25, ask for $50. Be sure to include a due date to send a donation.

5. Send a letter from your pet to family and friends. You might also want to send this out to your veterinarian.

6. Take a walk around your neighborhood. Knock on doors and ask your neighbors for their support.

7. Arrange a dress-down day at work. Anyone dressing down will have to pay. Be sure you have a sign that says, "Please excuse our appearance today, we are dressing down to benefit the American Cancer Society Relay For Life." You could charge anywhere from $1 to $5 per person to dress down. You could arrange these on a weekly or monthly basis.

8. Arrange with the principal of a local school for baseball cap day. Usually caps are not allowed, however, for $1, once a month, a student could wear a baseball cap in class. Be sure to have a sign ready that says, "Caps for a Cure - you will see students today sporting baseball caps as a fundraiser to benefit the American Cancer Society Relay For Life."

9. Hold a can & bottle drive.

10. Collect donations by displaying cut-out suns and moons that are available through your American Cancer Society staff partner. These can be in honor or in memory of loved ones.

Survivors

2009-02-19T18:22:00.000-08:00

Look Good Feel Better

2009-02-19T13:57:00.000-08:00

Trudy Hightower is a woman who understands the importance of being at the right place at the right time. As administrative assistant to the Women's Center at Conway Regional, Hightower had experience with the Look Good...Feel Better program, but she never dreamed that she would one day be coordinating it.

"It was an accident that happened for a reason," says Hightower. "[At first] I was not sure I could do this, but when I saw those women smile I knew I could help others. We call them parties, because it feels like a party once we are finished."

Since 2002, Hightower has been coordinating Look Good...Feel Better at the Conway Regional Medical Clinic. Look Good...Feel Better is a program offered through a collaboration between the American Cancer Society, Personal Care Products Council Foundation, and the National Cosmetology Association. The program is designed around the concept that if someone with cancer can be helped to look good, their improved self-esteem will help them to approach their disease and treatment with greater confidence.

Hightower says that the program is a welcome break from treatment for many participants. "Every appointment these patients have is about their cancer, but with the Look Good...Feel Better program it is not about their chemo. It is a party about them and about feeling better. The transformations are awesome," she says.

A thyroid cancer survivor herself, Hightower knows the importance of having a support system. "My cancer was still encapsulated and was removed. I did not have to go through what many of these women do," she says. "The American Cancer Society is doing good things."

In 2003, Hightower won the American Cancer Society's award for "Patient Support Best Practice" and the "Women Mean Business" gala award in the management category in 2006-2007. She resides in Vilonia, Ark., with her husband and two daughters.

Look Good...Feel Better volunteers are licensed cosmetologists. The program is offered at no cost to participants. For more information about Look Good...Feel Better or how to volunteer, please call 1-800-ACS-2345 or visit www.lookgoodfeelbetter.org.

Colon Cancer Survival

2009-02-06T11:06:00.000-08:00

In 2007, an estimated 112,340 Americans were diagnosed with colon cancer and 41,420 with rectal cancer. More than 52,000 people were expected to die from the disease last year. Colon cancer is largely preventable if precancerous polyps are found and removed before they become cancerous. If colon cancer is found and treated at its earliest stage, the five-year survival rate is 90 percent.

Kickoff

2009-01-31T15:35:00.000-08:00

Thursday night was the Polk County Relay For Life Kickoff. There was a good group of supporters who came out to the Union Bank Community Room who came out to get the 2009 Polk County Relay For Life started. There was pizza donated by Simple Simon's and lots of Relay giveaways for those who came out.

The Relay is off to a good start with 10 teams already signed up. Our goal is to have 24 teams this year. I am confidant that we will be able to reach our goal.

GIVING OUT DOOR PRIZES

RELAY MAKES ME SMILE

You can keep up with our progress on the Polk County Relay For Life Website.

Citizen Of The Week

2009-01-30T19:38:00.000-08:00

In the January 28 issue of the Polk County Pulse my wife Regina was featured as the Citizen of the Week. The article was titled "Regina Lawry - Running the Relay For Life". Michael Reisig was the writer. Here is the article as he wrote it.

Regina Lawry of Mena is a person on a mission. She is committed to The American Cancer Society's "Relay For Life" - the organization's number one fundraiser for cancer victims around the country. In a terrible irony, everyone in her immediate family has suffered with cancer - her mother, her father and all three of her sisters. She has taken it personally, and Lawry now does everything she can to combat this dreaded disease, ease the suffering of those who are dealing with it, and inform the public about the parameters of health and prevention.

POLK COUNTY RELAY FOR LIFE CHAIRMAN

Lawry was born in Denver, Colorado. Her father was a tile setter and her mother was a housewife, but it was her grandmother who died when Lawry was only six, that left a lasting impression on her.

GINA'S FAMILY AND THE HOUSE SHE GREW UP IN

"My grandmother wold take me to church - she was part of The Dorcas society, which made quilts, collected clothes and did other kindnesses for people who needed assistance in whatever fashion," she said. "I realized somewhere along the line, from her example, I wanted to be a person who did things for other people - the way a Christian should be."

Lawry graduated high school and went on to Union College in Nebraska. She graduated in 1975 and married her husband Richard that summer. She became an accountant and her husband became an auto body repair professional.

"After our daughter was born we realized that we were working so much and not able to spend the time together as a family," she recalled. "So we decided to visit Mena where Richard's family lived. We left Denver in February with below zero temperatures and arrived in Mena in 70 degree weather. It seemed like a real nice change...After visiting we decided to move to Polk County if our house in Colorado would sell. It sold two weeks later, and on Easter Sunday of 1981 we settled into country life.

GINA CYNDA AND I IN ARKANSAS

"It was a huge transition for me - a city girl - but after awhile I realized I had never felt like I belonged anywhere until I moved here," Lawry added. "It has proven to be a very good thing.

In 1976, just after she and her husband were married, Lawry's mother died of Leukemia. Her father later contracted colon cancer and all three of her sisters have battled breast cancer, so the struggle against this disease has become very personal. But she has seen the value of research and cures.

GINA'S MOTHER AT AGE 16

"My mother, while suffering with Leukemia, was a part of a study on bone marrow transplants at the University of Colorado Medical Center,' she recalled. "Twenty years later, my oldest sister received a bone marrow transplant that saved her life, from the same hospital. In 2000 I became involved in the Relay For Life benefit run. The Relay for Life benefits every kind of cancer research and is continually in the process of saving lives and providing money for research, information on cancer, and support in many fashions, including temporary housing for commuters to hospitals, transportatin costs, education, wigs, hats and a lot more.

I run the Credit Union at U.S. Motors in Mena but this - The Relay - is what I do, who I am." she continued. "I am just a little person from a country town, but I wanted to do something to help my children and my grandchildren remember me the way I remember my grandmother - serving other people."

GINA WITH HER GRAND-DAUGHTERS

Lawry attend every "Relay" she can and the latest, closest to home, will be in Mena on April 17 and 18 in Janssen Park.

"We want everyone to participate this year," Lawry said. "We need committee members, teams, and team members. The 'kickoff" is Thursday, January 29, at the Union Bank Hospitality Room. There will be free pizza, door prizes, and all the information you need on starting a team for families, churches, clubs, and employees of businesses. Last year we had 22 teams and raised $58,000. This year our goal is 24 teams and $64,000. There is hardly anyone who hasn't been touched by cancer in some fashion, and we need to take this seriously. Come join us in the Relay For Life."

Fighting Back

2009-01-28T07:21:00.000-08:00

Relay For Life participants have been instrumental in helping the American Cancer Society make progress against cancer and save lives. A recent report from the nation’s leading cancer organizations shows that, for the first time since the report was first issued in 1998, both incidence and death rates for all cancers combined are decreasing for both men and women.

"The drop in incidence seen in this year's Annual Report is something we've been waiting to see for a long time," said Otis W. Brawley, MD, chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society (ACS). "However, we have to be somewhat cautious about how we interpret it, because changes in incidence can be caused not only by reductions in risk factors for cancer, but also by changes in screening practices. Regardless, the continuing drop in mortality is evidence once again of real progress made against cancer, reflecting real gains in prevention, early detection, and treatment."

Where Does The Money Go?

2009-01-25T19:32:00.000-08:00

Since the inception of its Research Program in 1946, The American Cancer Society has contributed to almost every major cancer discovery. As a result of research advances, there are more than 10 million cancer survivors in America.

• American Cancer Society funding of select researchers led to effective treatments like chemotherapy, radiation, and bone marrow transplants that extend thousands of lives each year.

• Many cancers such as breast, cervical, colon and prostate can be detected early when treatment is more effective. Society-funded research has led to the development of early detection methods such as the PSA test and mammography.

• If colon cancer is discovered and treated early, the 5-year relative survival rate is 90%.The Society has been a leader in raising awareness about the importance of getting tested for colon cancer to save lives.

• Original American Cancer Society scientific research contributed to the recognized link between smoking and lung cancer. The Society is helping smokers double their chances of quitting through our Quitline, 1-877-YES-QUIT.

• The American Cancer Society advocates for stronger smoking ordinances and state laws to protect employees and the public from tobacco smoke in an effort to reduce death and illness caused by smoke.

• The American Cancer Society works to fund researchers early in their careers, when funding is particularly hard to receive. Remarkably, 38 of those funded researchers have gone on to win the Noble prize.

• Any time, day or night, people facing cancer can connect with lifesaving information, resources, and support online at www.cancer.org or through our toll-free call center – 1-800-ACS-2345.

• You are never alone in the Cancer Survivors NetworkSM, an online community that connects patients, survivors, and caregivers with others who have “been there” for insight, moral support, and inspiration.

• When the best hope for a cure is at a cancer center far from home, Hope Lodge® provides a comfortable, nurturing environment where patients and caregivers can stay free of charge during treatment and focus on what is most important – getting well.

• Through I Can Cope® classes, medical professionals help patients and their families overcome fears through information and resources to understand their cancer experience.

• Patients need not worry about how to get to and from their treatments when trained American Cancer Society volunteers offer free transportation, friendship, and support through our Road to Recovery® program.

• A free consultation with a Look Good … Feel Better® beauty consultant helps female patients feel beautiful again by providing tools and tips to overcome treatment side effects and restore their pre-cancer appearance and self-esteem.

• The American Cancer Society offers many other programs, services, and resources to help with the cancer journey. Call the Society to find out which ones are right for you, 1-800-ACS-2345.

• Ensured access to breast and cervical cancer screenings for low-income women.

• Passed the Patient Navigator Act, which allows for personal navigators who will assist patients in medically underserved communities gain access to affordable, understandable prevention, detection, and treatment services.

• New Medicare enrollees now have access to a “welcome visit” with their physician that will result in personalized healthy lifestyle and screening recommendations.

• Cancer advocates sent over 45,000 letters to Congress urging them to support cancer research and programs.

• Continuing to restrict youth access to tobacco.

• Reduced deaths and illnesses by advocating for stronger smoking ordinances and state laws to protect employees and the public from tobacco smoke.

Martial Arts Cancer Survivor

2009-01-22T18:26:00.000-08:00

Michael Veltri has been teaching aikido in Washington, DC for 8 years, as the Chief instructor of Okinawa Aikikai, U.S. Dojos. He first began studying this Japanese martial art while stationed with the U.S. Marine Corps in southern California. Fluent in Japanese, he then trained in Japan for 10 years.

The physical and mental conditioning he developed during the course of all that training served him well when he faced his greatest challenge, cancer.

Says Veltri, "Marine Corps boot camp was physically tough, but where most people would crack would be mentally. It's the same thing in the martial arts. You have to have that mental discipline. And that's what helped me during all aspects of my recovery, my treatment, and even now."

'I'd Never Been Sick'

It was April 2003 when Veltri noticed a lump on his right testicle. "It wasn't large. It wasn't painful. It just wasn't right. It felt hard and I waited about a week to see if I pulled something in training."

When the lump didn't disappear, Veltri made an appointment to see a urologist, who ordered a blood test and CAT scan. The blood test confirmed a testicular tumor. Fortunately the CAT scan showed no spread of the cancer to the rest of his body.

The diagnosis came as a surprise. "I'm very attuned to my body," Veltri says. "I have a very healthy lifestyle. I'd never been sick a day in my life before I got cancer."

Surgery was immediately scheduled for the next day to remove the testicle. Then he had monthly CAT scans as part of the follow-up. In July, the scan revealed that the testicular cancer had spread to his left lung.

A Difficult Course of Treatment

Radiation was not a good option for Veltri's type of tumor, so from July through October, he underwent intense chemotherapy treatments.

Since his doctors couldn't be completely sure whether the shrunken tumors contained any live cancer cells, they recommended surgery to remove them. At the beginning of November 2003, Veltri had half of his left lung removed and spent the next 2 months recovering from the invasive and debilitating procedure.

"You're talking to a guy who's a professional athlete, and then I was stuck in wheelchair," he says. "You had to learn to reuse your entire body all over again. You had to learn how to use your lungs again. It was a very painful procedure."

By the end of December, Veltri was able to take his first jog and was busy getting his body back on track. He was checked every 3 months for the first 2 years. Now he has CAT scans once a year, sees his oncologist every 6 months for blood tests. He just passed his 5th anniversary of completing treatment in November.

His Road to Recovery

Since 2004, Veltri has volunteered with ACS's Road to Recovery, driving cancer patients to and from chemotherapy and radiation appointments. Most of the patients had never had a cancer survivor drive them, he says, so that was a positive bonding experience.

Each spring he also volunteers for Daffodil Days, one of the American Cancer Society's oldest programs to raise funds and awareness to help beat the disease.

"I wanted to give back," he says. "I've always been a service-oriented person – whether that was serving my country in the Marine Corps or serving the community by teaching martial arts."

Veltri enjoys connecting with other cancer survivors through his volunteer work and teaching aikido. "If people have never gone through it, it's hard to relate," he says. "Talking to other cancer patients was very therapeutic for me."

He credits a strong network with helping him through the recovery process. "I couldn't do it by myself," he says. "I relied heavily on family and friends."

Attitude Is the Key

He also relied on his martial arts training. Dealing with the uncertainty of waiting for test results can be debilitating – if you let it be, says Veltri.

"Aikido teaches us to blend with your situation," he says. "You're not going to beat it up. You're not going to try to be stronger than it or faster than it. Instead of worrying, you just try to find a way of living in harmony with it, instead of trying to fight it."

Knowledge is power, says Veltri. He read Lance Armstrong's book, It's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life, and did other research on his disease.

For Veltri, the key to survival is your mindset. "Attitude is so, so important," he says. "There were some very dark days going through chemotherapy. Everything is failing. You can't eat. You feel miserable. You have no energy. And you've got to be able mentally, emotionally and spiritually to get through that."

Why I Relay

2009-01-19T13:52:00.000-08:00

I am involved in Relay For Life for a number of reasons. The number one reason is because my wife is passionate about Relay. She has such a passion for Relay For Life that it rubs off on those around her. Her passion stems from her family history. Her mother died of cancer when Gina was just 21 years old. Her father had colon cancer, and all three of her sisters have had breast cancer. She is the only person in her immediate family that is cancer free.

JIM "BIG BEAR" HUFF AND REGINA LAWRY
2008 POLK COUNTY RELAY FOR LIFE

Several years ago, Gina's sister Roberta got involved with Relay For Life in Enumclaw, Washington. For a number of years, Gina would travel to Enumclaw to be a part of Relay For Life there. Two years ago, we learned that Polk County was going to have a Relay. We got involved in the 2007 Relay, and have been involved ever since.

My uncle, Delbert Lawry, died from cancer a couple of years ago. I lost not only an uncle, but a friend and someone who was willing to help anytime. I have come to realize the importance of the work that the American Cancer Society does. It is involved in research, prevention, and helping those who are dealing with cancer.

Just about everyone has been affected by cancer in one way or another. Relay For Life is a fun way to raise money and awareness for the American Cancer Society. There is probably no other cause that a person can support that touches more lives. Relay celebrates those who have battled cancer, it remembers those who have fallen, and it provides a way to fight back. That is why I am proud to be a part of Relay For Life. I hope that you will be a part of Relay For Life too.

Committee Meeting

2009-01-16T18:01:00.000-08:00

2008 POLK COUNTY RELAY FOR LIFE COMMITTEE

Today the Polk County Relay For Life Committee held it's first meeting of the new year. We had 18 people at the meeting. What a blessing it was for so many people to be willing to volunteer for such an important cause. Last year the Relay was put on by a Committee of just 7 hard working people. Even though the committee was small, the Relay was very successful. We raised over 60,000 dollars.

The first order of business was planning for the Kickoff. The kickoff party will be held at 6:00 P.M. Thursday, January 29th at The Union Bank. We hope for a large group to get things started. There will be pizza and refreshments served and door prizes. We are looking forward to seeing everyone at the Kickoff.

Childhood Cancer

2009-01-15T08:57:00.000-08:00

Signed up for Relay 2009

2009-01-12T13:08:00.000-08:00

I have signed up for the 2009 Polk County Relay For Life. The Relay will be held in April at Janssen Park in Mena. We are just getting started with the organization of the event. You can go to the event webpage here. My personal Relay For Life Webpage is here.

Fighting Cancer On Capitol Hill

2008-12-19T15:53:00.000-08:00

By the age of 22, Richard Hughes was a graduate student at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and had been promoted to the Arkansas State Board of Health by Governor Huckabee. But in March of 2006, his life took a drastic turn. Hughes was diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumor, stage four Glioblastoma.

Hughes' neurosurgeon opted for a craniotomy and chemotherapy. After getting a second opinion, Hughes learned that he actually had Ganglioglioma grade 2 cancer and, assuredly, a more curative cancer. "Cancer turned my life upside down," says Hughes. "It made me assess my life. My faith got me through it."

Now cancer free, Hughes uses his position on the State Board of Health to help others who are fighting cancer. A graduate student at UAMS, Hughes is getting his Masters in Public Health and is focusing on public health campaigns in Arkansas. "Growing up my focus was on politics and policy, and after having cancer, my perspective shifted to health policy," says Hughes.

Hughes is also active in American Cancer Society advocacy initiatives, including volunteering for the ACS CAN Fight Back Express bus that rolled through the state in July 2008. He has also had the opportunity to lobby in Washington D.C., along with other volunteers, for FDA regulation of tobacco products and for increased funding for cancer research.

A Jonesboro native and graduate of Arkansas State University, Hughes is enjoying his time working to promote health policy throughout the state. "I want to help others who are facing cancer, and health policy is my niche," says Hughes.

For more information on the American Cancer Society's advocacy initiatives or how to become a volunteer, call 1-800-ACS-2345 or visit www.cancer.org/takeaction.

Cancer Will Be World's Top Killer

2008-12-09T11:18:00.000-08:00

Cancer will overtake heart disease as the world's top killer by 2010, part of a trend that should more than double global cancer cases and deaths by 2030, international health experts said in a report released Tuesday.

Rising tobacco use in developing countries is believed to be a huge reason for the shift, particularly in China and India, where 40 percent of the world's smokers now live.

So is better diagnosing of cancer, along with the downward trend in infectious diseases that used to be the world's leading killers.

Cancer diagnoses around the world have steadily been rising and are expected to hit 12 million this year. Global cancer deaths are expected to reach 7 million, according to the new report by the World Health Organization.

An annual rise of 1 percent in cases and deaths is expected — with even larger increases in China, Russia and India. That means new cancer cases will likely mushroom to 27 million annually by 2030, with deaths hitting 17 million.

Underlying all this is an expected expansion of the world's population — there will be more people around to get cancer.

By 2030, there could be 75 million people living with cancer around the world, a number that many health care systems are not equipped to handle.

"This is going to present an amazing problem at every level in every society worldwide," said Peter Boyle, director of the WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer.

Boyle spoke at a news conference with officials from the American Cancer Society, the Lance Armstrong Foundation, Susan G. Komen for the Cure and the National Cancer Institute of Mexico.

The "unprecedented" gathering of organizations is an attempt to draw attention to the global threat of cancer, which isn't recognized as a major, growing health problem in some developing countries.

"Where you live shouldn't determine whether you live," said Hala Moddelmog, Komen's chief executive.

The organizations are calling on governments to act, asking the U.S. to help fund cervical cancer vaccinations and to ratify an international tobacco control treaty.

Concerned about smoking's impact on cancer rates in developing countries in the decades to come, the American Cancer Society also announced it will provide a smoking cessation counseling service in India.

"If we take action, we can keep the numbers from going where they would otherwise go," said John Seffrin, the cancer society's chief executive officer.

Other groups are also voicing support for more action.

"Cancer is one of the greatest untold health crises of the developing world," said Dr. Douglas Blayney, president-elect of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

"Few are aware that cancer already kills more people in poor countries than HIV, malaria and tuberculosis combined. And if current smoking trends continue, the problem will get significantly worse," he said in a written statement.

Cancer Declines

2008-12-06T06:12:00.000-08:00

Publicly released November 25, the “Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer", reported something quite remarkable: for the first time in the ten-year history of these reports, cancer incidence and death rates for both men and women are declining. Though cancer death rates have been decreasing since the early 1990s, the new report highlights that cancer incidence rates are dropping as well.

American Cancer Society Relay For Life volunteers have been a critical part of the fight against cancer for the past 25 years and can take pride in the news that every dollar raised is helping to fund major progress in our mission to eliminate cancer as a major health problem.

One In Three

2008-12-01T19:48:00.000-08:00

One in three people will be diagnosed with cancer during their lifetime. That is a scary statistic. Think about that the next time your are in a group of people. One out of three will be diagnosed with cancer.

That is why we are involved in Relay For Life. The funds raised at Relay events save lives by funding cutting-edge cancer research, early detection and prevention education, advocacy efforts, and life-affirming patient services. It is because of your involvement that we are able to save lives, help those battling cancer, and empower all to fight back against the disease.

Volunteer Steve Sparks

2008-11-20T14:04:00.000-08:00

Volunteering your time is one of the most valuable items you can give. Ordinarily, most college students can find numerous groups on campus to volunteer for, but when Steve Sparks discovered that the University of Arkansas did not have a Colleges Against Cancer program, he decided to create his own.

After his father, Jim, was diagnosed with stage three colon cancer, Sparks wanted to do what he could to fight the disease. "I was looking for a good opportunity to volunteer and to bring awareness to colon cancer," says Sparks, who is a native of Beebe, Ark. "The American Cancer Society deals with every type of cancer."

For the past two years, Sparks has been president of the Colleges Against Cancer program. With 120 active members, Sparks' efforts have been a huge success on campus. "We are the fourth largest club on campus, there are no dues, and everyone contributes," says Sparks.

The group participates in several American Cancer Society activities including the Great American Smokeout and Relay For Life. Last year, the campus hosted its first Relay For Life and raised $10,000.

Today Sparks is proud to report that his father has been cancer free for seven years. And he has no doubt that the group he started will continue to be a success after he graduates this May. "We are well prepared, we have 15 chair positions, and anyone who takes over will be in good hands," he says.

Upon graduating, Sparks plans to attend Optometry school at the Southern College of Optometry in Memphis or North Eastern State University in Tahlequah, Oklahoma.

For more information on volunteering or the programs offered by the American Cancer Society, call 1-800-ACS-2345 or visit www.cancer.org.

Bake Sale

2008-11-18T13:41:00.000-08:00

There will be a bake sale in the Comfort Cafe at Mena Regional Health System on Tuesday, November 25th from 6:30 A.M. until 10:30 A.M. All proceeds will go to the Polk County relay For Life.

History of Relay For Life

2008-11-17T19:14:00.000-08:00

Relay For Life is a life-changing event that brings together more than 3.5 million people to:

• Celebrate the lives of those who have battled cancer. The strength of survivors inspires others to continue to fight.
• Remember loved ones lost to the disease. At Relay, people who have walked alongside people battling cancer can grieve and find healing.
• Fight Back. We Relay because we have been touched by cancer and desperately want to put an end to the disease.

One person can make a difference. Nowhere is that more evident than with the story of the American Cancer Society Relay For Life, which began in Tacoma, Washington. In the mid-1980s, Dr. Gordy Klatt, a Tacoma colorectal surgeon, wanted to enhance the income of his local American Cancer Society office and to show support for all of his patients who had battled cancer. He decided to personally raise money for the fight by doing something he enjoyed – running marathons.

In May 1985, Dr. Klatt spent a grueling 24 hours circling the track at Baker Stadium at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma. He ran for more than 83 miles. That first year, nearly 300 of Dr. Klatt's friends, family, and patients watched as he ran and walked the course. Throughout the night, friends donated $25 to run or walk with Dr. Klatt for 30 minutes. His efforts raised $27,000 to fight cancer.

While circling the track those 24 hours, Dr. Klatt thought about how others could take part in his mission to fight cancer. He envisioned a 24-hour team relay event that could raise more money to fight cancer. Over the next few months, he pulled together a small committee to plan the first team relay event, known as the City of Destiny Classic 24-Hour Run Against Cancer.

In 1986, with the help of Pat Flynn – now known as the “Mother of Relay” – 19 teams took part in the first team Relay event on the track at the historic Stadium Bowl and raised $33,000. An indescribable spirit prevailed at the track and in the tents that dotted the infield.

In 2009 there will be Relay For Life events in over 5,000 communities. Check and see if you community is one of them, and if it is plan to participate.

This Little Light Of Mine

2008-11-14T17:46:00.000-08:00

Video from the Mid-South Division Relay For Life Leadership Summit in Nashville, Tennessee.

Survivors

2008-11-13T12:06:00.000-08:00

A cancer diagnosis is a journey filled with many new and different experiences for survivors. Within the American Cancer Society Relay For Life activities and events, we strive to demonstrate respect for the many ways in which each person touched by cancer defines themselves and their experiences.

The American Cancer Society considers a cancer survivor to be anyone who defines himself or herself this way, from the time of diagnosis throughout the balance of his or her life.

Survivors are a very important part of every Relay for Life event. There are a variety of creative ways we celebrate our survivors, whether it is enjoying a reception, walking in the opening lap, wearing a survivor t-shirt, or being honored during the luminaria ceremony. Survivors are the reason we relay.

At last years Relay For Life event here in Mena, I was talking with a survivor who told me, “without those who support and participate in Relay For Life and other fundraisers and research efforts, I wouldn’t be a survivor.”

That in a nutshell is why those of us who are involved in Relay for Life give of our time, effort and money. We want more survivors!

Leadership Summit 2

2008-11-11T14:55:00.001-08:00

What a busy few days we have had. Last Thursday morning, we headed for Nashville, Tennessee. We met the rest of the Relay For Life Leadership Summit attendees from our area in Little Rock. We caravaned with them to Jackson, Tennessee where we stopped for the night. When we entered the hotel we were met with a sign greeting us.

After a good nights sleep we headed towards Nashville. The autumn colors were exceptional. I have never traveled on an Interstate highway that was so beautiful. We stopped at a rest area, and I took a few pictures of the fall foliage.

We arrived at the Opryland Hotel at around 11:00 A.M. If you have never seen the Opryland Hotel, I can't really explain it to you. It is the largest hotel in the U.S. that doesn't have a casino. It has 2,881 guest rooms and over 600,000 square feet of meeting space. The hotel is spread across nine acres and includes a natural indoor atrium that features winding rivers, walking paths, marvelous landscaping, and peaceful waterfalls year-round.

We checked into our room, and then registered for the Leadership Summit. There were over 1200 people attending the Relay For Life training event. There were Relayers from the six states of Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee along with special guests from South Africa. The Leadership Summit was the first-ever divisionwide Relay For Life training event. There were inspirational speakers, and lots of information at the breakout workshop sessions.

I really enjoyed the summit, but being that crowded does make me a bit uncomfortable. There were more people in the hotel than people who live in my hometown of Mena. As crowded as the Relay For Life summit was, It was only one of several conventions that were occurring in the hotel.

One of the most inspiring things was when we were introduced to a young girl who was a cancer survivor. Even though she was blind, you could feel her enthusiasm for life. She sang "This Little Light Of Mine", as all of us in the audience shined our flashlights.

The Leadership Summit left Gina and I inspired and full of ideas for the Relay For Life that will be held here in Polk County in 2009.

GINA AND I WITH OUR ACS STAFF PERSON STINA

Leadership Summit

2008-11-06T19:27:00.001-08:00

Gina and I are leaving today for the Relay For Life Leadership Summit to be held at Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee the 7th and 8th of November. We are looking forward to attending.

Relay For Life is the American Cancer Society’s signature activity. It offers everyone in a community an opportunity to participate in the fight against cancer. Teams of people camp out at a local high school, park, or fairground and take turns walking or running around a track or path. Each team is asked to have a representative on the track at all times during the event. Relays are an overnight event.

Teams of people from all walks of life have fun while raising much-needed funds to fight cancer and raise awareness of cancer prevention and treatment.

The event in Mena was great. It was held in beautiful Janssen Park and was very successful. There was great entertainment and it was very well attended.

The purpose of Relay For Life is to celebrate the lives of those who have battled cancer. The strength of survivors inspires others to continue to fight. Remember loved ones lost to the disease. At Relay, people who have walked alongside people battling cancer can grieve and find healing. Fight Back. We Relay because we have been touched by cancer and desperately want to put an end to the disease.

Why I Relay

2008-11-03T07:41:00.001-08:00

I am involved in Relay For Life for a number of reasons. The number one reason is because my wife is passionate about Relay. She has such a passion for Relay For Life that it rubs off on those around her. Her passion stems from her family history. Her mother died of cancer when Gina was just 21 years old. Her father had colon cancer, and all three of her sisters have had breast cancer. She is the only person in her immediate family that is cancer free.

Several years ago, Gina's sister Roberta got involved with Relay For Life in Enumclaw, Washington. For a number of years, Gina would travel to Enumclaw to be a part of Relay For Life there. Two years ago, we learned that Polk County was going to have a Relay. We got involved in the 2007 Relay, and have been involved ever since.

My uncle, Delbert Lawry, died from cancer a couple of years ago. I lost not only an uncle, but a friend and someone who was willing to help anytime. I have come to realize the importance of the work that the American Cancer Society does. It is involved in research, prevention, and helping those who are dealing with cancer.

Just about everyone has been affected by cancer in one way or another. Relay For Life is a fun way to raise money and awareness for the American Cancer Society. There is probably no other cause that a person can support that touches more lives. Relay celebrates those who have battled cancer, it remembers those who have fallen, and it provides a way to fight back. That is why I am proud to be a part of Relay For Life. I hope that you will be a part of Relay For Life too.

Breast Cancer Awareness

2008-10-30T11:30:00.000-07:00

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

The American Cancer Society says that mammograms detect 80 percent to 90 percent of breast cancers in women without symptoms, and all women 40 and older should get a yearly mammogram.

"Mammography remains the most effective screening test for the early detection of breast cancer available to women today," Dr. Otis W. Brawley, the American Cancer Society's chief medical officer, said in a society news release. "Women are strongly urged to schedule their mammograms yearly and to talk to their doctor regularly about their risk for breast cancer."

Early detection by mammography screening and improvements in treatment have contributed to a decline in the breast cancer death rate in the United States since 1990. However, recent evidence suggests that many women are getting mammograms at a later age, not scheduling them yearly, or aren't receiving appropriate and timely follow-up after positive breast cancer screening results.

Along with recommending yearly mammograms and clinical breast examinations for women over age 40, the American Cancer Society says that women ages 20 to 39 should undergo clinical breast examination at least once every three years. All women should be familiar with their breasts and immediately report any changes to their health care provider.

Women at high risk for breast cancer (greater than a 20 percent lifetime risk) should have an annual MRI and mammogram, and women at moderate risk (15 percent to 20 percent lifetime risk) should talk with their doctors about the benefits and limitations of adding MRI screening to their yearly mammogram.

Complete screening guidelines along with more information about breast cancer is available at www.cancer.org or call 1800.ACS.2345

What Is Relay For Life?

2008-10-29T11:17:00.000-07:00

Relay For Life is the American Cancer Society’s signature activity. It offers everyone in a community an opportunity to participate in the fight against cancer. Teams of people camp out at a local high school, park, or fairground and take turns walking or running around a track or path. Each team is asked to have a representative on the track at all times during the event. Relays are an overnight event, up to 24 hours in length.

Teams of people from all walks of life have fun while raising much-needed funds to fight cancer and raise awareness of cancer prevention and treatment.

No matter who you are, there’s a place for you at Relay. To participate, form a team, or dedicate a luminaria please call Regina at 479-394-6172 or visit http://www.cancer.org/.

Relay For Life is a life-changing event that brings together more than 3.5 million people to:

• Celebrate the lives of those who have battled cancer. The strength of survivors inspires others to continue to fight.
• Remember loved ones lost to the disease. At Relay, people who have walked alongside people battling cancer can grieve and find healing.
• Fight Back. We Relay because we have been touched by cancer and desperately want to put an end to the disease.

There is not a required amount of money to raise in order to participate in Relay For Life. The American Cancer Society's recommendation is for each participant to set a personal goal to raise $100. If you raise more, that's even better. If you do not raise $100, you are still welcome to participate. We're glad to have you. The only requirement to participate in Relay For Life is the $10 registration/commitment fee (per person) that is due upon registration. After that, anything you can raise through individual, team, or online fundraising is graciously accepted.

Luminaria

2008-10-29T10:59:00.000-07:00

LUMINARIA HONORING MY MOTHER IN LAW

Luminaria are paper bags filled with sand and illuminated by a small light or candle.

Gina has been involved in the American Cancer Society Relay For Life for a number of years. She first got involved by traveling to Enumclaw, Washington to be a part of the Relay For Life there. Her sister Roberta is very involved with the Enumclaw Relay For Life. Luminaria are an important part of Relay For Life events. Each Luminaria bears the name of a person who has faced cancer, or those who have lost their battle. Each bag represents a life and story, survivor or memory – all donated in the spirit of love.

The Luminaria are placed around the track and lit as sunset approaches. As night falls it is a beautiful and poignant scene to see all the lit luminaria.

LUMINARIA LINING THE TRACK AT RELAY FOR LIFE

There is a Luminaria Ceremony that offers everyone at Relay the opportunity to honor and remember those whose lives have been touched by cancer. Luminaria also raise money for Relay For Life.

GINA SPEAKING DURING THE LUMINARIA CEREMONY

Gina and I have been involved in the Relay For Life event here in Polk county for the last two years. Gina is the Relay For Life Chairperson for Polk County. It is a passion of ours because of all of the family members and friends who have battled cancer. We decorated a float for the 2007 Christmas parade here in Mena. Our theme was Luminaria. Gina made a large Luminaria from a refrigerator box, and we lit it with a floor lamp. We had Luminaria all along the sides of the float that we lit with glow sticks.

THE REFRIGERATOR BOX LUMINARIA

RELAY FOR LIFE FLOAT IN THE PARADE

If you have never been involved in a Relay For Life, find out if there is one in your community and become a part of it. In 2008 there were over 5,000 Relay For Life events with over 3 million people participating. Don't miss out on the fun of this important event. Last year over 400 million dollars was raised by Relay For Life for cancer research, education, advocacy and service.

RELAY FOR LIFE IS FUN AND FULFILLING