Fighting Cancer On Capitol Hill

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.