April 30, 2010
CancerCare encourages young adults affected by cancer to participate in First Descents, a fantastic organization that allows young adults to participate in whitewater kayaking and other adventure sports in a safe, fun and supportive environment. The nonprofit organization, founded in 2000, is committed to connecting the young adult cancer population and providing support, encouragement and empowerment.
Week-long programs are offered in Utah, Colorado, Montana and Washington, free of charge to all participants. It is not required of participants to have any previous rafting or climbing experience, and all equipment is provided by First Descents. Medical providers are always available on-site at each program to ensure a safe experience for each individual.
First Descents Participants Kayaking in Idaho
Those accepted to the program must cover the cost of travel, although limited scholarships covering transportation are available. First Descents is still accepting applications for climbing programs in September; click here to apply. All that is required to apply is a general application form, and a physical exam form filed out by you physician.
“Young adults who have cancer are often underserved by support offerings that address concerns specific to their age,” notes CancerCare Men’s Cancer Project Coordinator Wade Iwata, LMSW. “First Descents is really a unique and worthwhile experience that keeps young adults coming back to the program year after year.”
For more information about First Descents, and to learn how you can become a volunteer or host a fundraiser, please visit the organization’s website.
Learn more about CancerCare’s free, professional support services for young adults affected by cancer.
Leave a Comment » | 
Mind-Body-Spirit, Young Adults | Tagged: First Descents, Young Adults | 
Permalink
Posted by Kyle Hornyak
April 27, 2010
It’s a bright, sunny day. Do you run for the beach, or run for cover?
Today’s issue of The Wall Street Journal explores the risks and benefits of both sun-lovers and shade-seekers. On the plus side, the sun’s UV rays stimulate endorphins that can boost your mood and reduce pain. Unfortunately, exposure to UV rays also causes up to 95% of melanoma diagnoses.
With summer approaching, it’s important to know how to prevent and detect melanoma, the most serious of skin cancers. Risk factors include:
- A history of blistering sunburns
- Light hair and eyes
- A large number of freckles and/or moles
- Family history of melanoma
You can decrease your risk by:
- Avoiding tanning beds
- Wearing sunscreen with an SPF 30 or higher
- Seeking shade during the sun’s peak hours of 10am-4pm
- Covering your body when exposed to the sun’s rays
You can still enjoy outdoor activities in the sunshine, just remember to take precautions and enjoy the sun in moderation.
Two new CancerCare fact sheets about melanoma, made possible through an educational grant from Teb’s Troops, will be available soon. Find Teb’s Troops on Facebook to learn more about its Fourth Annual March on Melanoma 5K race, to be held July 25 in Chicago.
CancerCare’s melanoma resources include The Melanoma Helpline. Launched in partnership with The Melanoma Research Foundation, the helpline is staffed by professional oncology social workers who provide free telephone counseling and information about coping with melanoma. Call 877-MRF-6460 (877-673-6460).
Read The Wall Street Journal article here.
CancerCare offers counseling, support groups, community programs, publications and financial assistance all free of charge to anyone affected by melanoma.
Leave a Comment » | Coping with Cancer, Learn More About Your Diagnosis, Young Adults | Tagged: coping, melanoma, Teb's Troops, Young Adults | Permalink
Posted by Kyle Hornyak
April 23, 2010
CancerCare applauds President Obama’s April 15 memorandum that ends sexual-orientation-based discrimination in hospital visitation rights and ensures that all people receive equal hospital visitation privileges.
The new rule, which the President directed Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius to implement within the next 180 days, will affect any hospital that receives Medicare or Medicaid funding–that is, the majority of the nation’s health-care institutions.
Previously, hospitals were able to bar visitors who are not related to a patient by blood or marriage; and to prevent same-sex couples’ efforts to designate a partner to make medical decisions on their behalf should they become incapacitated. Also affected by these policies were widows or widowers with no children, members of a religious order, or others whose loved ones who were not the patient’s immediate relatives.
The new rules are seen as a major step forward for the rights of same-sex partners and their families.
Read the presidential mandate in its entirety here.
Addressing concerns unique to the LGBT population are among the many specialized programs offered by CancerCare’s staff of oncology social workers. Our services, all completely free of charge, include individual counseling, support groups, financial assistance, and community programs, available to anyone facing a cancer diagnosis.
Learn more about CancerCare’s supportive services for the LGBT community.
Leave a Comment » | Caregiving, Coping with Cancer | Tagged: cancer information, cancer patients, caregivers, LGBT | Permalink
Posted by Kyle Hornyak
April 9, 2010
Through April, The Cutting Edge Concert Series, presented by Symphony Space in New York City, explores the role that music can play in a patient’s treatment.
On Monday, April 12, CancerCare Director of Education and Training Carolyn Messner will join host Victoria Bond and composers Harold Meltzer, Sebastian Currier, Laurie San Martin, Sean Shepherd, Kristin Kuster, Jeremy Thurlow and Anna Weesner in a discussion about the therapeutic value of music during treatment.
The event, held at Symphony Space’s Leonard Nimoy Thalia theater (Broadway at 95th St.) begins at 6:30 p.m. with the panel discussion, followed by the concert at 7:30 p.m.
“As a recent breast cancer survivor, I learned from a fellow patient the benefit of having music played when undergoing radiation treatments,” says Messner. “I requested my favorite classical music to be played. It was transformative for me, the time went quickly and the music enabled me to tolerate the treatments.”
“Many people find music to be a fabulous distraction from what is happening around them during treatment,” adds Messner, noting that most treatment centers offer patients the option of listening to music during treatment. “Patients can certainly find it soothing and relaxing, and some even prefer to dial the volume as loud as it can go in order to feel energized. Having the ability to select what they listen to and how loud they listen to it brings a sense of control, and really can completely change a person’s mood.”
Tickets are $20 ($18 for Symphony Space members); students and seniors, $15. Purchase tickets online at www.symphonyspace.org.
Leave a Comment » | Coping with Cancer, Mind-Body-Spirit, Support CancerCare | Tagged: cancer patients, cancer treatment, coping, New York City | Permalink
Posted by Kyle Hornyak
April 5, 2010
Be a Survivor—Lung Cancer Treatment Guide is an optimistic, encouraging treatment guide that details the lung cancer experience from diagnosis to recovery.
The guidebook was written by Vladimir Lange, M.D. to empower patients to seek a cure, rather than to accept defeat. “New treatments, new drugs, and earlier diagnosis make survival much more likely than it was just a few years ago,” he notes.
CancerCare Lung Cancer Program Coordinator Win Boerkel calls Be a Survivor “one of the best lung cancer patient guides I’ve seen in my 13 years of working with lung cancer patients.”
In 2009, CancerCare collaborated with leading patient advocacy groups to launch The Lung Cancer Clinical Trial Call to Action campaign, designed to help patients and their families navigate the complicated landscape of researching and identifying clinical trials. Patients can call 1-800-698-0931 to be matched with a Clinical Trial Specialist who will guide them through the entire process.
The CancerCare Co-Payment Assistance Foundation offers up to $10,000 per year in co-payment assistance for lung cancer patients in their families.
To order the guide, call 1-888-LANGE-88 (888-526-4388), or print out and fax back the order form.
Learn more about our free services for lung cancer patients and visit our sister website, www.lungcancer.org.
Leave a Comment » | Clinical Trials, Coping with Cancer, Learn More About Your Diagnosis, Mind-Body-Spirit | Tagged: cancer information, cancer patients, cancer survivors, Clinical Trials, coping, financial resources, lung cancer | Permalink
Posted by Kyle Hornyak
